A Letter from Analilia Mejía
My name is Analilia Mejia, and I'm running for Congress in New Jersey's 11th District because I believe this moment requires bold and fearless leadership to restore our nation.
I am the daughter of Colombian and Dominican immigrants — a Jersey girl raised by a strong family who survived hardship with determination, grit, and deep love. I'm the daughter of a seamstress and a factory worker who taught me that none of us make it alone and we owe our best to each other. I deeply believe in the transformative power of community and that every one of our families deserves access to the building blocks that allow us to thrive. I'm a wife, a mother of two beautiful children, who is proud to call Glen Ridge my home, and I know that together, we are a powerful force that can make a difference in our country.
My family's story is not unlike that of many families in New Jersey facing similar challenges today. When my mother was a seamstress, she frequently worked multiple jobs, trying to make ends meet and provide for her family. I remember many nights I went to bed hungry or worried, listening to my parents wonder how they'd make it all work out. One day, my mother heard about a job opening at a unionized garment factory in New York City. She didn't even have enough money for the round-trip fare. She woke up early, searched the house for loose change, scraped together enough for a one-way ride, and went to the interview. She got the job. And when it was time to go home, she asked a stranger to help her get back to New Jersey, and they did!
That job and that stranger saved our family.
But it also taught me something bigger: any one of us has the power to change the trajectory of someone else's life — if we listen, if we care, and if we choose to fight for people we may never meet.
That's why I'm running for Congress, because New Jersey needs a real Democrat who won't fold in the face of Trump or anyone else. Because working families need a brawler in Washington — someone who knows what struggle feels like and who won't turn away from the chaos while New Jersey families are being pushed to the brink.
This is our state. This is our country. And we can take it back.
I've spent my entire life fighting for working families like ours. Here in New Jersey, I helped lead the fights for a $15 minimum wage, paid sick leave, and a millionaire's tax — and we won every one of those battles. I was a union organizer and I led the Working Families Party statewide where I learned the incredible force organized everyday people can be. I served as National Political Director for Bernie Sanders' 2020 presidential campaign. And under the Biden Administration, I was Deputy Director of the Women's Bureau at the Department of Labor. Today, I serve as Co-Executive Director of Popular Democracy, helping communities across the country push back against Trump and fight to restore the promise of a just democracy.
Along the way, I fought corruption in both parties — standing up to Governor Christie and "machine" politics to demand fairness, transparency, and justice for all, not just the well connected.
Now I'm taking that fight to Washington because we need an economy that works for everyone — not just billionaires and big corporations.
I'm running because many in Washington are selling us out, and plain old "blue no matter who" won't do.
I'm running because we need more organizers and unbossed champions in Congress, ready to stand against corruption and for our communities.
Together we can:
Hold Trump and his allies accountable for their corruption with all of the power and leverage we have — because no one is above the law.
Tax billionaires and big corporations to un-rig our economy and fund what actually matters for our communities.
Guarantee universal healthcare and childcare so families stay healthy and can take care of their kids without going into debt.
Build a world-class transit system and fix our crumbling infrastructure so we can all spend more time with our families instead of commuting.
The system is rigged for billionaires — even those who are so grossly connected to the unfathomable — and we can't fix it by going back to simply the way things were before. We need a government that actually works for working people, a government that places people over politics and a leader who opposes special interests who clearly act against the common good. I won't take a dime of corporate PAC money, so I won't owe them anything. Billionaires and big corporations already have their representatives in Washington. I'm running because YOU need one, too.
We can build a country that prioritizes families.
We can build a nation that is kind, fair, and forward-thinking.
And together, we will.
My name is Analilia Mejia, and I'm running for Congress to fight for us — because we are worth the fight.
Become an early supporter and help us build the people-powered campaign New Jersey deserves.
