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kainefloyd · 4 years

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{ KJ APA . CIS MALE . 23 . HE/HIM } did you see that { KAINE ‘KAI’ FLOYD } just pulled up in hidden hills with { LORENA RAMOS } sitting next to them in the passengers seat - isn’t that cute ! you know, for a { NBA PLAYER - LAKERS }, i’ve heard they’re really { INDECISIVE }, but that they make up for it by being so { CHARMING }. i see them all the time on snapchat && yesterday in US WEEKLY i read that they { HAVE } 2 sons - can you believe that ?!

some basics;

Kaine ‘Kai’ Floyd is originally from Hawaii. He is Samoan & Hawaiian.

Goes by the nickname K-9 in the NBA for his name and number.

Born August 19th

Most of his friends back home call him Kai.

There’s over 100 people in his immediate family. At this rate, he has lost count.

Oldest of 9 siblings.

Has the two most cutest, adorable baby boys with Lorena.

He’s a starting point guard for the LA Lakers

Attended UCLA for college where he got drafted out of. Never finished his degree.

Works with lots of children organizations and likes to give back to kids however he can.

Has endorsement deals with top athletic brands, drinks and his own branch/line off of everything he partakes in.

Him and Lorena were on basketball wives. They have a huge fan base of their relationship on social media thanks to the reality show.

Lives HERE currently

as a dad;

Father of Two Sons; Tide Alexander and Evian Reign.

Tide’s nickname are Ty, Ty Guy, My Ty. And Evian’s are Evy but Tide calls him baby Evy

He wants as many kids as Lo will give him. He’s huge into family, loves being a dad and is very careful when it comes to sex. His goal is to only have one baby mama in life that he’s in love with, can spoil and get to tie down/be a stay at home mom which can be an argument/disagreement point that we can work on.

Tide and Evian are his parents first grandkids, his grandparents first great grands and he has a sister who is four. His parents were young when they had him and now only 45 & 44. and his grandparents are in their 60′s and 70′s.

He’s such a push over, his kids pouts and when they wrap their arms around his neck or want to be held makes him melt.

They literally are the light of his life. Nothing means more to him than those two little boys.

Has a play room for them that is extreme, full out little kid basketball court, swing set inside, slides, arts and craft sections, all the toys, everything.

Tells bad dad jokes sometimes. Okay most of the time.

Has their names tattoo’d over his heart

Kaine will also be there to babysit, help out single moms and do whatever whenever. He’s super caring and loves friends that can turn into family. There’s nothing more that this guy loves than throwing down a huge bbq for everyone, being behind the grill and when the kids go to bed, turning up with all the drinks.

lorena;

Love of his life.

Her smile and laugh are everything. Making her blush and their size difference. Huge turn ons.

They have an on again, off again relationship since Evy. which he hates for him and his sons but knows he is an ass and they have to figure their shit out before having another kid.

Kaine can be super romantic at times, makes sure to include things she enjoys like candles and pays attention to the little things she loves in life.

Still keeps her closet open at his place, buying her things to have there to try and get her to spend the night.

Compares every girl in his life to her.

Flirts around sometimes but that’s mostly his personality when they’re off cause she’s kinda hot when jealous?

Downfall is Kaine. entirely. they are set for life with money and their family’s shares in ebay, then the millions he makes from the nba, his endorsement deals, reality tv and all of that so he expects lo to want to be a stay at home mom?

He’s a dumb dumb but literally is the type to grab up on her butt and kiss her neck, very affectionate with her is his personality no matter what.

Expresses his appreciation and admiration for her frequently for their family, their sons and her, etc.

Wants to always provide for her, in lots of ways.

Never gives up hope they’ll be together forever. that’s why he hasn’t really laid down roots in his place? because he has his own ideas.

Wants to build an empire with her.

Knows how lucky he is and like, admits it but has big jerk energy sometimes when it comes to pride and needs to recognize her dreams matter too? like she is an amazing mom and wifey type. 100 percent. but she should get to live out what she wants to do just like he does.

His father is the terrible influence he learned things from and his mom really needs to speak to him about all of this.

his hawaiian family life;

His father was super unfaithful and always stepping out on his mom. They had a very toxic relationship, but in the culture, his mom was pretty much left to deal with it.

Christianity and church is an important aspect in Hawaii so is their image.

They are Hawaii’s most famous family.

Kaine is the oldest of 8 kids that he knows of? would love a half sibling.

Kaine’s Tutu and Tuma (what he calls his paternal grandparents) are the matriarchs of the family and own acres and acres of land. They are beyond rich and created their own compound beachside where they had custom homes built for their children.

Kaine’s paternal grandfather and father are part owners of ebay and billionaires.

Kaine’s mother, Maria came from nothing. She was a model in New York City when she met Kaine’s father, Elei - EJ for short who was there for business. Her parents didn’t approve of her running off to marry him, but it wasn’t a question in her eyes. It was what she wanted to do and thought he was going to provide her with a life of luxury that allowed her to continue to stay in the modeling world.

All of his brother’s and sisters carry on the Hawaiian tradition with strong, Hawaiian names that came from ‘dreams’.

Maria is always in town as often as she can to visit, stays usually at Kaine’s and brings some of his siblings. Her family is estranged and she is struggling with trying to reconnect with them after all of these years.

kaine’s personal life;

Super loaded & knows what he likes and doesn’t in this world.

Is pretty private about things, not super flashy. Isn’t one for suits and stuff like that, even on game day. He does dress up during the playoffs though.

He’s into surfing, skateboarding, the island life and living, four wheeling, going on adventures, tanning and living more relaxed when he can.

His home is super open planned which he fixes and gates up accordingly when he has his kids, don’t worry.

Loves a good beer, chilling outdoors, going to the beach or having a bonfire on a Friday night.

Listens to all kinds of music.

His party habits are kind of wild when he does go out, though.

Dark Liquor has him crazy, tequila makes him super duper horny.

Def sends Lo risky texts when he’s drunk and you can tell by the look on his face when it’s time for him to go home.

Kaine is into working out, very dedicated to his ab life, has a home gym and a half basketball court at his house outside but also a personal trainer he visits and has over. His work is never done.

Very strict with his diet and has a chef that cooks for him weekly, prepares meals and stacks his fridge and freezer.

Tattoos are life. Has 12 currently and his artist on speed dial.

Has a huge man cave, collects old school vintage band and sports memorabilia.

Also into buying arcade games for his home to play at any time.

Is best friends with lots of top named players in the league and has a close, big brother/big brother relationship with Lebron James. Kobe was his idol.

