Makayla Venable is the Democratic candidate running to represent the 36th District in Virginia House of Delegates. The District – which includes Staunton, Waynesboro, and parts of Augusta County – is currently represented by incumbent Republican candidate Ellen Campbell. Venable is a first-time candidate but has a background working in healthcare which, as she told WMRA's Calvin Pynn, influenced her to run for office.
Makayla Venable: I started out as a youth in the Staunton NAACP, and it was fun. We went to a convention in New York, and I got to see so many great leaders and people who have done just so many great things. And then in elementary school, I was a part of MAP, and then I was a part of Summit in Middle School, and it's a program for marginalized kids. And they asked us what we wanted to be. And I jokingly, I was like, I think I want to be like the first female president. And they showed me people like Shirley Chisholm and Fannie Lou Hamer and people who you don't learn about in school. And I was just like, oh, wow. So, it's not impossible. There are people who look like me who have done these things before. And then, you know, they took us to HBCUs. And it was just so cool because I'm just a big, I really believe that representation matters. And so that for me, opened my eyes to so many options.
WMRA: I know healthcare is also a pretty major area of interest. Could you walk me through that a little more and some things that you would want to focus on if you are elected?
Venable: Yeah, healthcare is a very big topic for me because I've worked in it. When I was About 19, I started out working in a dining room at an assisted living, and I just worked my way up, and then I became a direct care aide, and I took care of people before they passed on. And then I got my phlebotomy, and I went to UVA, and I worked at the hospital. And being in those rooms and listening to people talk about hey, like your mom needs this medicine, but her insurance won't cover it. But yet, she can't go home unless she has this medicine. And listening to families like: "Well, what are we going to do? You know, mom needs this medicine..." And, you know, scrambling for money. Actually, one incident was a man who worked and he had fell off a ladder. So he was with us for a while healing. And, you know, when he was finally able to be discharged, I went in the room with him and he was upset and we talked, and I was like: "What’s wrong?" And he told me that he had lost his apartment. He had been out for six months and no, he didn't have any family. No one was paying his bills for him. And so, he was evicted. And so, he woke up, healed, but he had nowhere to go. So, I helped him call his family and friends and a little bit of family that he did have. And I was just like: "Oh, wow." And just these lived experiences, I was like: "If there's something that I can do to help someone before it gets to that point, that's what I want to do." And so, I had some conversations with some friends and they're like: “Well, you should run for office. You know, that way you can bring those lived experiences - those firsthand experiences - to Richmond.”
WMRA: Just curious, are you still working in healthcare?
Venable: So, I left for a little bit. COVID really took a big hit on me emotionally and mentally. We got COVID in one of the assisted livings that I worked in, and we lost a lot of residents. And, my coworkers, they were getting sick. Luckily, I never got sick, but it was just, you never knew when you were leaving. And then, at that point, I was living at home with my grandma. And she was, she's an elder and she had some health issues and, I was concerned for her. So, I would come home, take all my clothes off, go in my room and I would just stay in my room, and I wouldn't come out just to protect. And so then, holding, I think the worst part was It's always hard when someone's passing away, but I think the fact that we literally had to hold iPads to people for them to be able to see their family members and we had to be that touch or we had to hold their hands and it really just emotionally took a toll on me and I just needed to take a break. But I'm back in home health now. I feel like when something's your calling and you have a passion, it's hard to steer away from it.
WMRA: Pivoting to some other issues to - women's reproductive rights - I understand that's a focus in this campaign. Could you talk a little more about that? And just from your perspective, what you've been hearing from constituents, how would you like to protect that?
Venable: Yeah, you know, with that being on the ballot as one of the constitutional amendments for reproductive rights, I think that, for me personally, I think that Women should have the right to choose. I think that these moments are emotional and private and complicated. And the last thing that women need in that room is lawmakers telling them what they can and cannot do. I don't feel like politicians should be in the exam room. And I think women deserve the freedom to make the best decisions for themselves and their family without interference from the government. And another thing that brought that to my attention was working in the hospital and we got pages for a stat lab draw. And so, I went to the room, and it was a young woman who was pregnant. And she had found out that there was something wrong with the baby that could potentially cost her life. And she was emotional. I drew her blood. And I said: "Do you mind if I sit with you until you're whoever comes?" And she said her husband was on the way. And we talked, she already had three children at home. And I just feel like, the government shouldn't be making these decisions for women. It's already hard enough, and I'm not going to go into her too much. But it wasn't something that was easy for her. Like I said, she has three kids at home, a husband, and then, I just, I was like, I couldn't imagine, but I was thankful that we live in Virginia, which is one of the only southern states without, one of those extreme abortion laws. And for that, I was thankful, but then I was sad thinking about, you know, what if she was in Texas or someplace like that where they do have those.
WMRA: And would have to travel.
Venable: Yeah. And so...I think that women should know what's best for them and that should be left up to them and their families or them and whoever to make those decisions, I don't think. But I feel that way with not just human, I mean, women's rights. I just feel that way whether it's gender affirming care or anything. I feel like the doctors and those patients know what's best for them and that the government shouldn't interfere.
WMRA: Now, another issue that caught my eye that I haven't really seen many other candidates talking about, this idea of improving community infrastructure. I think I saw on your campaign page that improvements to I-81 was among that, increased broadband access, that kind of thing. Could you explain a little more there, like what you would like to try to help improve there?
