Our Favorite Progressive Candidates in 2026 - Tina Nakada Grandinetti, Hawaii House of Representatives District 20

Hawaii is known for being one of the most progressive states in the country, but even there, progressives have had to fight their way into the state legislature to ensure equitable representation of all groups and to push progressive policies to move Hawaii forward and better the lives of everyone who lives there.

One such representative is Tina Grandinetti (she/her), a millennial environmental justice activist completing her first term as a Hawaii state representative. After fighting for tenants’ rights against large-scale developers, Tina wrote her doctoral thesis on Hawaii’s housing crisis, which she works on solving every day in the House. Tina is passionate about supporting working families, preventing displacement and gentrification, and is refusing to accept corporate PAC or lobbyist money in her race.

SWAC: Influencer, zIssue 59Andrew FOctober 29, 2026indigenous, Hawaii, housing, housing crisis, activism, activist, election 2026Comment

Our Favorite Progressive Candidates in 2026 - Angie Nixon, U.S. Senate, Florida

Angie Nixon (she/her), a Florida State Representative, is running of the Democratic nomination. There has not been a Democrat in the U.S. Senate from Florida since 2018. Angie is a Black millennial ally to and fighter for the LGBTQ+ community who advocates for economic justice for the working class: a $25 minimum wage, rent stabilization, curbing corporate purchasing of residential housing, protecting reproductive rights, Medicare for All, and universal childcare and Pre-K.

Angie co-wrote a children’s book with her daughter called The Adventures of Moxie McGriff to help her embrace her natural hair, which ultimately transformed into a movement to boost self-esteem in young Black girls. She co-founded the Melanin Market in Jacksonville, FL, to provide healthy food options in a food desert while supporting local minority-owned small businesses. Angie also owns a bookstore and coffee shop in Jacksonville called Cafe Resistance, which she specifically created to serve as a community hub, provide free tutoring, and proudly stock the books that extremist Republicans in Florida are trying to ban. In May of this year, Angie was reprimanded by the Florida State House because for protesting the racist new congressional voting maps and she is now being prosecuted by DeSantis for peacefully protesting these maps in his office after he refused to meet with her.

Mai Khoi - Pop Star To Exile

Mai Khoi went from golden album pop star to exile just for standing up for the rights of her people in Vietnam. As Americans we take for granted our right to free speech and to protest. But we now have Mai Khoi helping us to fight to keep that right in America too. Mai Khoi has some of the most incredible rang of a singer I have ever heard. Her songs range from metal banshee to jazz to surreal art. With her new album, Five Years in Exile, just coming out you don’t want to miss it or seeing her live, if you can. But for now, read on to learn more about this absolutely fascinating woman and her art!

Art, Editor's Pick, zIssue 58, zIssue 58.1Kira BuccaMay 26, 2026activism, activist, music, female artists, vietnamComment

Zoey Tess Blends Activism and Art

Inspired by politically vocal artists that have come before her, singer-songwriter Zoey Tess blends her passion for music with activism in hopes of inspiring radical change. Her latest single, “Knocking at Your Front Door,” faces issues relevant to people of color, the LGBTQ community, and women head on. With her debut album, “There’s Gonna Be a Reckoning,” on the way, we can’t wait to see what’s in store. Also a proud advocate for gun reform, Tess was recently welcomed as an Artist for Action under the Sandy Hook Promise organization. To learn more about Zoey Tess and her upcoming music, read on.

Cristina Mittermeier & Paul Nicklen: Hope and Reverence

Cristina Mittermeier and Paul Nicklen merge art and advocacy. Based in Vancouver, but having traveled across the world for their art, they dedicate their lives to conservation efforts through fine art photography. With their cameras they are able to capture the important stories of animals, nature, humans, and the climate crisis. Their latest exhibit, Hope and Reverence: Cristina Mittermeier & Paul Nicklen, was curated by Tiffany Benincasa and shown at C. Parker Gallery during Climate Week NYC. Notably, the ocean holds a special place in the pair’s hearts, which lead them to create the ocean conservation organization SeaLegacy. To learn more about Cristina Mittermeier and Paul Nicklen, read on.