Cars. This boy has 8 in Hidden Hills alone.

The house he owns is massive, but hates living in it without Lo.

Family owns a few private jets.

Wants to get dogs, he has some back in Hawaii that are his family dogs but for now he’s waiting until him and Lorena lay grounds better? Plus, he knows she loves her pup and doesn’t want to try and one up her.

connections;

in between on and off times with his baby mama, he has had some dating flings featured in the tabloids. not all are true, some are just friendships.

he knows that people could use him easily for fame and clout, so he is protective of himself and who he lets in his life.

no one random their sons ever. he’s extremely protective of them and his privacy, but is trying to make sure to branch out more and make more parent buddies.

as for friends, he’s a guy’s guy. loves saturdays being for the boys. would love all the friendships.

you can count on kaine to show up and come through with helping you whenever you’re in need. he’s a good listener, doesn’t care much about drama so you don’t have to worry about him repeating anything.

#hiddenhintros #kaine floyd | about #character study | muse #character study | kaine floyd

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theliberaltony · 4 years

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via Politics – FiveThirtyEight

Former Vice President and presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden announced Sen. Kamala Harris as his running mate today. Here’s a look at what this choice means and … what it doesn’t.

It’s a historic choice, with the potential for even more history to be made.

Harris is the first Asian American and the first Black woman in American history to be a general election candidate for president or vice president for either of the two major political parties. (Harris’s mother was born in India, her father in Jamaica. They met as graduate students at the University of California at Berkeley, in the 1960s.) Harris is just the second Black person (after Barack Obama) and the fourth woman (after Democrats Geraldine Ferraro in 1984 and Hillary Clinton in 2016, and Republican Sarah Palin in 2008) to be on a presidential ticket for one of the two major parties. If she and Biden win the November election, she would be the first Asian American, the first woman of any race or ethnicity and the second Black person in U.S. history to be vice president or president.

Harris’s selection is the latest sign of the increasing diversity of the Democratic Party. Democrats last had an all-white, all-male ticket in 2004, with then Sens. John Kerry and John Edwards. This vice presidential process, with Biden committing to choosing a woman fairly early on and then choosing a Black woman, suggests the Democrats may rarely in the future have a ticket of two white men. They may also rarely in the future have a ticket of two white people (as in 2016 with Clinton and Tim Kaine) or two men (as in 2012, with Obama and Biden).

It’s another illustration of the power of Black Americans in the Democratic Party.

A clear plurality of Black voters favored Biden throughout 2019, helping keep the former vice president near the top of polls through most of the Democratic primary race. Black voters in South Carolina and then other states, particularly in the South, strongly supported Biden and played a key role in his winning the nomination despite lackluster showings in Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada.

After it was clear Biden would be the party’s nominee, a lot of prominent Black Democrats — mostly notably Rep. James Clyburn, the highest-ranking Black Democrat in the House — pushed for Biden to pick a Black woman as his running mate. With Harris’s selection, their wish was granted.

It’s another defeat for the party’s left wing.

With Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren losing the nomination contest, many liberal activists pushed Biden to pick Warren as his running mate. They were unsuccessful. Harris has a fairly liberal voting record in the Senate, but she’s not nearly as far to the left as Warren. Harris hasn’t called for the breakup of Facebook, for example, or supported a wealth tax.

The Democratic Party is moving left ideologically. But liberal activists may have a hard time getting their main policy goals adopted, even if Democrats control the House, Senate and the presidency next year. The most important figures in Washington in 2021 might be Biden, Harris, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic Leader Charles Schumer, all of whom have kept some distance from the party’s left wing.

Let’s pause there for a moment. I could have made the preceding three points — the history of the selection, the power of Black voters and the loss for the Left — and even used nearly the exact same words in some of those sections if Biden had selected one of the other Black women who was reportedly being considered for vice president. That list includes former Georgia House Minority Leader Stacey Abrams, Rep. Karen Bass, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, Rep. Val Demings and former National Security Adviser Susan Rice.

The implications of Harris’s selection, however, become more complicated when you look at Harris specifically, as opposed to the selection of a Black woman more generally. So here’s what’s not clear:

We don’t know if Harris will help or hurt Biden win the general election.

Research suggests that the electoral impact of vice presidential candidates is fairly limited. I would expect Harris to follow the same pattern. Harris is a sitting senator who was competent during the debates she participated in during the 2020 Democratic primary process, so she is unlikely to make huge gaffes that raise questions about why Biden selected her (in the way that Palin became a problem for John McCain in 2008). At the same time, a senator from California doesn’t provide an obvious electoral boost in a key swing state. Also, overall, Harris wasn’t a particularly effective candidate when she ran for president last year.

So the most likely outcome is that Harris’s selection doesn’t change much — either Biden keeps his current lead and wins the presidency or Trump comes back based on factors that don’t have a lot to do with Harris. But politics is dynamic, so I’m not sure that prediction will come true.

We don’t know if Harris will boost the ticket with Black voters.

I don’t want to downplay Harris’s Indian American roots. But Black voters are expected to account for about 13 percent of the expected 2020 electorate, a much bigger share than Asian Americans (5 percent). Black voters are also a particularly sizable and important bloc in key swing states such as Florida (13 percent), Michigan (13 percent), North Carolina (23 percent), Pennsylvania (11 percent) and Wisconsin (5 percent.) I am addressing Harris’s potential appeal to Black voters specifically not because I think Black voters are likely to be particularly energized by a Black woman like Harris, but rather because much of the conversation around the vice presidential selection has implied that picking a Black person will create extra enthusiasm for the ticket with Black voters.

The percentage of Black voting-eligible people who cast ballots was significantly higher in 2008 (65 percent) and 2012 (66 percent), when there was a Black candidate on the ticket, compared to 2004 and 2016 (both around 60 percent) when there was not. Some political science research shows that Black people vote at higher rates when a Black candidate is on the ballot, although that finding is somewhat contested, and that research is about voting for a Black candidate at the top of the ticket, not a white candidate with a Black running mate.

So it’s not a crazy idea that Harris might boost the ticket with Black voters. It has some empirical basis. But I think the stronger case, at least based on what we know right now, is that she won’t have much of an effect in terms of Black voters.

Why not? First of all, while it happened in 2008 and 2012, it’s just really hard for Democrats to get that much more support from Black voters, who even in elections like 2004 or 2016 vote at fairly high rates (significantly higher than Asian American or Hispanic voters) and overwhelmingly support Democratic candidates.

