Claudia Olaes Ran for Ohio's House of Representatives to Fight the Bureaucracy in School Systems
"I'm not afraid to speak out and break the status quo. I'm not afraid to take action and risks."
By Nadya Okamoto
Running! is a Teen Vogue series on getting involved in the government.
While most college students were wrapping up final exams last month, Claudia Olaes, a first-year student at Oberlin College in Lorain County, Ohio, just ran ran for the Ohio House of Representatives in District 56.
Dan Ramos, the Democratic Incumbent, left his seat vacant due to term limits, so 20-year-old Claudia got her name on the ballot election cycle and ran against three other Democrats and one Republican – all of whom were men. She did not end up winning her primary, but she did well. Joe Miller, the eventual winner of the primary, received about 35% of the votes, and Claudia Olaes wasn't too far behind with about 22% of the votes. Her motivation along the campaign trail stayed strong, she tells Teen Vogue and regardless of the outcome, "I made a difference. This campaign represented the power and passion in youth. It rings of hope for the future," she says.
Courtesy of Claudia Olaes
Claudia ran with the tagline "Your Voice Will Be Heard," which was inspired by the frustration she has felt over the last few years. Her family has sent numerous letters to her governor, attorney general, state representative, and numerous other government-affiliated offices, about everything from education to rights for individuals with disabilities, and Claudia tells Teen Vogue that they have simply "fallen on deaf ears." She ran to change that.
Claudia was, and continues to be, fueled by her passion for education and support for individuals with disabilities and their families. Her top priority, if elected, was "reducing the role of bureaucracy" in the system schooling America's youth. In the United States, Claudia says she believes that there is a "top down, factory style bureaucracy currently powering education," and what is needed for long-lasting positive impact on education is a renewed "focus on the American dream of increasing learning and achievement, decreasing poverty, building employability and reducing conflict between races and classes." Claudia herself is a testament to the boundary-breaking power of youthful energy and passion. In high school, she was both valedictorian and served as the captain of the varsity boys tennis team, and made history when she won the 2017 Ohio Boys Tennis Sectional Tournament among others as a female player. She also co-founded an initiative called Ethan88, which raises money for important causes.
"Ethan stands for 'everyone together help autism now' and 88 stands for the piano keys," she says. Claudia and her sister founded Ethan88 and say they were inspired by their brother who has autism and is an incredible pianist.
While running, Claudia experienced being tokenized from legitimate consideration because of her age – but she believes the most important thing is to keep going. "When people got to know me a bit, my accomplishments, my intellect, my goals, and what I represented, and the fact that I took the time to listen," people quickly realized the "brilliance, idealism, energy, grit, empathy, creativity and passion that youth offers," she says.
Though she did not win, Claudia's journey in activism and political action does not end here. "Through courage, compassion, and collaboration I believe we can accomplish anything. I'm not afraid to speak out and break the status quo. I'm not afraid to take action and risks. I'm not afraid to offer fresh ideas and out-of-the-box solutions. Youth is a strength, not a weakness," she says.
Her final words of advice to other young women out there? – "Go for it! We need more youth and women in politics. Your voice matters."
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