For this week’s Friday Feature we get to take a look into the life and career of State Representative Sara Coffey. Sara completed Emerge Vermont’s signature program in 2018, and has done remarkable things within her community and for the state of Vermont. With a 25 year background in the arts, Sara’s focus has always been on community engagement. As her career has transitioned over the past few years, Sara carries those same values with the work she does as a state representative for Guilford and Vernon, working to build bridges between socioeconomic groups and be the voice for the underrepresented sectors of the state.
Sara graduated with a degree in International Studies from Marlboro College and the School for International Training with a Plan of Concentration in dance and anthropology. Her work with anthropology—the study of cultures and people—prepared her for a career in helping others. Her understanding of societies and communities shows in the work she’s doing in the Vermont State Legislature. Similar to the arts, politics is a way to bring voice and visibility to important issues, and Sara’s work for rural communities is a direct representation of that principle.
I asked Sara how she first became aware of Emerge Vermont and why she decided to go through the program. Her response, in my opinion, encompasses our mission. Women supporting women is the principle we stand by, and Sara’s introduction to Emerge was through her “women’s grapevine.” A friend of hers who was considering doing the program voiced the opportunity to Sara, and she jumped at it. A woman’s network is one of the most important aspects of a sisterhood, so the fact that the word about Emerge is spreading from women to women and that we are encouraging our fellow women to get involved is inspiring. Sara spoke adamantly about the way that the program forces the women to get up on their feet from the very first day. Although nerve-wracking at first, the 60-second pitch that each woman had to share about why they were running on Sara’s first day of training was eye opening. If anything, it proved that there is no time like the present to hit the ground running when you have a goal in mind. Throughout the six month training program, the women were constantly challenged to find their “authentic voice” in preparation for their campaigns. In public speaking, while part of the audience’s attention is focused on the content of the speech, the majority of what they are focused on is the delivery. During Sara’s program, the women presented their materials in front of each other and in front of experts in the field. Sara said that this—combined with the honest feedback they received after each delivery—was invaluable, powerful, and overall contributed to stronger public speaking skills. Not only that, but the confidence that the women gain from voicing their ideas carries through into their careers. Sara said that the skills she took away in public speaking from her Emerge training has translated into her work as a State Representative. Speaking at town meetings and doing radio talks, Sara illustrates her message in a concise and poignant fashion. In addition to this, the tools of voter targeting have been immensely useful. While on the campaign trail, Sara used Votebuilder to strengthen her following. These tools allowed her to target potential swing voters, and the “homework” that the women are expected to complete during their training prompts them to connect them with community leaders and serves as an overall practical step towards getting more connected within the community and political process.
The network that the women build is something they carry with them beyond their time with Emerge. For example, Sara built connections with her classmates from all over the state, the diverse network that it provides is invaluable. Sara admits that politics is competitive in nature, but having that solid network with women with shared experiences makes the process a little easier.
The work Sara Coffey has done in her 1.5 years in the Vermont House of Representatives is nothing short of admirable. The majority of her work focuses on building strong community ties, and that work starts in criminal justice reform. In her committee work Sara works on corrections reform, speaking up for people who are less visible by the rest of society. Those people need a voice and to have their needs represented, and she does just that. Folks who live in poverty or suffer from mental health or substance abuse benefit from people like Sara who speak up and advocate for change in the system. Sara represents two small rural communities in Vermont and believes that in the importance of building bridges and finding common ground to find solutions so that everyone has access to opportunity. Connectivity is a big issue that many rural towns face, but Sara’s work in the passing of broadband investment is a huge step in bringing rural communities up to 21st century speed. One project she particularly enjoyed was organizing a rural economy listening tour for the legislatures in the fall 2019. By bus, legislatures traveled to nine Vermont communities to hear directly from small business owners and entrepreneurs about the successes and challenges of working in Vermont. By expanding awareness, powerful stories are translated into priorities and policy change on the state level.
Sara’s work as a representative carries through into her family life. Raising two children in Vermont and being an example to them for taking action and getting involved is something she’s proud of. As an advocate for learning through experience, Sara’s setting an example to future generations that there is no limitation on the type of person who can make a change. From her own experience Sara knows that women more often need external encouragement to put themselves out there to run for office. However, times are changing. Female representation in the Vermont State House is encouraging, but Sara admits that she’d love to see more women running for higher office. “[Women] are just as capable, and can provide different perspectives on important issues,” she said. There is always room for growth in gender equality, but Sara says that, in the end, the women who get involved—whether it be through small changes or going through programs like Emerge—have the power to set a new standard.
To learn more on Representative Sara Coffey, click here.
Emerge has one goal: To increase the number of Democratic women in office who are reflective of the incredible diversity of the Democratic party by recruiting, training and providing a powerful network.