Second, it’s not 2008 or 2012, when Black voters had the chance to elect and then reelect the first Black president. Third, Harris herself seems unlikely to particularly excite Black voters. This is not a random guess — Harris ran for president for much of last year and was not the preferred candidate of older Black voters in the Democratic primary (that was Biden) or younger Black voters (that was Sanders or Warren in earlier stages of the race). Obama, in contrast, had very strong Black support during his 2008 primary run, previewing what would happen in his two general election campaigns.

We don’t know how Harris’s selection affects the protest movement that has emerged since the police killing of George Floyd.

Another part of the discourse has been that the selection of a Black woman became more necessary in the wake of the national protests around racial inequality over the last several months. But it’s not clear the Black Lives Matter activists organizing these protests view a Black woman being picked as vice president as a major priority in terms of addressing racial inequality in America (as opposed to, for example, reducing spending on policing.) And some more liberal Black people are wary of Harris because they felt she was too punitive toward people who committed minor crimes like truancy when she was the district attorney in San Francisco and then the attorney general of California.

I would emphasize all of this is a bit unknown. Maybe Harris’s choice will be applauded by BLM activists; it’s just not a given.

We don’t know if Harris is now the most-likely Democratic nominee in 2024.

If Biden and Harris lose, Harris’s presidential ambitions are likely over. (Just ask Joe Lieberman, John Edwards, Sarah Palin, Paul Ryan and Tim Kaine.) But if they win, remember that Biden will enter office at age 78 and that in March he described himself as a “bridge” figure who will help usher in the Democratic Party’s next generation of leaders.

So is Harris being set up to be the Democratic front-runner and likely nominee in 2024? I don’t know. And honestly, Biden and Harris may not know either. But this matters, for two big reasons. First, in the 2020 election, expect Trump and his campaign, who have had a hard time casting Biden as an extremist or a radical, to make attacks on Harris with sexist and racist undertones, cast her as an ultra-liberal Californian out of touch with Middle American values and suggest that voting for Biden in November means that Harris will be running the country for 12 years.

Second, if Harris is vice president, she would need to make sure she is ready to run for president in 2024 — in case Biden either doesn’t want to run for a second term or isn’t up to it — while also ensuring she isn’t portrayed by the media as constantly planning her 2024 campaign, which would likely to irritate Biden and other Democrats.

Biden made the predictable pick (in fact, we kind of predicted it in March). Harris is more liberal than Biden but not Sanders/Warren-left, and she is an Asian and Black woman in a party that always wants to show it cares about traditionally marginalized groups and probably feels the need to showcase its racial diversity even more in the wake of the Floyd protests. So Biden choosing someone with Harris’s political, biographical and demographic attributes makes a lot of sense.

The biggest unknowns are around Harris herself and her electoral skills. Harris is a good politician based on these facts alone: She was elected senator in the nation’s most populous state and in a country with a lot of race and gender discrimation, Harris is the second Black woman ever elected to the Senate, and arguably the first to be a serious presidential candidate. That said, it’s still not clear if she is a particularly strong politician on the national stage, and therefore if she will be that helpful for Democrats in the No. 2 slot in 2020 or as the main candidate in a future presidential election.

#IFTTT #Politics – FiveThirtyEight #politics #538 #Perry Bacon Jr.

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lorenahqs · 4 years

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❤ POOL DAY - DISCORD PARA

LORENA: " I know, that's why i made myself at home out here, " the femme said with a laugh. her eyes were covered by sunglasses and she had chosen to wear one of her new bikinis she had purchased a few days prior - one with tropical patterns and a black base. her lips formed a smile at his touch, and it grew more with every second. " i'll take the free massage that comes along with applying the lotion," she spoke softly - small moans escaping her lips from his hands rubbing just the right areas. " you always gave me the best massages ! i'm pretty sure i reached the point of annoying you because i was always asking you for them. " lorena giggled while her body moved slightly, hoping that it didn't cause his hands to slip from the current spot he was working on.

KAINE: This was her home. He wanted it to still be her home. But those were thoughts he kept in his head. “Like this bikini on you.” Fell from his lips easily, thumbs really working into the most tense areas of her neck muscles. She carried their boys and was so tiny, it was the least he could do. “it’s been a while since I’ve given you one, and I know the boys both keep getting bigger. “ Kaine said in a lower tone, palms working over her shoulder blades and fingers into dips. The sounds she was making had him so pleased with himself and made his own abs tighten. “If you wanna know a secret, I just would pretend I hated giving you massages so you’d appreciate them more.” Laughing at his admittance, he found a super tight muscle and used both hands to knead it out, digging deep with his palms and knuckles so she could feel all the pleasure possible with this. “If you think about it, is there ever really a time I don’t like touching you and having my big hands all up on you? Your skin is probably my second favorite thing in this world to touch. Your lips being number one.”

LORENA: she missed everything the two of them used to do together. she missed the massages, him tickling her even though he knew she hated it, she missed the breakfasts in bed, falling asleep on his chest, all the exploring they did together, the family movie nights where they each took a turn picking movies, except for evian because he was too little; she missed EVERYTHING and all she wanted was to gain it all back and be given the ability to experience the world with kaine and her family. " wow, i see your strategies, floyd ! " the brunette said with a laugh - moving her arm so that her the palm of her hand playfully hit his arm. "seriously though, i want you to know that i appreciate and love everything you do for me. I know i don't say it enough sometimes." another series of muttered moans flew out of her mouth, causing her to bite her lip. "hmmm, i don't think there has been ! you've always been a handsey one, especially to the point where multiple people have told us to stop with the PDA, but i liked how often you touched me; i still do."

KAINE: It was hard not to worry that every day that passed that they weren’t together, that she was getting over him. That little by little she would move on and eventually fall out of love with him. It drove him crazy, made him insecure sometimes and he found himself expressing it incorrectly because it all just pent up inside him. “Now that I don’t have you shoving your legs in my lap anymore and expecting massages, I realize how much I miss touching you like this and how much you love it.“ He said in a low, slightly raspy voice before clearing his thought and laughing as her hand connected with his skin. “I’m never going to stop fighting for us and loving you. I just, hope to see that there’s a possibility of a light at the end of the tunnel somehow. I want to know that...that it’s not too late or something.” The thoughts that filled his head escaped without him even fully thinking through if it was okay to admit and share, but it was too late now. “I miss grabbing your butt and kissing you. Wrapping my arms around you and holding you against me. Or tackling you with Tide and having kissing competitions with him on who can give you more.” Kai said as he applied more sun screen and to her lower back and dragged his finger tips over her ribs then pushed them up and underneath the band of her bikini to tease the soft skin.July 3, 2020

