ERICK RUSSELL
With his election win in Connecticut, Erick Russell became the first Black LGBTQ+ candidate elected to statewide office. As the Connecticut State Treasurer, Russell beat out the Republican challenger by highlighting how he would focus on the state’s savings and debt management. Russell is an attorney at a prestigious Connecticut law firm where he is a partner in the firm’s Public and Private Finance Group. His practice focuses on representing municipalities, state agencies and the state in financing critical infrastructure projects, such as schools, affordable housing, child care facilities, and transportation infrastructure, managing debt and restructuring pension obligations. Russell has been an active member in the community, serving the Democratic Party on the local, state and national level for the past 10 years, advocating for marginalized communities, and serving as a mentor, particularly to Black and LGBTQ+ youth. -K.M.