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https://www.electsharonwight.com/
Scott Aaron Rogers interviews Sharon Wight, Democratic candidate for Indiana State House District 81 in the Fort Wayne area. Wight, a lifelong district resident with two master’s degrees who works in educational technology and teaches as an adjunct professor, discusses why she decided to run after watching Kyle Miller successfully run in the district next door. She emphasizes three core issues: accessibility and inclusivity for disabled communities (informed by her own sensory sensitivities and year-long disability advocacy training), LGBTQ+ rights, and state house process reform to address the problematic part-time legislature that meets only 12 weeks per year. Wight criticizes the rapid voting procedures that disadvantage legislators who step out for medical needs, the arbitrary scheduling with only 24-hour notice on controversial bills, and the hypocrisy of calling special sessions for abortion bans and redistricting but not for pandemic response or racial justice. She argues the 12-week session should be spread throughout the year to address issues as they arise, advocates for collaborative leadership by asking party chairs “where am I needed,” and stresses that making infrastructure and processes more accessible benefits everyone, not just those who explicitly need accommodations.
IN THE INTERVIEW
0:05:15 - INTRODUCTION & BACKGROUND
- Lifelong resident of District 81, represented by incumbent for 13 years
- Works full-time in educational technology as project manager, part-time college professor
- Proud product of Fort Wayne Community Schools (high school had 60+ languages represented)
0:06:54 - DIVERSITY & PRIVILEGE OF RUNNING
- High school was most diverse in corporation at the time - “worth its weight in gold”
- Loves travel and diversity, former exchange student mom
- Recognizes privilege of being able to run (time, money, job flexibility not everyone has)
0:08:45 - DISTRICT 81 GEOGRAPHY & COMPOSITION
- Gerrymandered district with unusual boundaries - mom’s neighbor one house over is in different district
- Includes rural Allen County, suburban areas, parts of Fort Wayne
- Two different school districts represented plus large Catholic school
- Fort Wayne Community Schools (largest district in Indiana) and Northwest Allen County Schools have very different needs
0:14:00 - INCUMBENT OPPONENT & KYLE MILLER INSPIRATION
- Has never met incumbent opponent despite living in district entire life
- Incumbent doesn’t hold town halls, doesn’t engage community
- Kyle Miller (District 82) knocked on her door in 2018, became friends
- Miller closed gap significantly in 2018 and 2020, showed district was flippable
- After 2022 redistricting, Miller pushed into different district
0:17:41 - WHY RUN NOW - PERSONAL & POLITICAL TIMING
- Thought about running entire adult life, originally planned to be social studies teacher
- Held off after 2012 due to GOP supermajority, believed myth she couldn’t win as leftist
- Had to get healthy (became very ill in 2020) and build career
- Previously worked in public higher education where running would have cost her job
- Now in flexible job, healthy, and believes 2026 could be most consequential election of our lifetimes
- Worries this could be last opportunity as a woman to do something she’s dreamt of
- Jon Stewart quote: “Action is the antidote for anxiety”
0:21:31 - WHY DISTRICT 81 - COLLABORATIVE LEADERSHIP
- Believes in collaborative leadership, asked party chair “where am I needed?”
- Willing to run anywhere up or down ballot
- Also running for state delegate and precinct chairperson
- Wants to be servant leader
- Chose state level because accessibility issues happen more at state than federal level
0:23:37 - DISTRICT 81 HOME & KNOWLEDGE
- Watched how Kyle Miller was successful
- All three of her adult homes were in slightly different places within the district
- Family believed in and supported education
- Has deep knowledge of district from living there entire life
0:31:30 - BIG THREE ISSUES - ACCESSIBILITY & INCLUSIVITY
- Started exploring own sensory sensitivity issues about 7 years ago
- Second master’s degree (2021-22) focused on making education more sensory sensitive
- Completed year-long Inclusion Institute program with League for the Blind and Disabled
- Mock campaign in program awakened desire to actually run
0:33:55 - THREE PERSPECTIVES ON ACCESSIBILITY
- Physical accessibility: buildings, sidewalks (noticed every bump when using cane), doors
- Digital accessibility: government websites difficult to navigate even with two master’s degrees
- Language accessibility: loves immigrant population, opposes English-only laws, had three exchange students from different countries
0:36:04 - ACCESSIBILITY OF PROCESS
- Processes like paying taxes, getting employed, transportation, buying home difficult to navigate
- Making things accessible benefits everyone, not just those who explicitly need it
- Students loved her sensory-sensitive office even though she created it for herself
- Universal design principle: accommodations help broader population
0:39:48 - LGBTQ+ RIGHTS AS CORNERSTONE ISSUE
- At-large member of Allen County Stonewall Democrats steering committee
- LGBTQ rights and universal healthcare were her two voting issues in 2008 at age 20
- It’s a freedom issue - consenting adults should form families how they want
- Attack on trans individuals is “absolutely abhorrent” and “disgusting”
0:41:18 - LGBTQ+ AS EASY TARGET FOR OTHERING
- LGBTQ people cross all demographics (race, class, gender) making them convenient scapegoat
- Opens door to othering - once you’re hating one group, easy to expand
- Claims it’s “immoral” while those making claims often engage in immoral activity themselves
- Some of people she loves most are LGBTQ+ - will fight hardest for them
0:44:08 - HYPOCRISY ON TRANS ISSUES
- Claim “it’s just a few people” when demonizing but then claim it’s everywhere when legislating
- Tiny percentage of trans athletes but massive legislative focus
- “Saying the quiet part out loud” about their real motivations
- People should love who they want and live in the body they determine is theirs
0:45:50 - STATE HOUSE PROCESS REFORM
- Chose “esoteric” third issue to differentiate from other candidates
- Redistricting fight in December highlighted process problems (changed session rules on the fly)
- Legislators can be “excused” from votes by stepping into hallway or bathroom
- Can be done strategically to miss votes
0:47:38 - RAPID VOTING & SCHEDULING PROBLEMS
- House/Senate votes happen very quickly (unlike Congress which takes hours)
- Schedule made with little notice (sometimes only 24 hours for controversial bills)
- Seems strategic - schedule bills when opposition might miss votes
- As someone with medical issues requiring bathroom breaks, could miss critical votes
0:48:48 - PART-TIME LEGISLATURE ISSUES
- Part-time legislators meet only 12 weeks per year at beginning of year
- Can’t respond to critical issues arising later (pandemic, George Floyd protests both happened after 2020 session)
- BUT they called special sessions for abortion ban (2022) and attempted mid-term redistricting
- Hypocrisy: special sessions only for conservative priorities
0:50:14 - SPREAD SESSION THROUGHOUT YEAR
- Doesn’t necessarily need more total time
- Time should be spread throughout year to address issues as they arise
- Would allow proper public comment periods
- Would prevent legislators from having to miss votes for basic human needs
- Redistricting took 3 weeks and they managed to get public comment and make thoughtful decisions
0:54:42 - CAMPAIGN CONTACT INFORMATION
- Website: electsharonwight.com (W-I-G-H-T)
- Donation button at top leads to ActBlue
- Yard sign requests available (will order if she wins primary)
- Has primary opponent
- Volunteers “worth their weight in gold”
- Phone number and email on website
- Facebook page: Elect Sharon Wight