LORENA: she listened to every word that poured out from his pale lips, every emotion that he expressed she took in. the brunette slipped her sunglasses up onto her head to reveal her eyes - moving her body in a way that made it possible for her to look at him. "kai, it's not too late. i promise you that it's not! " and she truly meant that. she felt that it would never be too late for the two of them. she always swore they were meant for each other and it was their destiny to end up together ; they just had to figure out how to intertwine again without all of the turmoil following them. "he actually asked me the other day why we don't do those anymore," she expressed with a sadness in her voice. she spoke low and her eyes traveled to look at the ground. "I didn't even know how to answer, but i told him that i missed them..and i want you to know that i cherish everything we did and do together still." lorena smiled at him as she suddenly sprang up from the lounge chair, dragging him by the arm to the pool slide. "want to go down together ? "

KAINE: His fingers flexed against her sides as he watched her face come closer in view. Eyes locking into hers, he took in a deep breath and rubbed his lips together with a nod. “I-I’m putting everything into believing you right now. It’s scary, but as long as you don’t give up on me and us, I’m gonna keep doing everything I can to win you back over and fix us.” Leaning down, he brushed his lips against her cheek before letting out a heavy breath, eyes falling shut knowing that tone of hers all too well. “I’ll tell Tide it’s my fault. That I have to work on things. I know now it falls on me and that-that I gotta do better as a man. “ Following her pull, he raised his brows and laughed because he could make a sexual pun but instead just swooped her up in his arms. Holding her protectively, he jumped into the water as high as he could with her in his arms before they hit the deep end and sunk them both to the bottom with the biggest grin on his face.

LORENA: “hey, it’s not all your fault. I’m just as much to blame for us falling apart,” which she wholeheartedly believed. It took two to tangle, therefore it took two to get into the position they were currently. she would prefer to put her house on the market and move back in with kaine and the boys, have everyone under one roof, but life just didn’t permit that yet. “I get too angry over things, I realize that, and that did add fuel to the fire when we fought.” once her feet were lifted off the ground, her arms wrapped around his neck as she giggled. “don’t even warn a girl before you lift her off her feet,” lorena said once they both reached the surface.

KAINE: Part of him thought she was just being nice and making him feel better about it all. He appreciated it and it showed in his face as he pulled her in against his body in the water. “Don’t use this against me, but you’re hot when you’re all mad and riled up. When you get jealous, it just makes me want you even more. “ Kaine confessed before splashing her slightly then letting out a laugh, stroking over his slight scruff. “You would have yelled no or tried to convince me not to throw you, so I had to go a head and give you no choice. “ Pulling them both to an area to where only he could stand, he held her in his arms and encouraged her to wrap her legs around his body. “How do you always manage to look good wet?” He asked before a laugh ripped through his body and his abs, vibrating against her before shaking her head. Not meaning it in a sexual way, he clarified himself. “I mean like in the shower, the pool, some girls look like a little weird with their hair slicked back. But you...you just always look so damn good. “ The last few words were whispered into her ear as his hands sprawled out against her back, finger tips grazing against her skin.July 5, 2020

LORENA: with the pull of his hands bringing her body against his in the water, she could feel her cheeks start to go tomato red. "you like when my brazilan firecracker side comes out, " lorena said with a giggle. "você também é quente." though the male didn't understand portuguese, although not to lorena's knowledge, she thought saying ' you're hot too ' in her native tongue would sound sexier than simply saying it in the english language. " you're damn right because i didn't even get a chance to hold my nose before we touched the water." the femme took notice of his suddle cue's and hesitantly wrapped her legs tight around his waist. it felt like for once since the breakup, she was letting herself truly enjoy the moment between them. she had tried to fight it every day -- pulling away after seconds and not allowing them to get too close, but she let her walls come down just for one day, and it was already feeling like normal. "shut up," she said giggling. all of sudden, something inside of her took over and pushed her to bring her lips on top of his, kissing him softly. she was tired of talking all the time and she just wanted to feel what it would be like to kiss him again. "you're the one who looks good wet here."

KAINE: It was easy to notice him making her blush and he couldn’t help but smirk at himself for putting that color on her cheeks. Making a Latina blush is goals and as Lo’s man, he always strived to make it happen. “I do.” Kaine said, holding her still against his body and biting the inside of his cheek in pleasure as she spoke in her native tongue. It was clear as day that his eyes were heavy with love and admiration as he watched her lips move and his brows traveled upwards, wondering what she said. “You’re gonna teach the boys Portuguese so you can all talk behind my back, aren’t you?” He asked with a laugh that rippled throughout his body and against hers, trying to hide how turned on he was right now. “Hold your nose, Lo? Really?” Kaine teased as his muscles completely were put into ease and relaxed as her body was once again against and wrapped up in his. Being able to hold her again and set his arms around her had Kaine in literal heaven. This is all he ever wants. “Make me.” The red head teased in a heavy whisper, the smile on his face truly not being able to leave. And then, she did just that. His lips met hers instantly and he took his time, savoring her taste and bringing a hand up to sink into her hair. Just kissing her made his heart rate increase and he couldn’t help but deepen the kiss, sensually sucking on her bottom lip and putting his all into it. “Is that a challenge for me to make you extra wet in here?” Kaine joked against her mouth, his tongue brushing against her bottom lip as his hands in her hair massaged at her scalp. His hand was big enough that his thumb was still able to settle against her cheek and he brushed against the bone as he kept kissing her, showing her with every fiber in his being how much he missed this, missed her and loves her. “I’m never gonna take kissing you for granted again. “ The male assured her in a hot and heavy whisper into her mouth as his nose brushed against hers.

LORENA: "well, if you must know, i've already make flashcards in portuguese to teach them." she laughed playfully at the thought, "I stayed up until three a.m. when you had them two nights ago and made them. one side has pictures on it with the word or words under it in portuguese, and then the other side is just the english word or words." she wasn't not going to teach her children her native tongue. lorena wanted nothing more than to hear her boys communicate to her in her first language. the brunette knows more than anyone that she doesn't quite speak it enough, but them learning would be her greatest gift. "maybe it is, floyd. are you gonna accept it or pussy out?" she joked in between their kiss. their lips colliding felt like fireworks and sent a tingle down her spine. it felt like the first time they had ever kissed and she was happy to see that their passion was still there. she had been worried that it faded away since the two of them hadn't connected like that in so long. "i love you," the femme whispered against his pale lips - her fingers intertwining through locks of his hair. she pulled on it teasingly but not enough to hurt him. she never wanted this moment to end. she wanted the world around them to stop moving, to become still in time so that the two of them would never have to break apart from their current bliss. "your kisses still send shivers down my spine and cause butterflies to sworm in my stomach."

