Reflections from the Field: Love, Doors, and the Work Ahead

Running for office for the first time has been one of the most vulnerable and affirming experiences of my life. Foley for Our Future started as a vision. A quiet, stubborn hope that everyday people like me could help shape the systems that shape us. What I didn’t expect was how deeply I would fall in love with the process.

Knocking on doors has become sacred. Each porch, each smile, each “tell me more” reminds me why I’m doing this. I’ve met grandmothers who raised generations in KC and young parents juggling babies and ballots. Some doors open with curiosity, others with concern. But almost every door offers conversation and connection. And in those moments, I don’t feel like a candidate. I feel like a neighbor.

This campaign doesn’t have major endorsements or powerful money behind it. What it has is people. People who believe that truth, care, and conviction matter. People who share my belief that students deserve more, that families deserve a voice, and that neighborhoods deserve leaders who listen. I’m surrounded by love in every sense—my neighborhood, my team, my son, and the countless folks who say, “Keep going, we see you.”

Still, it hasn’t all been easy. I’ve seen people get shunned or silenced for standing firmly in what they believe. I’ve watched as the politics of power tried to dim the light of authenticity. And even as I stay grounded, I carry those stories with me. They remind me that courage has a cost, but also a reward.

One of my greatest joys has been watching my son, King, light up when he sees me on TV or on a campaign flyer. His voice saying “That’s my mom!” fills me with a strength I can’t quite put into words. He is my why. Every step I take in this campaign is a seed planted in the soil of his future.

I don’t know what every outcome will look like. But I know this—what we’re building is real. It’s rooted. It’s rising.

And we’re just getting started.

with love,

Brittany D. Foley