Venable: Yeah, so I would say they are now, they are working on I-81 but driving to Charlottesville and I had to be there early in the morning, it was always a wreck. We were always late. And not only is that not safe for the drivers, but it's also not safe for patients and our job. And then, like I said, I-81, there's always a wreck. And people, I've talked to a couple people, and your job understands a little bit like: “Hey, I'm gonna be late, there's an accident. But then it's like, once it's like all the time, then jobs are like: "Okay, leave early." Okay, well, I can't necessarily leave early if I have to wait for my kid to get on the bus or something. So, I think everything like that plays a, it's just one big cycle, you know - late for work, okay, then you get fired, then what? And so also just out like canvassing, people are telling me, they've been complaining about their streets and their roads. I talked to one man who hit a pothole and like it messed his whole car up. So then, he had to put his car in the shop. And so, it hinders jobs and financial issues when you have to spend, $1,000 to get your car fixed because you hit a pothole. It's all entwined. Yeah.
WMRA: It's a lot of vicious cycles and catch-22s. This is something that I've noticed with many candidates running this year. Again, you know, it's that you are someone who is younger entering the political arena. If you don't mind me asking, what are your thoughts on that? What are your feelings on that?
Venable: I feel that it's been great. Back when I was out campaigning for the presidential election last year, I talked with a lot of younger people and I was like, hey, are you voting? They're like, no, it doesn't matter. And I was like, no, but voting does matter. Voting is your voice. And like a lot of y'all, I see you guys voicing your complaints on Facebook. And that's great. You know, be vocal, but also vote. And I was like, and especially if you're not voting in state and local elections that impact you the most. I was like, yeah, we need to vote. That's your voice. And you don't ever let anyone take that away from you. And I've always been a voter. Being young and being a black woman, I know a lot of people, died and worked really hard for me to be able to have this right. So that's something that I don't take lightly. And I explain that to young people. Like people died for you to be able to vote. And you might think it's silly, but, you know, if it was silly, people wouldn't have been fighting for so long to make sure that we couldn't vote. And also, just My big thing has just been telling people to remember that the government works for you. You elect people to represent you. And that's your power. It's people power. And I just feel like a lot of young people, just talking with them, they're like: "Well, what do these old people know about me?" Or: "They're rich. They don't know the struggle." And so, when I'm out talking with people, I make it clear, like, I'm not a career politician. I'm just somebody who goes to the Board of Supervisor meetings, who goes to the School Board meetings, even though I don't have any biological kids, because I care about the community. You know, I lost my dad when I was 7, and my grandma passed away when I was 16. And it was my teachers, my mentors at the Boys and Girls Club, after school - all those people came together to make sure that I was good - my softball coach. And they still check on me to this day. And so, I'm just like, I want to protect and give back to a community that gave so much to me because I could have fallen through the cracks. I could be, I don't know where. But my community came together, and they made sure that I was good and they still support me. Like I said, to this day, I have mentors who check on me. And so that, I mean, that's just where I'm coming from. I just want, I know that, especially in these times, like everyone's divided and all that stuff. But I just want my community to be what it was when I was growing up. And I want that for the kids in our areas.
WMRA: How do you feel about how this area - Staunton, Augusta, Waynesboro - how do you feel about how that's been represented in Richmond, thus far?
Venable: I'll say this. I don't ever want to attack somebody. But what I will say is that when I'm out at these community events, like Augusta Health just opened their mobile clinic and I was at the opening and that's something that we really need because we have people who can't get there, they don't have transportation and all that stuff.
WMRA: And clinics closing too.
Venable: And clinics closing and, you know, I've been going to the Chamber of Commerce meetings. They just had a Voices of Business meeting where we got to listen to nonprofits in the hospital talk about how the big, beautiful bill is going to impact them with the federal cuts. And I'm just like, I'm there, my opponent's not there. And I'm just like, how can you represent a community or a district if you're not showing up and listening to, you know, the issues? How do you know what the issues are if you're not showing up? And I just feel like showing up matters. And when I've talked to people and I say, hey, I'm running for office. And they're like, hey, well, we don't really do politics, but you're always everywhere and you show up and you listen. So that counts for something. And I'm like: "Well, thanks." I'm like: "Well, the bar is kind of low for me, but I mean, hey." And in like canvassing and door knocking, I feel like, you know, we've hit strong Republicans, leaning Republicans, independents. And at the end of every conversation, they say: Thanks for taking the time to listen, even if we don't agree on some issues. You listened, and you didn't attack. You listened to understand." And that's what we need, and that's important.
WMRA: Is there anything else on your mind that I didn't think to ask?
Venable: You know, for me, I think that raising minimum wage is very, very important. I just attended the right to work meeting at the Chamber of Commerce, and I listened to that. And I think that sometimes when people are like, if we raise the minimum wage, inflation. And I'm like: "Yeah but raising the minimum wage helps families breathe a little bit better. It means parents don't have to choose between paying the rent and buying groceries. It puts money back into the pockets of working people." And when they spend that money, it supports our small businesses and strengthens our local communities. And it also reduces the strain on public assistance programs. When people are able to afford their basic needs, everyone's life is better. And that's why I picked for my campaign: "Your priorities, my purpose." Because your priorities - it's my purpose to help make those, you know, obtainable and reachable. And then when everybody's basic needs are met, we have a better community and better society all together is how I feel.
WMRA: Well, Makayla, thank you so much for coming in.
Venable: Thank you for having me. This was fun.
WMRA has reached out to Ellen Campbell for an interview as well, but have not yet received a response.
