Elona Kearney: Gubernatorial Candidate for Washington.

Bobbi:
Hi everyone and welcome to the Fly Mum Fly podcast. I'm your host, Bobbi Chegwyn, and today I have the pleasure of introducing a remarkable guest, Elona Kearney. Elona's empty nest journey has been anything but ordinary, and she has faced numerous challenges along the way. As a disabled vet and homeschooling mum, Elona transformed her backyard shed into an ADU, and for the Aussies, that's a granny flat. for her children as

EL'ona:
Thank

Bobbi:
they

EL'ona:
you.

Bobbi:
graduated. Yet the quietness of an empty home left her feeling uncertain about her future. But undeterred, she returned to college, graduated with a BA in business and started her own forgiveness coaching practice. But Elona's story doesn't even end there. Fueled by her newfound confidence, she courageously entered the world of politics, running for Washington State Governor. In this podcast, Elona will share her experiences discussing the joys and struggles of the emptiness phase, her personal growth and her inspiring journey into politics. Elona, welcome to the podcast.

EL'ona:
Thank you. Thank you.

Bobbi:
I'm really in awe of you already. As I just mentioned before I hit that record button, I've never met a politician before and seeing you here in front of me, it is very inspiring for me to chat, be chatting today with someone who desires to make change on a grand level. Now I was looking through your website. And I sense from a young age that you were always driven to change the world. Can you share about that with us?

EL'ona:
Yes, when I was growing up, well, actually I'm a pastor's daughter, so I'm the oldest of five. And back in those days, you kind of take on being the second parent in a sense. Oh, when your parents are busy, you jump in and take care of things. And I developed a, from that intuitiveness and... being able to discern when things need, oh, this person might be hurting, this person might need that. So I started to be able to care for the people around me and sense that there was a need around me and

Bobbi:
Mm-hmm.

EL'ona:
just jump in there, do not need someone to ask. So when I went to college, in college, my mom, I happened to be the first, what is it? My mom started a club. after segregation ended and they were merging the schools together, my mom started the first, they call it the Black and Gold School Spirit Club to try to bring up a sense of unity, but it still ended up being more black students in there than white students joining. But she started that club and then she was the first black majorette of that school as well. And so when... I went to college, I got to be the president of that club as well. And while I was there, I saw that it still was kind of like a separated school. And I don't think that people just do it because they intentionally were saying, oh, this is a white club or this is a black club. I think that just subconsciously nobody really thinks about it. So I wanted to make that club be more inclusive of. bringing everyone together. And I was like, this is a school spirited club. Should be more than just black students in here. We should have representation of everyone. So I started a, I had a, what is this, variety show because they wouldn't allow us to call it a talent show. So

Bobbi:
Yeah.

EL'ona:
it was a variety show called Breaking the Barriers of Racism. And what we did was we had all the students from different cultures submit essays. also bring presentations of their culture, whether it was dance, song, whatever represented their culture, food, and we all shared in each other's cultural experiences.

Bobbi:
Yeah.

EL'ona:
And then when I had my kids and I ended up homeschooling them, I started a nonprofit, and that nonprofit actually was teaching kids to make impossible mean I'm possible. So don't complain and say, oh, it's impossible. It can't be done. Let's sit here and brainstorm and have a think tank of how we can help each other make something possible. And we had politicians come in and teach the kids about writing legislative bills. How do you create proposals to change bills and those types of things. And then I would also have events called celebrating our differences where everyone in the culture. had to bring someone something to share in the community. So.

Bobbi:
So it just seems like you were really born to bring people together in this world and I see again on your website that the word unity is just used over and over again. So tell me what does your mum think about you following in her footsteps?

EL'ona:
You know, she's proud. Every parent is always proud because you want your child to exceed what you've done and

Bobbi:
Okay.

EL'ona:
not, you know, no parent wants to look at me like, oh my gosh, my child is doing bad. Because it feels like a reflection of you and you're like, what have I done wrong? So she's

Bobbi:
Yes,

EL'ona:
proud.

Bobbi:
yeah otherwise it would kind of be like Steve Urkel, did I do that? You know like, oh no, what have I created? So tell us about after your college experience, what did you go on to do?

EL'ona:
So after my college experience, well, kind of like, in my college experience, I did student leadership. And while I was doing student leadership, my college president was like, oh, she has great speaking skills. Why don't you come lobby for the college to get this funding? And then I was top 10 in the US from all the colleges to do a student internship. to present a veterans bill proposal to our Congress. And so I had those opportunities. And then my teacher was like, why don't you run for political seat? And I'm like, yeah, I don't know because they call me the clapback queen. So,

Bobbi:
Oh my goodness!

