About

HIGHLIGHTS

Senator Mona Das is a powerful force for environmental justice, racial equity, housing affordability, and economic fairness in Washington. Born to Indian parents who immigrated to the United States when she was 8 months old with only six dollars in their pockets, Das’s lived experience drives her to dismantle barriers for marginalized people in every aspect of her work and life. After eight years in the technology sector and 16 years in the mortgage industry, Das transitioned to politics in 2016, driven by a strong public service ethic and a desire to create an equitable, sustainable society. Das holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Cincinnati, an MBA in Sustainable Business from the Presidio Graduate School and a certificate from The Campaign School at Yale University.

Mona Das

Campaign Strategy

When campaigning for the first time in 2017, Mona effectively power/asset mapped and quickly got up to speed to navigate the landscape and hierarchy of political power in Washington State. She brought together a team of women to create the Opportunity PAC, designed to support Black women candidates running for state office in the 2020 election cycle. They recruited a board of well-connected Black women, attained our fundraising goal of $300,000, and provided critical campaign support to 4 newly elected and 2 re-elected Black women, including the first Black State Senator in 10 years.

Consulting

Mona has experience consulting over an array of topics throughout her career. When campaigning for the first time in 2017, she effectively power/asset mapped and quickly got up to speed to navigate the landscape and hierarchy of political power in Washington State. She also has a background in providing pro bono consulting services for first time, low-income homebuyers.

Activism

Mona has dedicated her career to community building and leveraging power to uplift marginalized communities – from supporting low-income folks in navigating the system to achieve their goal of homeownership and building generational wealth, to serving on boards of organizations whose mission is to promote a just and sustainable environmental future where women have more of a voice and decision making power, to creating a PAC to leverage wealth in support of more diverse leadership and community representation, and working in the Senate as a champion of racial and environmental justice, diversity and equity, and housing affordability.

Fundraiser

From being an effective fundraiser for nonprofits, political campaigns, and PACs, to growing a
mortgage business with client referrals, to building coalitions to pass complex environmental bills —
all her successes is founded on my skills as a relationship builder. Mona has taught fundraising classes for The Campaign School at Yale University as part of the Faculty, Emerge Washington, and University of Texas, among others. She has raised over $700K for 3 political campaigns, $300K for Opportunity PAC and $200K for Persist PAC, and led the Fundraising Committee at Pinchot University, which raised $3 Million over 3 years.

Racial Justice, Inclusion, and Equity

Mona has made strides in dismantling structural racism and sexism by helping black women get elected. Marginalized communities must be represented in order to change racist laws and policies. She has received media attention for speaking up in the Senate to call out racism, sexism, and misogyny. This catalyzed the offering of DEI training to Senators and their staff. She was also a part of the Members of the Color Caucus which reviews proposed policies with a racial equity lens to make sure we are not perpetuating institutional racism in our new laws.

Coach

Mona has been invited to be the Keynote speaker for various events for a variety of topics. She has delivered keynote speeches for the Washington Education Association, Washington Conservation Voters, Asia Pacific Cultural Center, Washington State Recycling Association, and at the MLK Vigil at the Mount Zion Church and one representing Washington State, at an event hosted by The White House. Her topics include: womens’ empowerment and leadership, environmental justice, visioning a just and sustainable future, and redressing racist and sexist power structures, and putting the FUN back into FUNdraising.

Senate Highlights

Washington State Legislature

Environmental Work

Known as the single-use-plastics warrior, Das is a leader on plastics reduction and recycling. Her efforts include: In 2021, Das successfully passed a bipartisan plastics reduction bill (SB 5022) which improves the recycling system, bans styrofoam peanuts, clamshells and coolers and establishes minimum requirements for recycled plastic in the manufacture of new plastic bottles, shampoo/soap containers, milk jugs and garbage bags.
Successful passage of the bipartisan Reusable Bag Act (SB 5323), banning the use of plastic bags statewide, in 2020.

Community Building & Equitable Representation

During her career, Das’s success as a connector and community builder has resulted in over $5 million raised for various organizations. Most recently, she set her sights on increasing the diversity of Washington’s Legislature and supporting BIPOC womxn leaders. In early 2020, Das helped found Opportunity PAC, committed to electing Black womxn to the Washington State Legislature and empowering and inspiring others to lead in their communities. Opportunity PAC was instrumental in helping elect six of the eight Black womxn they backed in the 2020 elections, dramatically increasing the number of BIPOC womxn in the Washington State Legislature.

Affordable Housing

Marshalling her expertise in the commercial and residential mortgage industry, Das is a tireless advocate for affordable housing as part of her mission to empower marginalized populations. In 2021, she passed the multi-family tax exemption bill, incentivizing construction of affordable housing and holding builders accountable to increase affordable housing in their developments.