All over the world, women have been making their way to the forefront of politics. The countries with some of the best responses to COVID-19 have been led by women, and Kamala Harris has just made history as the first female vice president of the United States.

My family has known Sara Love, a Maryland State Delegate, since I was two years old, when I started at Bannockburn Nursery School with her daughter, Nikki. Two years ago, after learning of her position on the Maryland House of Delegates, I reached out to her to ask her to propose a bill that would provide free menstrual products to all Maryland high schools. Though another Delegate ended up proposing the bill, Sara was enthusiastic about my interest in the issue as well as the proposition of the bill, and she gladly sponsored it.

I recently had a chance to (virtually) sit down with Sara again. She currently represents Maryland’s 16th legislative district, and I got to talk with her about her inspirations, motivations, and accomplishments as a Delegate since she took office in 2018.

Olivia: Hi Sara, thank you so much for taking the time to speak with The Fem Word today! To start, I’d love to know why you wanted to get involved in politics, and what inspired you to run for the Maryland House of Delegates.

Sara: When I was young I told my Mom that when I grew up I wanted to help people; that I was going to become a lawyer and run for office. And I have!

Olivia: Describe a day in the life of a delegate. What are your responsibilities?

Sara: The answer to this depends on whether or not we are in session. The Maryland General Assembly sits for 90 days, early Jan - early April. During that time a typical day begins with meetings, then a floor session (where the entire House of Delegates convenes to debate and vote), committee hearings (in Maryland every bill gets a hearing), and more meetings. The meetings are with constituents, lobbyists and /or fellow legislators. When we are not in session - called Interim - my days are different. As a part-time legislature, many legislators have other jobs; mine is parenting 2 teenagers. So my days are filled with them, plus a lot of work emails, supporting constituents, working on legislation (researching, working with advocates, talking with legislators and opponents) and lots of meetings (for workgroups I am on or other organizations I serve on in conjunction with my office - I serve on a Workgroup on Waste & Recycling, the Maryland State Committee of the US Commission on Civil Rights and the Metro Washington Air Quality Committee of the Council of Governments, and on the Chesapeake Bay Commission).

Olivia: Do you feel women face more difficulties than men when it comes to getting laws passed in the House of Delegates? Is it still a challenge today for women to have their voices heard or have you seen progress in the political process?

Sara: I don't sense that women face more difficulties getting laws passed in the House. My feeling is that with respect to getting laws passed it really depends on the issue, not the sponsor. In addition, I think given our numbers and political power in the House (the Speaker and Speaker Pro Tem are women, as are 4 chairs of the 6 standing committees) our voices are heard [quite clearly].

Olivia: Equal justice has been an important focus throughout your career. Do you feel a sense of responsibility to be a voice for women in your leadership role and do you bring a unique perspective to your job as a woman and mother?

Sara: As an elected official, I feel a sense of responsibility overall. As part of my job I try to lift up the voices of my constituents, as well as to let young women know that they too can follow their dreams. One of the great things about the Maryland General Assembly is that there are many women and mothers in the body. As a result, no single woman has to carry the job of being "the woman" or "the mother." That said, I do think I bring a unique perspective as a woman, a mother, and a civil rights activist.

Olivia: As a representative of your community, it must be a difficult job not only to understand the needs of your constituents, but also to push for legislation that impacts their lives. What do you see as your greatest accomplishment in your time as a delegate so far?

Sara: This is a really interesting question. There are a lot of ways I have had an impact on my constituents' lives, from the bills I have passed, to the bills I have killed, to helping people get their electricity turned back on or getting unemployment benefits. As such, I'm not sure what I think my greatest accomplishment is. There are a couple of legislative matters that stick out for me: the first is sponsoring the bill (now law) that requires the MVA to provide a third gender option on state ids. The second was when I stopped a bill that would have allowed audio recording on every single ATM in the state. Another piece I am working on right now is environmental justice - when the original beltway was constructed it split an African American community in half. Now as the Governor is trying to widen the beltway, I am trying to make sure that community isn't destroyed further.

Olivia: The pandemic has changed the way we live our daily lives both socially and at work. How have your responsibilities as a delegate changed because of COVID-19 and what have you done to ensure your constituents feel as safe as possible?

Sara: My responsibilities have changed in that there are a lot more requests from constituents, mostly with respect to unemployment. I think people want - need - information and that having information helps reduce anxiety. As a result, I have tried to make sure I pass on information to inform and support my constituents on a regular basis. I also try to pass on a measure of optimism, while recognizing we are in a serious and trying time.

Olivia: During your career, when you look back at your accomplishments and the changes you have seen as a Delegate for Maryland’s 16th district, when was a moment in which you felt powerful?

Sara: I'm going to answer this in two parts. After my gender id bill went into effect I took my daughter to the MVA to get her license. Right there, as she was filling out the form, was the language I was responsible for inserting! It was very cool. The second part is that it made me realize that I do have this power, and as a result I have a responsibility to exercise it carefully, thoughtfully, and judiciously.

Olivia: Why do you feel is it so important to encourage women and girls to pursue a career in government, and how is a woman's perspective necessary in politics?

Sara: I believe women and girls should pursue a career in government because we - as a country, and a society - need them. Women have different perspectives from men, and all voices need to be at the table. While men may have the best of intentions, they don't see what we see, live what we live. For example: I went to an all-girls camp. I sent my daughter to that camp. When she went there, I was the only one who communicated with the camp. I paid all the bills. And yet, when they sent correspondence to her parents, they sent it to her father. A small example, to be sure, but without women in positions of power to call out these things and change them, women will continue to be treated as second class citizens. There are many more examples, from equal pay to a woman's right to choose to understanding and holding men accountable for sexual assault and on and on. We must have women in positions of power to make substantive and lasting changes in these and other areas.

Though COVID-19 has slowed down most parts of the world, women are continuing to break barriers. We still have a long way to go, but with women like Sara Love, fighting every day for equal rights and representation, the future seems pretty bright.

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A Candid Conversation With Maryland Delegate Sara Love