KAINE: Laughing through his nose, his head shook because he expected nothing less. She was such an amazing mother and his kids were so well loved and taken care of by her, it make his heart literally sore in places he didn't know it could. "If you put your glasses on when you teach them, maybe I'll sit in Miss Lo's class and learn alongside our boys." Both their background, ethnicities and heritages meant a lot to them, so he wanted to put the effort in to appreciate hers even more. He was so fucking stuck in his Hawaiian and Samoan upbringing that he needed to make sure his boys were raised better than he was. "Pussy out? Lo, it's me. The only out and pussy I'm doing is eating. Yours." biting her bottom lip and soothing over the mark with his tongue, he worked on pushing up her bathing suit, just needing to feel the soft skin beneath it on both ends. god, her skin was even softer than before and it wasn't fair. like at all. his thick fingers teased both her back and front, playing with the strings and cleavage as he practically hissed. "i love you, too. i love you so fucking much." the feeling of her hands in his red locks was enough to make his stomach tighten and lower region do the same. she knew that it was his weak spot and when she played or tugged on his hair, he completely came undone and so weak for her. "when you kiss me, everything feels right again. you're my girl. my world. this is where we're supposed to be, you in my arms and our lips glued together." kai husked out into her mouth, his tongue massaging against hers as he kissed her slowly and passionately, his body grinding and closing any gap between them. it had been so long and just her kisses alone had him half hard, which he wasn't shy to show against her thigh. "i want you. now and always." kaine admitted hotly into her mouth, hands settling on her ass and fingers holding on for dear life.

ENDS WITH THEM MAKING OUT FOR SEVERAL MINUTES BEFORE LORENA HEARS HER PHONE - GETTING A CALL FROM HER DAD THAT WAS BABYSITTING THE KIDS THAT EVIAN WOULDN’T STOP CRYING. IT’S BEEN A FULL DAY NOW AND THEY STILL HAVE NOT SPOKEN ABOUT THE EVENTS OF THAT DAY.

#babe you look so cool → c h a t s #discord para ft. kaine & lorena #extention off a para started on tumblr

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disastrous-timing-blog · 5 years

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XX // Accepting @tidesofwcr “You’re a terrible cook.” Kaine scoffs, his brows furrowing slightly as he looks over at Floyd. “You love the food I cook.” He replies, a look of disbelief on his face. “Don’t you...?” Now, he was baffled. In all the time they had been together, Floyd never once said anything bad about Kaine’s cooking, he had always just eaten it. Now that Kaine was thinking about it, there had been plenty of times where he saw Floyd give (quite a lot) of his food to the dog. He shook his head, looking back to the pancakes he had been cooking. “Oh, cmon, now you’ve made me burn them.”

#𝔥𝔢𝔩𝔩 𝔥𝔞𝔱𝔥 𝔫𝔬 𝔣𝔲𝔯𝔶 #tidesofwcr

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keywestlou · 2 years

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GASOLINE PRICE GOUGING IN KEY WEST

GASOLINE PRICE GOUGING IN KEY WEST - http://keywestlou.com/gasoline-price-gouging-in-key-west/The topic familiar to those who live in Key West: The community gets ripped off at the gas pump. Two comments in this morning's Citizens' Voice evidence what Key Westers know only too well. "Current gas prices: Florida City $3.19, Largo-Islamorada $3.29, Big Pine-Summerland $3.59, Key West $4.25. In 50 miles the price goes up by almost $1/gallon.....A text book example of price gouging." "Key West gas stations what is your excuse for your fuel prices when just a very short drive will save you $.50 a gallon and a little longer drive will save over $1 a gallon? I smell something fishy! Shame on you!" The United Way of Collier and the Keys issued a housing report. Spells out something we already knew. The price of housing is in the stratosphere. Way above reasonable. The average needed to afford a 2 bedroom apartment in Key West is $33.54 per hour. How many Key Westers make that kind of money? Key Westers live in the most unaffordable area in the state. About 7 last night, good Gov. DeSantis appeared (finally) and issued a statement. He urged Floridians to forego COVID testing even as the omicron case count skyrockets. The man is Donald Trump reincarnated. This is a sick story. A very sick one. George Floyd's 4 year old niece was shot while sleeping in her bed in her Houston home. Her name Arianna. The shooting took place at 3 in the morning. A group drove by and "bombarded the house with bullets." Arianna was taken to emergency surgery at once. A lung and her liver were punctured, 3 ribs broken. She is in stable condition. The police are investigating. A tale involving MAGA supporters. Amanda Moore went undercover for a year with the far right groups working to take down the U.S. Her findings amazing. Her activities and findings published in the Daily Beast 1/5. She claims the rise in right wing populism is primarily among the under 30 crowd. Those who participated in the 1/6 insurrection are proud of their part in it: "We did it. That was us.....It would have been cool had we gotten further.....The Founding Fathers would have been proud of us." Various group members are practicing an increasingly popular form of harassment. Against local moderate GOP officials. Many attend "superspreader events" and as a result become infected with COVID. Many die "preaching to the very last breath - like, don't get the vaccine." Amanda revealed that many of their messages make it to the West Wing. She said, "Let's go Brandon" is now passe. She advised to get ready for "Mass Formation Psychosis." Whatever that means. Cher appeared on The Last Word With Lawrence O'Donnell show last night. She spoke her mind. She trashed Trump and tried to fire up Democrats. Re the Democrats, she indicated they have to start moving their asses. The Party needs to "go on full tilt.....times a-wasting guys, and somebody's got to light a fire." The Virginia I-95 tragedy has ended. Some were out on the road for 36 hours. Even when I-95 began moving, the side roads were full adding hours to the delay. The cause appears to have started when two tractor trailers had an accident. The highway was extremely icy. There were other tractor trailer and automobile accidents thereafter along the way. The situation horrible in itself. The failure of Virginia to offer ready assistance a disgrace. Heads will roll at some point. Senator Tim Kaine was stopped on I-95 for hours. Somewhere in the teens. All he had to "eat" was an orange and a 16 ounce bottle of Dr. Pepper. It was reported a mother had her children with her. She ran out of gas. No heat. She was walking the highway begging people in heated cars to take her children. Ayn Rand was a world famous author. Also, a flaming nut. Aaron Rodgers is the Green Bay Packers super star quarterback. He continues to draw fits among leftists far and wide. Leftists lost it after he answered in an interview: "Atlas Shrugged is on my bookshelf." Also "a lot of French poetry." The militant left totally disagree with Rand's philosophy that the individual comes first. Screw the masses. Described as a "me-first" ideology. Those who are Rand followers believe her writings inspire and uphold individual freedom. Rodgers is not the most popular of sport stars. Some are not fans of his way of thinking. He already once has been NFL MVP. Could be again this season. Probably not, however. One of the voters said, "He's the biggest jerk in the league." I was a similar "jerk" in my younger days. About 2 years out of law school, I discovered Ayn Rand and The Fountainhead. Her book blew my mind. She was what I had sought not knowing I did. I became an immediate follower. The Fountainhead pushed individualism and asked raised many questions. Rand answered those questions in her next book Atlas Shrugged. The one Rodgers had in his library. It was at this time I became aware Rand published a weekly newspaper. I subscribed immediately. The newspaper cured my newly ill begotten thoughts. Her newspaper writings made clear Rand was off her rocker. Crazy. It was announced yesterday that Turkey's rate of inflation is 36.1 percent. Turkey's biggest in 19 years. Off the wall! Inflation in my lifetime was the highest when Jimmy Carter was President. Hit 22 percent. It was tough economically. If you needed to borrow from a bank, the interest rate was 22 percent plus. Turkey's food and transportation prices/expenses rose last year. Even faster than the rate of inflation. Attorney General Merrick Garland appears before the January 6 Committee at 2:30 this afternoon to speak with how his investigation, if any, is coming re January 6. I fear what he may say. When Garland was nominated, I wrote a lengthy blog advising I did not consider him a proper person for the position. He had been a federal judge for 20 plus years. Too long in that job. His thinking fixated. A good judge does not necessarily make for a good prosecutor. Prosecutors go for the jugular. Kill the battle cry. If all the t's are not crossed and i's dotted, they care not. All will fall into place as time progresses. Whereas, a judge is concerned with the nitty gritty. Decision making slow and deliberate. His thinking changes, facilitates. Garland has to move his ass. He has had close to a year. What has been his progress? What he has done is required to be silent. Unrevealing till generally indictment time. The U.S. may not have much time in this case. If the Republicans take over the House in November, the January 6 Committee will be no more. Do not misunderstand me. Garland is a good man. In my opinion however, the wrong man for the job. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou last night. Did a different type show format wise. Devoted the entire show to COVID. Properly so. It is the biggest item in the news. In the U.S. and world wide. I mixed it up. Always stayed with the issue, however. Thought it went well. Look forward to the comments. May do a similar type show in the future re another topic. Enjoy your day!

