Susie Schuetz, an alumna of LCV's Candidate Academy, ran for her Idaho district's school board hoping to use her skills as a professional mediator to bring people together. She shares her lessons learned from the Candidate Academy, the campaign trail and her advice for other candidates running for local offices.

In this month's Top 5, read about our commitment to environmental justice, the ways grassroots activists advance federal climate action, the power of partnerships for advancing offshore wind, how Democrats won another House seat, and the ways local actions combine with federal investments to further clean energy.

As Jordan Morales prepares to serve as the first-ever representative for his district on the City Council of Boise, Idaho, he reflects on his most important lessons learned from LCV's Candidate Academy and his campaign – as well as his advice for others considering a run for office.