The day after Donald Trump was inaugurated as President of the United States, millions of people in the U.S. and around the world took part in the Women’s March, a protest of sorts and an opportunity to make themselves heard on issues they feared might be imperiled by the new administration.
One of those marches took place in Roanoke, and now one of the organizers will try her hand at running for public office.
Djuna Osborne (pronounced June-ah) has received the Democratic Party nomination, and will run against Republican delegate Chris Head, the incumbent in the 17th district that covers parts of Roanoke City and Roanoke-Botetourt Counties.
Osborne says she has long wanted to be in some sort of advocacy position where she could help others; organizing and being visible at the women’s march “was a huge propellant to move forward and take on running for this position. It was really amazing. I feel like the time is right.”
Osborne said many backers are “excited” and have offered support as she takes on an incumbent in a district that leans Republican. A social worker by trade, Osborne said she would be “deeply passionate about mental health” issues should she make it to Richmond as a state lawmaker. She also wants to “really hone in on what the district needs right now, what … the most pressing needs are.”
A resident of the area for just three years (her husband is a Roanoke native), Osborne admits she didn’t even know who Chris Head was – adding maybe his lack of visibility is part of the problem. By contrast she is very familiar with 11th district Democratic delegate Sam Rasoul: “I don’t even live in his district but at every event he is talking to people, engaging. It is a stark contrast.”
Running for office is all happening at a faster pace than Osborne ever imagined, fueled in part by her experience with the Roanoke Women’s March, “but I’ve always wanted to be a loud voice for those whose voices could not be expressed or weren’t heard. But I didn’t know exactly how it would manifest or look like. Now that I’m here it just feels so right. I could never turn my back on this opportunity.”
By Gene Marrano
