Conversations with Brooklyn & Brenda Louis

Today we’d like to introduce you to Brooklyn & Brenda Louis

Hi Brooklyn & Brenda, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
We are two Canadians (mom and daughter) on a road trip, volunteering for Kamala Harris & Democrats in battleground races.

We’ve spent the past 10 years working on all types of political campaigns in Canada. As political organizers, we’ve worked in some very tight races and understand that being a quiet or vocal supporter isn’t enough. It’s about getting out to vote and bringing a friend along, making a few phone calls or knocking on doors, pitching in with a $5 or $10 donation. We understand that every little bit helps.

What resonates with us is the platform Kamala Harris is running on. We share the values of health care, affordable child care, protecting women’s reproductive rights, and banning assault weapons – many of which we already have in Canada.

Also, we understand that you can’t take anything for granted. We’ve all witnessed how quickly things can change with just one election.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Being a good neighbour means walking across the street to lend a hand when someone needs your help. In our case, it was across an international border. But, we weren’t going to let that stop us. Not this time!

On November 8, 2016, as we watched the election results roll in, we wondered what it would mean for our US friends, Canada, and the world.

We watched again, after the 2016 inauguration, as hundreds of thousands of women in pink hats marched in Washington to advocate for gender equality. It was awesome and inspiring to be sure. We also felt their pain; having worked on campaigns that have been won and lost by fewer than 500 votes.

We held our breath waiting for the November 2020 election results and exhaled a sigh of relief when the winner was announced. Unfortunately, the feeling was short-lived. On January 6, we watched in horror as the events at the Capitol building played out. And, again in June 2022 when Roe v. Wade was overturned. If women’s rights were no longer protected by “the leader of the free world”, how would they be protected anywhere?

In 2024, we decided the time for watching was over. Helping our American neighbours meant taking action.

So, we hit the road.

Our first stop was Michigan. The trip included canvassing in Michigan’s 7th and 10th Congressional Districts, knocking doors in Brighton and Sterling Heights. We had some amazing conversations at the doors about issues that matter and the importance of this election. Next, we pitched in bundling literature in Madison Heights for a canvass with the cast of the TV show Scandal. After a few exciting days, it was time to head home and plan our next trip – Pennsylvania.

However, after being back in Canada for a short period of time, we headed to Michigan again. This time to attend a Kamala Harris rally in Flint! It was incredible to be in a room full of so many energized supporters and to hear the Vice President (and future President) speak.

One of the most heartwarming experiences we’ve had on this journey is the feedback we’ve received on TikTok. At a time when social media can be divisive and downright mean, we’ve experienced love and support from around the world. We have also received messages saying that we’ve inspired others to take action too such as “Thanks for the inspo. We drove down to Michigan from Toronto this past weekend and volunteered for Harris Walz” and “Ontarian here, we are now volunteering for the Port Huron headquarters. Thanks for the info!”

With only a few weeks left until the election, we’re heading to Pennsylvania and Georgia to help elect Democrats up and down the ballot.

Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
While anyone can get involved in this election virtually, our location has positioned us well to make the trip and do our part. We feel fortunate to live close to two swing states, Michigan and Pennsylvania, which allows us to increase our impact. We are also grateful for the timing of the election since Brooklyn just graduated college and our flexible schedules allow us to travel.

We encourage all Michiganders (and any international friends) to get involved and help make a difference in this election. No matter what you have to offer, every bit helps in this important and close race. To find both virtual and in-person volunteer opportunities visit https://events.democrats.org

Contact Info:

• Website: http://linktr.ee/brooklynandbren
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brooklynandbren
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61565002425528&mibextid=LQQJ4d
• Twitter: https://x.com/brooklynandbren
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@brooklynandbren
• TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@brooklyn.and.bren