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ao3feed-birdflash · 6 years

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Play It Right

read it on the AO3 at http://ift.tt/2Dx23Yg

by Lil_Red_Riding_Hoodie

Play your cards right, you could win a reward. Play them wrong, you lose. Drop them, it stops. Lose them, Lose it all. -----Mainly BatFamily related, but other things are mentioned-----

Words: 2457, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English

Series: Part 1 of DC Universe Mix

Fandoms: Batman - All Media Types, Batman (Movies - Nolan), Teen Titans - All Media Types, Young Justice - All Media Types, Justice League - All Media Types, Green Arrow - All Media Types, Green Lantern - All Media Types

Rating: Mature

Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Categories: F/F, M/M, Other

Characters: Bruce Wayne, Jack Napier, Clark Kent, Alfred Pennyworth, Dick Grayson, Damian Wayne, Jason Todd, Tim Drake, Colin Wilkes, Jonathon Kent, Kon-El | Conner Kent, Wally West, Bart Allen, Jaime Reyes, Garfield Logan, Cassandra Cain, Stephanie Brown, Barbara Gordon, Selina Kyle, Harleen Quinzel, Pamela Isley, Oliver Queen, Roy Harper, Koriand'r (DCU), Raven (DCU), Cassie Sandsmark, Katie Kain, Barry Allen, Hal Jordan, Edward Nygma, Jonathan Crane, Waylon Jones, Floyd Lawton, Francois "Frankie" Jeykill (OC), Peter Hyde (OC), Detective Harper (OC), Keith Styne (OC)

Relationships: Robinpile - Relationship, Batman/Joker (DCU), Bruce Wayne/Jack Napier, Clark Kent/Bruce Wayne, Bruce Wayne/Frankie Jeykill (OC), Robinpile/Frankie Jeykill (OC), Roy Harper/Jason Todd, Wally West/Dick Grayson, Tim Drake/Kon-El | Conner Kent, Pamela Isley/Harleen Quinzel, Bart Allen/Jaime Reyes, Bart Allen/Tim Drake, Damian Wayne/Colin Wilkes

Additional Tags: Canon-Typical Violence, The OCs are important, Sassy Tim Drake, Tim Drake is Genderfluid, Bart Allen is Genderfluid, everyone is poly, sunshine and rainbows, I Don't Even Know, I'm Bad At Tagging, I Will Go Down With This Ship, Clark is like the equivalent of a big puppy dog, This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things, Damian is secretly a cinnamon roll, Dick Grayson Needs a Hug, Jason Todd Has Issues, Tim Drake has issues, Bruce Has Issues, Jason has Daddy issues, Damian has a Loli complex that can be seen from outer space, Bart is Gay, Crossdressing, Crossdressing Kink, Bruce is a blanket hog, Protective Clark Kent, Bisexual Clark Kent, Implied/Referenced Past Relationships, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Implied/Referenced Torture, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, there's a bad joke about building a snow-dick, Everyone Has Issues, Joker is adorable, What Have I Done, Timeline What Timeline, Timeline Shenanigans, Divergent Timelines, Traffic light, BDSM, THIS IS MOSTLY GAY, Kissing in the Rain, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, BUT it's not talked about, just mentioned, Song references, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Trans Character, Futanari, Don't Like Don't Read, It's Not Paranoia If They're Really Out To Get You, everyone is of legal age

read it on the AO3 at http://ift.tt/2Dx23Yg

#dick grayson #robin #nightwing #wally west #kid flash #flash #birdflash #dickwally

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ravnlghtft · 4 years

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SENATOR BALDWIN JOINS SENATORS BOOKER AND HARRIS, CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS IN INTRODUCING THE JUSTICE IN POLICING ACT OF 2020

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) joined Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Kamala Harris (D-CA), as well as Congressional Black Caucus Chair Karen Bass (D-CA) and House Judiciary Committee Chair Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), in introducing the Justice in Policing Act of 2020, the first-ever bold, comprehensive approach to hold police accountable, change the culture of law enforcement and build trust between law enforcement and our communities.

