Tsion Amare: A Progressive Voice For The Texas House

Why Lone Star Left is endorsing Tsion Amare for Texas' House District 113.

Texas is set to fare worse than almost any other state under climate change. And as wealth inequality in the Lone Star State continues to grow, millions remain uninsured, and our public schools crumble from lack of funding, it’s more important than ever that Texas leads a progressive charge to heal our state. That’s why Lone Star Left is endorsing Tsion Amare for House District 113.

Tsion is a member of Gen-Z and, when elected, will become the youngest member in the Texas House.

In our ever-increasing politically charged world, we’ve seen a youth movement with Gen-Z that America hasn’t seen since the Vietnam War. Gen-Z has been more politically active and engaged than Millennials or Gen X. We’ve seen some amazing activists and politicians from this generation. Maxwell Frost, David Hogg, and Olivia Julianna, to name a few.

As Tsion is set to join their ranks as a young progressive candidate, it’s essential to know that being young doesn’t mean being inexperienced. She has a master’s degree in social work, worked in the Austin Capitol as a staffer with the Travis County Democratic Party, and most recently has been working for the Environmental Defense Fund. So, don’t let her age dissuade you, as she’s been working in politics for several years.

I had the fortunate chance to speak to Tsion last week and asked her to describe her position. She told me that she comes from the generation of mass-shooter drills, that people her age might never know what it’s like to own a home, and the climate crisis is deeply engrained in the people her age. She plans to amplify vulnerable people’s voices and hold Republicans in the House accountable.

The climate future.

Tsion said, “As a climate advocate, I understand the urgency of addressing our climate crisis.” She’s right. Texas is the largest emitter of greenhouse gases in the United States. We produce twice as much greenhouse gases as California. Because of that, we saw the hottest summer on record this year. The coming decades in Texas will be increasingly hot and dry, killing our agriculture industry and damaging human health.

While that is happening, Republicans in the legislature are shouting, “Drill, baby, drill,” and denying climate change's real effect on us. We need House reps like Tsion, who will fight against the status quo and push Texas for a cleaner and more sustainable future.

Environmental and climate justice also addresses social, racial, and human rights issues. Tsion says, “Texas needs to invest in energy efficiency, weatherization for our homes, and clean, renewable energy—all solutions proven to reduce energy costs, alleviate stress on our electric grid, and keep Texas out of the dark.”

Reproductive health care.

As a woman in Texas, Tsion knows the dangers that all women face. “Women and individuals have inherent autonomy over their bodies,” she said. “Women across the country are subjected to unsafe pregnancies, even death. This is violence against women.”

She’s 100% correct. That’s why we need progressive voices, like Tsion in the Texas legislature, to restore women’s rights to bodily autonomy. Progressive legislators will give us informed, compassionate, and evidence-based laws regarding women’s health.

Representation of the working class.

Tsion and her family moved here from Ethiopia when she was very young to pursue better opportunities. While growing up, she watched her parents work multiple jobs to provide for the family’s basic needs. She witnessed their efforts firsthand to achieve their fundamental needs like housing and healthcare.

She says that taught her the importance of supporting working-class communities and advocating for a strong social safety net supporting families like hers.

Tsion said, “It’s time for the next generation of leaders to take charge, like herself, to take charge and create the future we deserve. It’s time for young leaders to be at the table where decisions are made so we can start and finish the work our state has failed to do.”

Tsion Amare gives us so much hope for a better future, and for all these reasons, Lone Star Left is endorsing her as the next House Rep for District 113.

You can learn more about Tsion Amare on her website, Instagram, or Twitter.