The White House Project

Dorthea Thomas has worn many hats in her young political career. Honored in 2010 for the Marcus Garvey NAACP Image Award and elected 1^st Vice President of NAACP at Eastern Michigan University, Dorthea has what it takes to be a leader and community activist. She is drawn to changing the nation’s political landscape, investing in her own community and focusing on educating the next generation. She says, “Women and families are a huge component in the progression of our cities, states and the country. Having equal access and substantial resources make it possible for us to flourish.”

While Dorthea has long known she was meant to be a political force and leader, she had doubts about her success in running for office. “As a very young minority woman,” she says, “Most of the goals I aim to accomplish are unheard of in my community and at my age.” But attending Go Run helped Dorthea develop the determination to succeed. Through establishing lifelong connections between a diverse group of women, Dorthea says she was, “encouraged to channel [her] unique energy into a mechanism for change.”

As a woman, Dorthea feels a strong sense of empowerment, but thinks women’s presence in politics is overlooked. As a solution, she believes women need to be passionately involved in the issues that affect families, to make a political change.

What’s next for Dorthea? She wants to continue growing, learning, and utilizing the tools and connections The White House Project has given her. Politically, Dorthea continues to actively pursue opportunities that will help her become a viable candidate. With an interest in legislative politics, Dorthea hopes to run for Congress or become Mayor of Detroit, MI. She adamantly believes it is her “duty to set a pace, be a benchmark, and be the young person who is brave enough to fix old problems.”