“The pain people are expressing through peaceful protests is real. I see it, I hear the calls for change and I know we have to work to heal the wounds of racism in our country. We can say liberty and justice for all, but we need to make sure everyone can live this value,” said Senator Baldwin. “We need federal reforms to improve police training and practices, and to ensure transparency and accountability. That’s why I’m joining Senators Cory Booker, Kamala Harris, and the Congressional Black Caucus to introduce this comprehensive reform to change the culture of policing in our communities. This is long overdue and we must meet this critical moment now to address systemic racism and fix policing policies in our country.”

“America has a serious and deadly problem when it comes to the discriminatory and excessive policing of communities of color - and that policing exists within a system that time and again refuses to hold police accountable for their brutality. For too long, this has been accepted as a cruel reality of being black in this country. We are forced to figure out how to keep ourselves safe from law enforcement and we are viewed as a threat to be protected against instead of people worth protecting. And for too long, Congress has failed to act. That ends today with the landmark Justice in Policing Act which, for the first time in history, will take a comprehensive approach to ending police brutality. On the back-end, the bill fixes our federal laws so law enforcement officers are held accountable for egregious misconduct and police abuses are better tracked and reported. And on the front-end, the bill improves police practices and training to prevent these injustices from happening in the first place,” said Senator Booker.

“America’s sidewalks are stained with Black blood. In the wake of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor’s murders, we must ask ourselves: how many more times must our families and our communities be put through the trauma of an unarmed Black man or woman’s killing at the hands of the very police who are sworn to protect and serve them? As a career prosecutor and former Attorney General of California, I know that real public safety requires community trust and police accountability. I am proud to join my colleagues in introducing this historic legislation that will get our country on a path forward,” said Senator Harris.

“What we are witnessing is the birth of a new movement in our country with thousands coming together in every state marching to demand a change that ends police brutality, holds police officers accountable, and calls for transparency. For over 100 years, Black communities in America have sadly been marching against police abuse and calling for the police to protect and serve them as they do others. Today we unveil the Justice in Policing Act, which will establish a bold transformative vision of policing in America. Never again should the world be subjected to witnessing what we saw on the streets in Minnesota with George Floyd,” said Congressional Black Caucus Chair Bass.

“We have heard the terrifying words ‘I can’t breathe’ from George Floyd, Eric Garner, and the millions of Americans in the streets calling out for change. For every incident of excessive force that makes headlines, the ugly truth is that there are countless others that we never hear about. This is a systemic problem that requires a comprehensive solution. I am proud to work in lockstep with the Congressional Black Caucus to craft the Justice in Policing Act. This bold, transformative legislation will finally ban chokeholds at the federal level and incentivize states to do the same, it will help end racial profiling, get weapons of war off our streets, hold police accountable, increase transparency and require and encourage greater use of body cameras. It does all of this while ensuring that our law enforcement agencies adhere to the very highest standards in training, hiring and de-escalation strategies to address systemic racism and bias to change the culture of law enforcement in America and ultimately save lives. I hope to take up this legislation in the House Judiciary Committee in the coming weeks,” said House Judiciary Committee Chair Nadler.

The Justice in Policing Act of 2020:

Prohibits federal, state, and local law enforcement from racial, religious and discriminatory profiling, and mandates training on racial, religious, and discriminatory profiling for all law enforcement.

Bans chokeholds, carotid holds and no-knock warrants at the federal level and limits the transfer of military-grade equipment to state and local law enforcement.

Mandates the use of dashboard cameras and body cameras for federal offices and requires state and local law enforcement to use existing federal funds to ensure the use of police body cameras.

Establishes a National Police Misconduct Registry to prevent problematic officers who are fired or leave on agency from moving to another jurisdiction without any accountability.

Amends federal criminal statute from “willfulness” to a “recklessness” standard to successfully identify and prosecute police misconduct.

Reforms qualified immunity so that individuals are not barred from recovering damages when police violate their constitutional rights.

Establishes public safety innovation grants for community-based organizations to create local commissions and task forces to help communities to re-imagine and develop concrete, just and equitable public safety approaches.

Creates law enforcement development and training programs to develop best practices and requires the creation of law enforcement accreditation standard recommendations based on President Obama’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing.

Requires state and local law enforcement agencies to report use of force data, disaggregated by race, sex, disability, religion, and age.

Improves the use of pattern and practice investigations at the federal level by granting the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division subpoena power and creates a grant program for state attorneys general to develop authority to conduct independent investigations into problematic police departments.

Establishes a Department of Justice task force to coordinate the investigation, prosecution and enforcement efforts of federal, state and local governments in cases related to law enforcement misconduct.

In addition to Baldwin, Booker and Harris, co-sponsors of the Justice in Policing Act of 2020 in the Senate are Democratic Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-NY), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Tom Carper (D-DE), Bob Casey (D-PA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Patty Murray (D-WA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Tina Smith (D-MN), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Tom Udall (D-NM), Mark Warner (D-VA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Ron Wyden (D-OR). The bill is supported by 166 members in the U.S. House of Representatives.

The Justice in Policing Act of 2020 has the support of a broad coalition of civil rights organizations including: Demand Progress, Lawyers' Committee For Civil Rights Under Law, Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, National Action Network, National African American Clergy Network, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF), The National Coalition on Black Civic Participation (NCBCP), Black Millennial Convention, and the National Urban League.

“The National African American Clergy Network supports the Justice in Policing Bill. It affirms sacred scripture that everyone is created in the image of God and deserves to be protected by police sworn to value and safeguard all lives. Failure by police to uphold this sacred trust with Black Americans lives, requires systemic changes in policing nationwide,” said Dr. Barbara Williams-Skinner, Dr. Otis Moss, Jr., and Dr. T. DeWitt Smith, Jr., Co-Conveners of the National African American Clergy Network (NAACN).

“It's time to close the chapter on a dark era of unchecked police violence in our country that has wreaked havoc on African American families across the country. The Justice in Policing Act is historic and long overdue legislation that will put our country on a path to reform. This Act is responsive to many of the urgent demands being pressed for by our communities and by the people protesting for racial justice and equity across our nation. The Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law commends the Congressional Black Caucus for their leadership on policing reform and this critical legislation, including Chair Karen Bass, Senator Cory Booker and Senator Kamala Harris,” said Kristen Clarke, President and Executive Director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.

“Sometimes difficult circumstances present a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to bring about historic change,” said Marc H. Morial, President and CEO of the National Urban League. “The brutal actions of police in George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis, along with botched execution of a no-knock warrant that killed Breonna Taylor in Louisville, and the brazen vigilante execution of Ahmaud Arbery in Glynn County, Georgia, have pushed the nation to the tipping point.”

