For most of Laalitya Acharya’s life, she remembers politicians refusing to get things done. “My entire political memory is defined by people just yelling at each other,” she tells Her Campus. Now, the Columbia University grad is turning that frustration into action by running for the office of Ohio State Representative in District 56.
At 22 years old, Acharya is part of a growing wave of young candidates across the country who are entering the political arena with a mission to change how politicians run for — and, she hopes, hold — office. For example, Acharya has committed to refusing corporate PAC money, a decision she says reflects her desire to remain accountable to voters rather than outside interests.
“When you become beholden to anybody else, even if it’s just one other entity besides your constituents, you’re going to start representing other people’s interests instead of your own,” says Acharya. “I think that my experience in politics has really strengthened that resolve for me.”
Before running for office herself, Acharya was deeply involved in grassroots politics in southwest Ohio. She helped start the Warren County Young Dems, a coalition helping young voters and activists get more involved in the political process. In 2023, the group helped get reproductive rights on the ballot, with voters deciding whether to add a protection for abortion and contraception to their state constitution — and the amendment passed. “It was really exciting to get that passed, because it’s something that also affects young people and young women specifically, more than just the general population,” Acharya says.
Acharya also worked for Democratic congressional offices and state representatives, and has seen firsthand how the legislative process both succeeds and falls short. “I think it’s very easy for politicians to make these grand statements about what they want to do,” says Acharya. “But then they don’t have a tangible plan [for] how being elected to this specific office is going to help that become a reality in any way.”
Her background in biomedical engineering (she has both bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Columbia University) has also influenced the way she approaches public policy. Acharya says engineering taught her to think in terms of problem-solving, rather than maintaining the status quo — from artificial intelligence to healthcare infrastructures, she’s seen firsthand the need for legislators to act proactively instead of letting old policy catch up. “Our technology is so developed, our future is so developed, there is no return to normal,” says Acharya. “We have to redefine what that is going to look like in the first place.”
Despite going to college outside the state, Acharya says Ohio has always been home — and she wants to fight for it. To her, that starts with a solid foundation. She has seen how strong public schools and local institutions shaped her community, and she wants to ensure future generations can access those same opportunities. “I love Ohio. I’m so pro-Midwest, it’s not even funny,” Acharya says. “I want to make sure that we keep this region thriving, that we keep this region growing, and I think that we have an opportunity to do that.”
That’s why public education is her top priority. “We need to make sure that we have the funding and the public measures set up in place to continue to make sure that we can offer AP classes, to make sure that we can support students who are neurodivergent, to make sure that we can continue to grow and provide the level of care and support and education that these students really do deserve right now,” says Acharya.
With a nod to her education, Acharya acknowledges the rising healthcare costs and burnout of healthcare professionals at important issues, and says strengthening healthcare systems while keeping costs accessible is critical to the well-being of her constituents. She also points to affordability as a whole as a growing concern for young people, noting that housing prices have made it increasingly difficult for residents to stay in the communities where they grew up.
Overall, Acharya hopes her campaign shows everyone that young progressives can run for office, bring attention to big issues, and show constituents that there are people who actually want to serve their interests.
“I think it’s very easy for people to become disenchanted and completely disengaged from the political system, because they’re like, ‘They’re never going to win. I’m never going to get representation. This is just how the cookie crumbles,’” Acharya says. But she wants to change that thinking. “There are people who care, there are people that can start to make this change, make this momentum, and there are people who want to be politicians, who want to be policy-makers, who aren’t just doing it for the power or for the the prestige, but really want to do it for the work and for committing to their communities.”
Top 3 artists to listen to on the campaign trail?
Taylor Swift, Noah Kahn, Oliva Rodrigo.
Favorite TV show?
Friends.
Go-to campaign trail snack?
Baked green peas at Trader Joe’s.
Coffee or tea?
Coffee.
Top 3 issues of your campaign?
Public Education, Affordability, Healthcare.
Dogs or cats?
Dogs.
Favorite comfort food?
Indian Pizza. So it’s basically like normal pizza, but they have paneer and all these toppings on them that are more like South Asian inspired. So good.
Best way to spend a day off?
Rotting in bed on TikTok.
Do you prefer podcasts or music?
Music.
Favorite hidden gem in Ohio?
Caesar’s Creek.
Do you have a hidden talent?
I played the violin for 10 years.
Favorite words of wisdom?
“We’re the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.”