We’re an independent, nonprofit newsroom reporting on gender, politics and policy. Read our story.

Welcome to The 19th*

A century ago, the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution made voting, our country’s most fundamental mode of civic participation, a right regardless of gender. But this watershed moment in our democracy excluded millions of women, particularly women of color, from the ballot box for generations. And the reality is suffrage remains a work in progress for many in this country, particularly people living in states where voter suppression exists and tens of thousands of transgender Americans who face barriers to voting.

Today, women make up more than half of the American electorate and are more engaged than ever in our politics — marching on state capitols, voting at higher rates than men, and running for local office and seeking the presidency in record numbers. Yet they remain underrepresented in government and in the nation’s executive ranks. Women and LGBTQ+ people are also underrepresented in politics and policy journalism and in newsroom leadership, which influences what stories are told, how the news is covered and whose voices are elevated.

82.7 million

Number of women who voted in 2020 — nearly 10 million more than men
26.9%

Seats in Congress held by women in 2021
8.6%

Percentage of state legislators who are women of color
378,000

Number of transgender people who could be turned away at the polls in 2020 because they lack an ID to vote

In short: The 19th Amendment remains unfinished business, a fact we acknowledge in our logo with an asterisk — a visible reminder of those who have been omitted from our democracy. The expansion of the franchise continues today, and The 19th aims to capture this ongoing American story.

The 19th was founded in 2020 by Emily Ramshaw and Amanda Zamora, longtime journalists who believed the news was not representative enough.

Our goal is to empower women and LGBTQ+ people — particularly those from underrepresented communities — with the information, resources and tools they need to be equal participants in our democracy. We will do this through:

Free-to-consume and free-to-republish journalism that reimagines politics and policy coverage through a gender lens.
Deep-dive, evidence-based reporting that exposes gender inequity and injustice, and reveals surprising and original stories on the issues that most deeply affect the lives of women and LGBTQ+ people, from health care to the economy.
A digital platform for civil conversations and community building, and national events that bring our readers into direct contact with their elected officials.
A newsroom that reflects the racial, ideological, socioeconomic and gender diversity of American voters, and is devoted to covering everyone with empathy.

Here’s what you won’t find at The 19th: Cheap shots or cheerleading. Opinion or false equivalency. Partisanship. Horse-race politics. Turn-of-the-screw stories. Clickbait. (Sorry, not sorry.)

How We’re Funded

The 19th is a nonprofit newsroom supported by a mix of membership, philanthropy and corporate underwriting. Our goal is long-term sustainability to support a lasting future for news and information at the intersection of gender, politics and policy.

All of the money we raise goes back into our journalism — and we list all donors and corporate sponsors who’ve given $25,000 or more on our website. Any donor or sponsor at this level who’s mentioned in a story will be identified in that story.

Donors and sponsors don’t get a thumb on the scale; they play no role in our journalism, in our storytelling or in the planning and execution of our events.

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Our Values

The 19th aims to be a source of news and information for those who have been underserved by and underrepresented in American media. Among our values:

Our reporting will be rooted in facts, data, evidence and excellence
It will be independent — we don’t peddle both sides-ism
It will aim to advance human rights, civil rights, racial justice and gender equity through storytelling that exposes disparities and empathizes with the lived experiences of those we cover.
Our journalism — and our staff — will strive to reflect the nation’s diversity
Our readers will be our community; we don’t believe in one-way conversations, and engaging with our audience is in our DNA
We believe in constructive and civil dialogue — and that kindness is the best starting point
Finally, we’ll be transparent: Our readers deserve to know how our journalism is funded and who’s supporting our work

Our Leadership Team

I’m Emily Ramshaw, co-founder and CEO of The 19th. The idea for the 19th was born out of the 2016 election, when Hillary Clinton lost to Donald Trump following a campaign that far too often centered around questions of a woman candidate’s “electability” or “likeability.” … Read more
I’m LaSharah S. Bunting, vice president at The 19th. I’ve been a journalist and media executive for more than two decades, and I lead the organization’s financial sustainability and serve as a strategic partner to our CEO. … Read more
I’m Julia B. Chan, The 19th’s editor in chief. I lead our editorial department in producing journalism that aims to center, serve and inform our audiences. I enjoy every aspect of this work, from story conception to content and engagement strategy; to partnering, publishing and distribution planning. … Read more
Hey, y’all. It’s Errin Haines, editor-at-large and founding mother at The 19th. I’m also author of The Amendment newsletter and host of our podcast, also named The Amendment. You may also see me on cable news talking gender and politics as an MSNBC political contributor. … Read more
Jayo Miko Macasaquit is our chief people officer. Before joining The 19th, Jayo led equity-centered human resources processes at organizations like Mother Jones and the Oakland Public Education Fund. Jayo was a 2019 Equity in Leadership Fellow at the Surge Institute and holds an MFA in Writing from the California College of the Arts. Read more
Fatima Hessabi is our chief financial officer, with more than 17 years of experience in finance and accounting. She holds an MBA from the UC Davis Graduate School of Management and received her undergraduate degree in managerial economics and sociology-organizational studies, also from UC Davis. Read more
I’m Clarice Bajkowski, the 19th’s Chief Creative Officer. I’m passionate about innovative storytelling and creating brands that resonate deeply with communities. My journey in design began with drawing, painting, lettering, and solving design problems—this unique blend of visual arts guides everything I do. With over 20 years in design, advertising, and brand strategy, I’m committed to … Read more
Emily Swelgin is our chief product officer. Emily previously worked in visual journalism and user experience design at The Texas Tribune, The Washington Post and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Read more
Anne Musial is our chief development officer. She has over two decades of experience helping nonprofits and visionary political leaders maximize their success through effective fundraising and communication strategies. Prior to The 19th, she worked in philanthropy and politics at consulting firms in Austin and Los Angeles. Read more
Alexandra Smith is our chief strategy officer. She has a decade of experience working at the intersection of audience, product and news, previously working at the media startup WhereBy.Us and local newspapers The (Fort Collins) Coloradoan and the Asbury Park (N.J.) Press. Read more