I had to work up the courage to even imagine myself running for Congress. But I eventually decided that our country had a moral problem in only letting white men - even the right-minded ones - have a seat at the table.

Every member in Congress has a seat, and they deserve a seat at the table.

If I'm not happy with what's going on, I try to change it myself.

My husband and I were married in May 2007 on a sprawling rent-a-ranch in the Texas Hill Country. On the drive from Houston, we'd stopped off for our marriage license in the former produce aisle of a Winn Dixie-turned-courthouse in San Marcos and from there drove off the grid.

We're willing to work with Congress as they figure out what's best for the hurricane survivors.

Very few of us can stop our lives and become activists.