Leah Cheston

This is a portrait of Leah Cheston.

Leah Cheston

Leah Cheston is a small business owner in Washington, DC. She lives in “the other DC” - not the one with in-fighting and monuments, but the one with quiet residential neighborhoods where she takes her kids to playgrounds and public schools, and has backyard hangs with the neighbors, who are also normal people, living their lives, paying taxes, without a vote in Congress. Leah began her fight for democracy by advocating for DC statehood. She continues the fight because she wants her employees and her children to be able to speak out for human rights and equality without the fear of retaliation or political violence. A goal that shouldn’t be a high bar, but seems increasingly challenging in today’s divided world.

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