Erika Evans once had what she considered a dream job, working as a federal prosecutor in Seattle. For nearly four years, she served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney, proud to be part of the Justice Department and deeply committed to public service. But when Donald Trump returned to the White House, things began to change inside the DOJ. And for Evans, it didn\u2019t feel like the same place anymore.<\/p>\n
She started noticing shifts in priorities and values, moves that didn\u2019t align with the reasons she joined the department in the first place. According to Evans, one of the most troubling changes was the rollback of diversity and inclusion programs. Federal diversity officers were being placed on administrative leave, and new guidance reportedly told staff they could report colleagues involved in diversity work and avoid disciplinary action if they did it within 10 days. Evans described it as a shocking moment. \u201cWe were getting notices to report on colleagues doing diversity work,\u201d she said, calling the environment \u201ccrazy\u201d and uncomfortable. That was the final straw. She made the difficult decision to walk away from her role.<\/p>\n
Now, she\u2019s taking her experience and values in a new direction, running for public office. Evans is campaigning to become Seattle\u2019s next city attorney, and if elected, she would be the first Black person in the city\u2019s 150-year history to hold that position. Her campaign is focused on tackling hate crimes, protecting tenants from housing discrimination, and fighting against wage theft. She also says her family\u2019s history of standing up against injustice inspired her to run.<\/p>\n
Evans is not alone. Across the country, former federal workers who left their jobs during or after Trump\u2019s presidency are stepping into the political spotlight. Some left voluntarily, like Evans, while others were forced out. But many share the same goal: to push back against what they see as harmful policies from the Trump administration and to advocate for more equitable government. For example, Ryan Crosswell, another former DOJ lawyer, left after the agency dropped a corruption case. He\u2019s now running for Congress in Pennsylvania.<\/p>\n
Groups like Run for Something and Emerge are helping candidates like Evans prepare to run for office. These organisations are focused on training women, people of colour, and others with public service backgrounds to become effective political leaders. Evans completed Emerge\u2019s training before launching her campaign.<\/p>\n
She is one of four people running for Seattle city attorney. Among them is current officeholder Ann Davison, a Republican who has support from some moderate Democrats. But Evans has the backing of Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown, and she has made it clear she plans to work closely with him if elected. The city\u2019s top two vote-getters in the August 5 primary will move on to the general election.<\/p>\n
Evans says her decision to run is about more than politics, it\u2019s about defending the values she believes in. \u201cThe strength of our country is its diversity,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd when that\u2019s under attack, that\u2019s something we should all be caring about.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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