“For the past four-plus centuries, Black people have continuously been made to endure unfair, unjust, and inhumane treatment in this country. We have been made to believe in that if we worked hard, never complained, and accepted what the world offered that would be enough. What the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and countless others have taught us is that obedience will never be enough; liberty and justice for all applies to everyone but us; and by us, we mean Black Americans, African Americans, Afro-Americans, or plainly put, Black people,” said Waikinya J.S. Clanton, MBA, Black Millennial Convention.

Full text of the legislation is available here:

https://www.baldwin.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/justice_in_policing_act_of_2020_section_by_section.pdf

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garancefranke-ruta · 6 years

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'Grab ‘Em By The Midterms': The Women’s March on Washington rallies for the 2018 elections

Kristen Floyd, Stephanie Voith and Renee Voith with their sign. (Photo: Garance Franke-Ruta/Yahoo News)

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Tessa Fowler turned nine today, and thousands of women sang happy birthday to her.

The daughter of newly-elected Virginia Del. Kelly Fowler, 36, Tessa was born on the day of Barack Obama’s first inauguration and had been eagerly looking forward to America inaugurating its first female president on her eighth birthday. After President Trump won the election November of 2016, though, something happened at school that turned her away from politics. “There was a little bit of bullying that went on. … She did come home different. She came home telling me that she was going to go back to playing with dolls,” her mother recounted Saturday in front of the Lincoln Memorial before the Women’s March on Washington. “I knew that I needed to do something for her.”

So her mother took her to the Women’s March the day after her birthday — and Trump’s inauguration — last year. It turned out to have a transformative impact on them both. A public school teacher turned home renovator and real estate team manager, the Virginia Beach resident from a military family had begun calling her local representatives after Trump’s win, without much response. “It changed both of us,” she recalled of the March. “The next week I said, we need to do something about this representation that doesn’t listen.”

“As much as the march was for her, I thought, it was for me. And it was everybody,” she said. And thus began her nine-month journey of running for office and moving from the streets to the statehouse. In November, Fowler became one of 15 Democrats to win a seat in the Virginia House of Delegates, 11 of them women.

On Saturday, she addressed the 2018 Women’s March on Washington holding a sign that read, “I marched. I ran. I won.”

A scene from the Women’s March on Washington. (Photo: Garance Franke-Ruta/Yahoo News)

After she spoke, the crowd, at that point not yet at half-strength, spontaneously began to sign “Happy Birthday” to Tessa, stumbling and laughing when they came to the line with her name, thousands of female voices raised in unison and directed toward one little girl.

It was a far, far smaller March on Washington this year, sponsored not by the Women’s March Inc. based in New York City, but by March Forward Virginia, a state-based organization that sent a contingent to the last march on D.C. At peak, the gathering around — and, despite many warnings from stage to please step off the melting ice — on the frozen Reflecting Pool in front of the Lincoln Memorial on the mall numbered in the thousands, and interviews with those in the crowd showed most came from the Potomac region of stretching from Northern Virginia to Southern Maryland.

While few of them had run for office, many had spent that past year doing organizing work in their communities. “When the Women’s March started in 2017 it was more of a moment, right? It hadn’t really become a movement,” said marcher Renee Greenwell, now an organizer with Indivisible Arlington. “I guess we got to see the birth of a movement. … We have gotten substantially more engaged. I talk to the staff of my congressional and senate representatives pretty regularly, to the point where they recognize me.”

In front of the Washington Monument. (Photo: Garance-Franke-Ruta/Yahoo News)

The pink knit pussy hats were out in force, and so were hand-crocheted snowflakes and ones pinked out of paper. The idea, said Susie Ana Paula Velasco, 19, is that even though conservatives taunt liberals as snowflakes to suggest that they are “soft,” when the snowflakes get together they turn into “a big storm, a big blizzard.” Ann Lalicker, 19, who attends George Washington University with Velasco, carried a sign that said, “And though she belittle she is fierce,” with snowflakes on it. Kristen Floyd, 36, Stephanie Voith, 23, and Renee Voith, 25, kept their eyes on the prize and had come down from Baltimore sporting signs reading “Grab ‘Em By the Midterms.”

The march was just one of 250 around the country organized by March On, the coalition of 2017 sister marches that took place around the country on the same day as the first Women’s March on Washington. In Las Vegas, the leaders of the New York City-based Women’s March organization launched an effort to register 1 million new voters from historically disenfranchised groups. Marches in Chicago, Los Angeles and New York City drew enormous crowds.

The goal of the day was to further encourage women to run for office, highlight the need for year-round voter registration and civic engagement efforts, and work to lift the voices of community groups, March Forward Virginia co-founder Emily Patton told Yahoo News.

Cutouts of pink sharks — an apparent reference to the 2011 claim by a porn star, who said she was Trump’s mistress, that he hates sharks — floated above the crowd in Washington amid the signs and banners. “Trump Scared of Sharks? Wait for the Blue Wave,” taunted the sign of a person dressed in a shark costume.

Seen at #WomensMarchDC #WomensMarch2018 pic.twitter.com/YZ5XGzKeKN

— Erin Ruberry (@erinruberry) January 20, 2018

Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and an array of Democratic House leaders spoke, using the opportunity to decry the government shutdown, as did Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y, who had emerged even before Trump’s election as a leading advocate against sexual violence and has since cemented her position as the most vocally feminist United States senator.

A year ago, “We saw the rebirth of the women’s movement,” said Gillibrand. “Men and women came together across the country and across the world for the single largest global protest in history. It was one of the most inspiring moments of my entire political career.”

She encouraged the crowd to stay active. “The only time our democracy has ever worked is when regular people just like you stand up and demand it. Do not wait for a white knight to march on Washington or the party to solve the problem. You will be waiting forever! It is the grassroots, it is you who will create the message!” she told the crowd.

Democratic lawmakers address the crowd. (Photo: Garance Franke-Ruta/Yahoo News)

“Run for president!” a voice in the crowd cried out when she was done speaking.

Groups of students from Howard University and George Washington University in D.C. posed for pictures, and art students from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond hoisted aloft an enormous papier-machine bullhorn with the hashtag #MeToo on it.

“I’m 63. This is my Selma. That’s what I say to people back home,” said Laura Umphenour, who had missed the Women’s March on Washington last year and travelled all the way from Springfield, Mo., to catch it this year. “I was too young or too ignorant” to be part of the earlier civil rights movements, she said. But now she knows: “If you’re silent, you’re complicit.”