Since State Representative Anna Eskamani victoriously won her seat for house district 47 in 2018; her campaign has been nothing but monumental. Born and raised in Orlando Florida, Representative Eskamani has spent her time in office fighting for her community. She passionately stands for public education, community safety, environmental protection, health care access, tax policy and economic equity along with affordable housing. Representative Eskamani answered some questions about what being a woman in politics means in this day in age and what the future has in store for her.
Her Campus (HC): How has being a woman in politics affected your career? Do you feel you’re treated differently? Do you think it gives you an edge?
Anna Eskamani (AE): I don’t think I would be in politics if it wasn’t for my commitment to the issues that impact women and girls. I grew up in a working-class immigrant family in Orlando and lost my Mom to cancer when I was 13 years old; losing her at a young age led me to read books by Iranian women about Iranian women because I wanted to learn more about my Mom and her personal history. That literature helped me understand how differently women and girls are treated both around the world and right here in the United States. I wasn’t happy about those inequities and wanted to do something about it which eventually evolved into my college activism and political career. With all that said, being a woman in a male-dominated space is always challenging. To this day, despite our victories and effectiveness, I am still not taken seriously by my male colleagues and the online bullying can be very aggressive. I can’t help but notice that those who constantly harass me on the Internet are men, too. Despite the misogynistic attacks, being a woman has allowed me to build bridges with other women– both within my political party but also across the aisle. It’s also given me the opportunity to amplify issues that directly impact women and girls — something I will never take for granted.
HC: Where does your biggest motivation come from?
AE: Definitely the people I serve. Things can get stressful and overwhelming sometimes, but then I get a sweet email or letter of gratitude, I am reminded of the power in numbers and how I am not alone.
HC: What drove you into politics?
AE: My personal story. I mentioned earlier that I grew up without a lot of money, but we had a whole lot of love! I just want to make sure that every Floridian has an equal chance to succeed, that joy is abundant and that everyone can feel safe.
HC: Since being elected in 2018, what is one lesson you’ve learned about yourself personally or career-wise?
AE: My resilience has been tested many, many times. I’ve also realized that I have an incredibly high tolerance for stress but need to give myself space to reboot too.
HC: What does the future hold for you as Representative Eskamani? Next steps, political agenda, Governor run perhaps?
AE: Right now, we’re focused on winning our re-election in 2020 and flipping the state so we elect a new President too. I’m also near the end of my PhD program at the University of Central Florida, and I really want to finish the program within the next year. There’s also a lot of buzz around me running for Governor in 2022. I haven’t made up my mind yet about that, but I am definitely taking every opportunity to do good seriously.
HC: What are you currently binge-watching?
AE: I fell in love with Schitt’s Creek over the summer. Such an incredible series with beautiful character development and so much love weaved throughout. I was sad when it was over!
You can visit Anna’s page to keep up with her and all she is doing for the community here.
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