Traci Starkweather
Traci Starkweather grew up in the small town of Bristol, CT. When she was in junior high school, the family, including 2 sisters and a brother, moved to Seminole County Florida.
Traci learned her Democratic activism from her Mom who ran as a Democratic candidate for the CT State House of Representatives. The opponent had never been challenged. Her mom ran on a shoe-string budget using hand painted wood signs and events, like pancake breakfasts, which involved the children in voter outreach. The kids would run up and down the streets hanging door knockers! Alas, her Mom’s campaign was unsuccessful, but those of other Democrats they supported were.
Traci married while young and had her son. After he was born, she became a preschool director so she could better balance her family life. But, that marriage did not work out. However, she later met and married the love of her life in 1999 and recently celebrated 23 happy years together. Her husband, Dave, is also a dedicated Democrat who serves as the chair of the Budget and Finance Committee for SemDems. They are mutually supportive of each other and have 4 grown children and 3 grandchildren between them.
Traci’s career later included retail at stores such as “5, 7, 9” and “Liz Claiborne.” She also managed marketing for 63 southeastern locations for “Discovery Zone Fun Centers” and “Leaps & Bounds.” Twenty-two years ago, while in retail, she fell, and injured her back. That injury has caused considerable pain every day since.
When pain management is working, Traci participates in canvassing, going to our Seminole County Democratic Black Caucus meetings and supporting the SemDems Membership Team. She has been active with SemDems for 4 years and Equality for ALL is the most critical of issues for her. She says, that “if we were all treated as equals our schools wouldn’t be so varying in results, our justice system would actually be just, and people would no longer go hungry.” She continues, “Of course, Climate Change is right up there, too.”
At SemDems General Meetings, she loves to greet people! She acts likes she’s home, welcoming each person as a family member. She says she’s not acting , as she does love this “family of choice!” She also really enjoys thinking of ways to make things work more efficiently, and how to bring in new members! She thinks our Membership Team is awesome! The committee chair, Madra, empowers the team with ownership over their different areas. They check out an idea–and run with it. She is a Precinct Captain and says her Precinct Cluster group rocks every Wednesday night!
Her passion is to reach as many people as she can in her lifetime to make sure they know that they matter. She gives a simple business card out to people, especially children. There are 2 words on it– “You Matter.” That’s it. I tell the child, “You matter, you know. That means you are important. You are special. That you make a difference in this whole, big planet! You are important. You will do important things as you grow. Remember that!” If everyone embraced that message, the world would be at peace.