EL'ona:
and I might clap back real hard if they come for me. So I put my name on the ballot in 2021 for city council. And all I did was just put my name on the ballot, created a website. I didn't do anything that I'm doing now, like talking to people, knocking on doors, just put my name on the ballot. And I think I just had one meet and greet, but, and yes, I was the clap back queen for them.

Bobbi:
Oh, no.

EL'ona:
I'm like, don't attack my family. I got you. But,

Bobbi:
I'm sorry.

EL'ona:
For the, I was surprised that not having not done anything, I had like 26% of votes come through. And mind you, all of my family lives in Florida. So I don't know anybody here.

Bobbi:
So it wasn't just like a friend thing and friends vote.

EL'ona:
Yes. And then I think right after the primary, somebody saw a video that I had made

Bobbi:
Yeah.

EL'ona:
in response to the politicians because I didn't clap back during, you know, my whole running. I was just, I had the website up there. I was ignoring them and doing my own, going on and living my own life, ignoring them. But

Bobbi:
Yeah.

EL'ona:
I was like, okay, well, the primaries are over. I got 26%, but I didn't make it. that's okay. Let me expose all you politicians for what you have really done. You did this, and I had all these bullet points pointing out, you know, and the proof to go with it, because some

Bobbi:
Yeah.

EL'ona:
of them were in emails.

Bobbi:
It really serves you to stand back and just let them, I guess, shoot themselves in the leg or hang themselves or whatever the term is.

EL'ona:
Yes. So it was like, okay, this politician said this and here's the proof where they said that they only because one politician was saying that we know that so and so manipulates the people's votes to be able to get this, this and this. And so, you know, like I had posted all the evidence of those things. So people were like, if we know that she was out there and she was a real genuine the cricket politics, we would have voted for her. You would have won hands down. But

Bobbi:
Yes,

EL'ona:
you

Bobbi:
ma'am.

EL'ona:
know, I don't want my campaign to be, I go tit for tat. I focus on

Bobbi:
Yeah.

EL'ona:
the issues. So that's why I didn't do it while I was running. I waited to actor. Cause it's like now gloves are off.

Bobbi:
think people would really appreciate that approach. It's one thing that I can't stand is the sledging. That's a term we use in Australia but just having a go, you know, saying something denigrating about someone else and then having them come back. It really just what's the point? Tell us about how you want to serve, how you want to change and I love that approach that you bring to politics. Tell me about your kids and your family life and your emptiness experience because I know you seem to be someone who just strives again and again and again to better yourself and it was interesting what you did after your kids moved out.

EL'ona:
Yes. So my kids actually have a close relationship. There's sometimes a bit close because they tell me everything.

Bobbi:
I read that. I read that.

EL'ona:
I'm like, yeah, I don't want to know that.

Bobbi:
How old? Elona, how old are your kids now?

EL'ona:
My kids are 22 and 23. And they crack me up sometimes because they all like, oh, so-and-so wants to date me. Is it okay if I kiss them? Like, do you know how old you are? Stop asking me that.

Bobbi:
Oh my goodness, you know, I have two girls and they must be quite similar in their approach to their mother because yeah, they share a lot. But then again, I think, okay, I do tell them when to draw the line, when it's oversharing, but I kind of think, well, if you need to ask someone for advice, okay,

EL'ona:
Yeah.

Bobbi:
share, but let's just limit it when it gets a little bit too much for your poor old mother, because you know, again, I am your mother.

EL'ona:
Yes.

Bobbi:
Oh my

EL'ona:
Yes,

Bobbi:
goodness, I'm so

EL'ona:
ma'am.

Bobbi:
sorry.

EL'ona:
And my daughter is funny. Oh, sorry. But my daughter, she's funny one day. So I started campaigning last year. I signed up. And so because I know I need this head start not being the known candidate

Bobbi:
Yes.

EL'ona:
for a whole state. And my son said that, oh, he was feeling sad and depressed and he didn't feel like anybody for him because I don't check on him because I'm campaigning. And I was like, well, I thought that, you know, you guys know I'm here. You can come talk to me anytime. And my daughter says, oh yeah, because the other day when mom saw me come through the door crying, she stopped immediately what she was doing. She told the person, I'm sorry, I have a family emergency. I have to go. And she hung up and she tended to me. So. So he's like, that's all you have to do. He's like, I don't want to bother you like that. So it's not bothering me because

Bobbi:
So

EL'ona:
I'm here.

Bobbi:
it's interesting in your case because your kids basically live out in the backyard. So you do have independence, but they are still close enough. What would you say are the benefits and the disadvantages of this situation?

EL'ona:
Well, the benefits are, you know, I want to say in a sense, I know where my kids are.

Bobbi:
Yes.

EL'ona:
I feel safe and comfortable because I know they're here, they're okay. But the disadvantage to me is sometimes I feel like they're a bit, well, mainly my son, a bit codependent. And you want your kids to break free.