Carlyn Cowen - Organizing All the Time

Carlyn Cowen (they/them) has been agitating for change their entire life. As someone who is queer, Jewish, and Filipinx, none of the aspects of Carlyn’s identity place them in the white supremacist heteronormative patriarchal privileged paradigm. Carlyn’s official career has been providing social services to marginalized communities in New York City, including the Black community, the LGBTQ community, and the Chinese-American community. Read on to learn more about the amazing work that Carlyn has accomplished!

Miracle in Motion: The Power of Being Unapologetically You

Miracle Pelayo is all about breaking barriers and owning her story. With a spark for acting, a passion for advocacy, and a name that truly fits, she’s making waves in Hollywood—and beyond. From screen roles to speaking out on disability representation, Miracle brings heart, humor, and honesty to everything she does. Her journey is one of creativity, resilience, and the belief that every story—especially the ones less told—deserves to be seen and heard.

Kim Tran, Alliance Builder between the Black and Asian communities

Dr. Kim Tran (she/her) is an inspirational human being. She has lived her entire life in devotion to fighting for justice and building solidarity between like-minded people and groups. As a queer Asian woman, she is a prominent advocate for the LGBTQ community, the Black-Asian alliance, and opposing oppression. This intellectual has been a proponent for DEI long before DEI became a buzzword or reached the lips of the American mainstream. Read on to learn more about Dr. Kim Tran!

Meet Chayne: The Voice You Didn’t Know You Were Obsessed With (Yet)

Chayne is an artist with a voice that draws you in and a sound that stays with you. Blending elements of soul, pop, and R&B, their music is both intimate and expansive, carefully crafted but emotionally direct. With recent releases like It’s Gone, He’s Gone, and an upcoming debut album, Chayne is steadily carving out a space in today’s music landscape, bringing depth, clarity, and unmistakable style to everything they create.

Pip Lewis and the Power of Emotion in Every Note

With a voice that effortlessly weaves vulnerability and strength, Pip Lewis is quickly emerging as one of the most compelling new voices in music today. Blending soulful melodies with genre-defying production, Lewis doesn’t just sing, she tells stories that resonate deeply. Whether she's performing on an intimate stage or crafting lyrics in the studio, her presence is magnetic, her sound unmistakable. As she continues to build momentum with each release, Pip Lewis is proving that she’s not just an artist to watch—she’s an artist to remember.

Our Favorite Progressive Candidates in 2025 - Deja Foxx, Arizona's 7th Congressional District

One of the candidates running for the Democratic nomination is Deja Foxx (she/her), a Gen Z Democratic political activist. Raised by a single mother, Deja experienced homelessness as a child and relied on free school lunches, food stamps, Section 8 housing, and Medicaid. In 2017 she confronted her Senator, Jeff Flake, about plans to remove federal funding for Planned Parenthood at a town hall, and ever since then she has been involved in politics, including founding the El Rio Community Health Center's Reproductive Health Access Project in her native Tucson, and working on Kamala Harris’ 2020 and 2024 presidential elections. For her activism, Deja is a recipient of numerous awards, including the Planned Parenthood’s Catalyst for Change Award, the Global Citizen Prize, the Gloria Steinem's Woman of Vision Award, the Muhammed Ali Humanitarian Award, and the United Nations Global Impact Award. Deja is running for Congress to fight for reproductive freedom, economic justice, and a government that actually works for young people and working-class families.

Courage in Full Color: Krystofer Maison on Art and Activism

Krystofer Maison is an artist who doesn’t play by the usual rules — and that’s precisely what sets him apart. With a sound that blends raw emotion, striking lyrics, and a fearless approach to genre, he’s been steadily building a name for himself as someone who creates music that feels both deeply personal and universally resonant. In this interview, Krystofer opens up about his creative process, the stories behind his songs, and what drives him as an artist.

SWAC: Influencer, zIssue 57.1Kylie MurphyJune 20, 2025#queermusic, queer, singer, songwriter, inspiration, activist, LGBTQ+, mental healthComment

Jamie Margolin, Intersectional Activist

As the current regime turns away from curbing climate change and towards embracing increased carbon emissions, Gen Z is doing what it can to pick up the slack. Jamie Margolin is only 23 years old, but she has been an activist for the past 8+ years. Coming of age in the Trump era, she witnessed the systematic dismantling of environmental regulations and free reign given to petroleum and gas companies to extract fossil fuels in the cheapest way possible. The existential threat of climate change inspired Jamie to co-found Zero Hour, an international youth climate justice movement which aims to empower youth to lead the environmental justice narrative, as those who stand to bear the brunt of climate change. This organization has been going strong since 2017. Read on to learn more about climate justice leader Jamie Margolin!

