And then 20 eighteen midterm seeing a Florida political newcomers running for Congress, including a woman former President, barack Obama named National teacher of the year back in 20 16 johana hayes running as a Democrat in connecticut's fifth district, including waterbury and danbury, just West of hartford, her story of rising from teenage motherhood renowned educator is catching National attention now and the new app that she's posted online has gone viral her campaign says it's picked up more than five and a half million Are nation builders. That's our job to affect change, to improve outcomes. Isn't that the same job of Congress. I know how to advocate, for people. I know how to fight hard to make sure that we are improving the lives of people with better jobs, stronger schools, affordable healthcare jahana hayes joins me now from hartford good to have you thanks for being with me there are as you probably know about 269 non incumbent women who running for the us House this year the vast majority of Democrats style, if you win You would be the first African American woman to represent Connecticut in Congress. What made you decide to get into this thing. Thank you so much for having me um just that. So many people in my community in communities around the state just have not been represented in this conversation and I don't just mean as being an African American just this district is so dynamic and diverse and I just wanted to give a voice to those people you know everyday working people who are in our communities. My mother um my mother, was Teacher they're growing number of teachers that apparently decided to get into politics now, why do you think that is why do you think that there's so many educators that have decided to get into politics elected politics first of all, I am so incredibly proud of my colleagues around the country for just standing up and saying you know, teachers lead by example, that's what we do all the time and I don't think that we've ever seen ourselves in this way and we're at the point where it's just enough where we wanna stand up and show who we are and what we're capable of and really Speak on behalf of our students and their families in their communities and I know, for me personally as a high school teacher. You see the concerns you know you see what's. Gonna happen in the future. You know what young people are concerned about. What their families are concerned about and then the last thing I'll say is that education is not a single issue topic when you have children in your classroom who are hurt who are hungry, who are homeless all of those things find their way into your classroom so as teachers were dealing with this all the time In the form earlier this month, you stated that you have not accepted donations from lobbyists and political action committees but the hartford current the paper of record. There in hartford other reporting that you accepted five thousand dollars from the American federation of teachers, two thousand dollars from the teamsters 20 500 from from a pac dedicated to electing black women to public office um what you sponsor to that report when II answer that question my I was interpreting it to mean corporate packs, a little bit different. I have been very honest about the support that I've gotten from many unions and I think the reason that they've supported me is because, I'm a working class I've always been a Union Amber and I believe in the right to organize and the right to collectively bargain so I in no way intended to mislead anyone when I answer that question so much so every time I've got an endorsed by grouper gotta check. I've posted. It I've been very open and transparent about it so I guess the answer to that sounded misleading at the time, but that was never my intent. I'm very happy to have the support of working class people and you know my colleagues in my peers you know people just like me who want to make sure that they are represented in these conversations We should note here that we did reach out to your primary opponent, mary glass mama. We have not heard back from her, but jahana thank you so much for your time. This afternoon. Good luck with the campaign. Thank you. Thank you so much for having