Bobbi:
Yes.

EL'ona:
okay enough to break free.

Bobbi:
Yep.

EL'ona:
And so, you know, I don't, but I don't want it to become a codependent to where they're relying that if something happens to me, God forbid, but if something happens to me that it would be the end of their world and they couldn't cope.

Bobbi:
Yeah, and I do think 22 for a boy is still pretty young. So, you know, and I'm sure you're such a shining example of making something of yourself and going out there fearlessly and embracing the world. So I'm sure your kids both have those traits as well. You did mention that when they did move out back, that the house did get pretty quiet. So what did you then go on to do?

EL'ona:
When it got quiet, I started doing, first I set up the forgiveness coaching.

Bobbi:
Yes, I'd love to hear more about what that is.

EL'ona:
Yes, so forgiveness coaching is, I wrote a book back in 2014. Um, I w when I was growing up, I used to be in and out of hospital for suicide and depression and, um, part of my healing was writing. So I was writing my whole life and I realized one day that I was no longer suicidal, um, incident happened and my kids were, um, my, something happened to my daughter. And I turned around and the way I responded to it was not out of frustration or feeling like I'm just, this is the end of the world. It was like I coped with it and I handled it and I protected my kids. And I noticed that day I said, wait a minute, when did I stop being suicidal and having suicidal thoughts? And so then I just noticed like in my writing, my writing pattern, I would do present, past, future. So I would take my present and write all the five senses connected to triggers. And then I took those triggers and I would connect it to something from my childhood. Like anything that I could remember that would have all five of those exact triggers. And I would pinpoint that as my trauma point. And then from there, I would rewrite, like I would write about, well, how do I feel about myself from this incident? So. I would say, I am a victim because I'm not smart enough to take up for myself. And so then I would rewrite that statement and say, I am not a victim because I do speak up for myself. And, you know, I would make those like my daily affirmations, in which I would never think daily affirmations will work, but I would still just read it even though sometimes it didn't, I would feel like it wasn't doing anything else. I'm just still going to read this, read this. changed my mindset, but at the same token, part of my reasons too was I was always doing it because I never wanted my kids to ever feel the way I felt, that type of depression. So that would always stay in the forefront of my mind. I'm gonna read this despite this because I wanna make sure my kids are never to feel this. So eventually that was my, you know, my, how do you say, aha moment?

Bobbi:
Mm-hmm.

EL'ona:
And then I learned from that forgiveness to me was not forgiving and letting go. It was learning to set the boundaries. That's why I was always feeling like I could never forgive somebody or when somebody do something it's a trigger because I didn't have boundaries and I would let them get away with doing those rather than constantly putting myself in those situations or accepting those relationships rather than letting them go.

Bobbi:
That's just incredible. And I'm so sorry we went through that. Looking at you now, your energy is just so warm and so determined and you're obviously so smart and we need you in this world, Elona, trust me. I

EL'ona:
Yeah.

Bobbi:
wanna ask the strategies that you used, are they strategies, did you? come up with those strategies? Are they the strategies in your book?

EL'ona:
Yes.

Bobbi:
Oh wow, can you tell us what the book is called? Because I know there will be people listening who think, oh, this is me, I've been in this place of a deep dark depression. I want to know what she did to turn herself around. So what is the book called?

EL'ona:
is called Purely Unadulterated Me

Bobbi:
Ugh.

EL'ona:
by Love Always.

Bobbi:
always. Okay

EL'ona:
Yes.

Bobbi:
purely unadulterated me. And how

EL'ona:
Yeah.

Bobbi:
am I going to get you to write

EL'ona:
And

Bobbi:
it?

EL'ona:
it's on Lulu.com.

Bobbi:
fantastic. Well, we'll

EL'ona:
And

Bobbi:
definitely.

EL'ona:
I think I have to go in there updated because I was looking at my book yesterday and I saw someone selling it for $67 on Walmart. And I'm like, why is it for sale on Walmart? And they have five star rating on it. So.

Bobbi:
Okay, okay. I will definitely be putting the link to purely unadulterated me by love always and the lulu.com link up, excuse me, with the episode notes. So along the way, you remarried, I read.

EL'ona:
Yes,

Bobbi:
Yeah, okay. Tell us about that.

EL'ona:
I just got married this year in February.

Bobbi:
Congratulations!

EL'ona:
Thank you. And you know, like my kids graduated. Well, so when my kids graduated, I went back to college with them. And that's when I was getting my bachelor's and doing the college and then started my forgiveness coach and now running. Right before then I was like, I didn't wanna go back to college because I was like, I had. stopped going to college when my kids were like, my daughter was two years old.

Bobbi:
Mm-hmm.