Audrey Denney - Feeding American Hunger

“Public service is for all of us.” These are the words of Audrey Denney (she/her), an agriculture teacher, consultant, international human rights volunteer and political activist. Raised from a young age with the belief in service to others, Audrey has spent her whole life advocating for those who need it — the hungry, the unhoused, immigrants, and farm laborers. And she has a thing or two to say about why the Democratic party keeps losing in rural America. Read on to learn more about Audrey Denney!

Ianthe Metzger, Master Communicator

Ianthe Metzger (she/her) knows how to communicate. She has spent most of her career as the official mouthpiece of three of the largest progressive advocacy organizations in the United States: Human Rights Campaign, Emily’s List, and Planned Parenthood. Originally from the country of Trinidad and Tobago, Ianthe did not originally envision this career trajectory - the daughter of two dentists, she thought she would follow in her parents’ footsteps. Read on to learn about the rapid ascent in progressive activism for Ianthe Metzger!

Aaron Regunberg - Fighting Pollution and Hate

Aaron Regunberg (he/him), while only in his mid-30s, has a long list of accomplishments to his name. A former two-term Rhode Island state representative, this kakapo fan is taking on the might of fossil fuel companies as legal counsel at Public Citizen, and is fighting the Trump administration in Rhode Island as co-founder of Resist Hate RI. Read on to learn more about Aaron and his legacy of activism!

Odessa Kelly - A Force To Be Reckoned With

When most people think of Nashville, they think of country music, the Grand Ole Opry, and hot chicken. But hopefully in the near future, they will also think of Odessa Kelly. Odessa (she/her) is a working-class, openly gay Black woman and mom of 2 who devotes her time, energy, and resources to the social justice non-profit she founded and now leads, Stand Up Nashville! This former Division I women’s basketball player went into public service after graduation but soon discovered that even a full-time government job is no longer enough to make ends meet. This experience of living hand-to-mouth motivated Odessa to start her social justice work advocating for the working class, housing justice, and racial equity in her home city. Read on to learn more about the force of nature that is Odessa Kelly!

Marie Newman, an Activist from High School to Congress

Marie Newman (she/her), a lifelong progressive activist, is a former US Representative whose office in the Longworth House Office Building was located right across from right-wing Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene. After Greene insulted Newman’s transgender daughter, Newman flew the transgender pride flag outside of her own office. But advocating for transgender people is just one of many progressive positions Newman has agitated for over the course of her life. She has been a woman’s rights, gun reform, healthcare and income equity champion her entire life. Her prescriptive memoir, A Life Made From Scratch, is due to be released on March 18. Read on to learn more about the tremendous work of Marie Newman!

Kara Eastman - Redefining Midwestern Nice

Kara Eastman (she/her) is a woman of many passions, but aside from punk rock nearly all of them involve making lives better for people who unduly suffer under the effects of untamed late-stage capitalism, the for-profit health industry, the lack or disregard of environmental regulations, or media centralized in the hands of the ultra-wealthy. After a career of activism, she shows no signs of slowing down! Read on to learn more about the work of the indefatigable Kara Eastman!

Our Favorite Progressive Candidates in 2024 - Sade Elhawary, California State Assembly District 57

Sade Elhawary (she/her) is a millennial activist and high school history teacher. A graduate of UCLA and Harvard, Sade served as a prominent member of Karen Bass’s successful election campaign to be mayor of Los Angeles. At age 28, she traveled the world, visiting 28 countries - one for each year of her age. As a Black and Latina community activist, Sade is most passionate about unifying Black and Brown people to combat white supremacy, and fight for racial equity and economic justice. As a proud member of the LGBTQ community, she promotes the queer community's resilience and political struggle for liberation. Sade is promoting healthcare for all (including reproductive and mental health), providing educational and employment opportunities for young people, and criminal justice reform in her campaign.