EL'ona:
And it was cause of incident that happened to her with a childcare while I was in college. So I said, I'm just not going to school. I'm gonna take care of my kids full time. So then I just go back to finishing. But at first I didn't feel like I was smart enough because I've been out of school so long and didn't think that I could handle the load, but I did it.

Bobbi:
Good luck.

EL'ona:
And then when I graduated with a college, I was like, what am I gonna do? It was that constant of, am I gonna just sit here and be miserable and bored staring at the wall? And at first I was gonna move back to Florida because I was like, well, I might as well just move back to Florida and just be my mom's ride-along partner, go everywhere and hang out with her. But, and then that's when this guy comes along. And we started dating. I told her, I said, you don't know, I was getting ready to pack up and leave. I had already went and looked, spoke out apartments, everything. And so then when we started dating, I was like, well, what am I gonna do? Except for, you know, I have my forgiveness coaching, but that's, I mostly do it word of mouth. I wasn't doing it like I set up a shop type thing. And then I told her, I said, I'm tired of the people. who run, I'm tired of people say, vote for the lesser evil. How come we don't have regular people run? So I said, well, I'm gonna run. So.

Bobbi:
What did your new husband think about this?

EL'ona:
He was like, good idea. I believe in you.

Bobbi:
Go ahead, you need that support.

EL'ona:
Yes. And he was like, well, I turned out running is like a full-time job, but you have to pay for the campaign out of your pocket unless you have some good donors. And so he was like, well, I work overtime so that way you can run. So that's what he does.

Bobbi:
Oh, God love him. So are you still doing forgiveness coaching at all or are you just now concentrating on running?

EL'ona:
I mostly concentrate on running, but I kind of incorporate my coaching in it because a lot of my unity things that I do. So

Bobbi:
Mm-hmm.

EL'ona:
like my first meet and greet, I had proud boys and members from the black community come in, but nobody was dressed up in anything. I did if I just come dressed up as regular people. And we had conversations. So I kind of use like topics like, I am, but I am not. So. I can say I am Black, but I'm not ghetto. You know, I'm this,

Bobbi:
Well,

EL'ona:
but I'm not that. So

Bobbi:
yes.

EL'ona:
we did those type of exercises. So people tell me my political events don't feel like political events. They feel like more community engagement and unity events.

Bobbi:
Yeah.

EL'ona:
And so,

Bobbi:
And it's

EL'ona:
I'm

Bobbi:
funny.

EL'ona:
gonna use it.

Bobbi:
It's interesting because I don't really, obviously I'm not, um, well, I'm not a citizen of the U S I'm a permanent resident, so I don't, I can't vote even if I want to until I become a citizen. Um, and I don't necessarily. pay too much attention to politics over here because of that divisiveness and because of how people interact with each other. But if I was living in Washington and I had the right to vote, you are, you connect with people, you are the real deal and you're so warm and I just feel that you come at things from such a different slash better approach. So All the very best to you. Tell me what your aim is for Washington should you become governor.

EL'ona:
My aim is for Washington is, you know, being that we're moms. We like to make sure people are feeling heard. We do that nurturing, but also that discipline at the same time. I want to, well, what I will do is I'm going to make sure everyone is having a seat at the table. And I call all Washingtonian stakeholders. I tell people that I'm not running for governor. We are running for governor.

Bobbi:
Love

EL'ona:
So.

Bobbi:
it.

EL'ona:
When we're there, we're all having a seat at the table. And my goal is to have, like, I know we have town halls, but most of the time when politicians have town halls, people are at work. So then there's this representative that everybody is like, that person don't represent me. That

Bobbi:
wrong.

EL'ona:
person is not going up there saying what I want them to say. So there should be town halls when people are, you know, not at work

Bobbi:
Yes.

EL'ona:
and have, and I would say county-wide, because we have 39 counties. have 39 counties that have countywide town halls where people can come and I can pull those videos and listen to what everybody's saying. So when politicians are bringing this and say, we're gonna pass this bill, I can say, okay, yeah, cause you did consider all the options. I see that this is the best medium. Or I can say, veto because you just totally disregarded and had wrote a whole bias bill.

Bobbi:
Right, right. And tell me, do you use any affirmations during campaigning that help you? You did mention them before.

EL'ona:
Yes. So like right now what I've been doing is like I see people, whatever the hot topics are. So like right now we have a hot topic of they just passed a bill, Senate bill 5599, and it's about runaways. Well they're taking that bill and the different sides are saying everything but what the bill is. And This bill is to take your kids from you and give them transgender surgery without their parents' rights. And I'm like, well, where is it? Can't somebody show it to me? But people are going along with this side saying this, and this side doesn't specify totally. They're just like getting yelled at. I'm like, you guys, here's what the bill says. And what I've done is because the people who have to pass, which they who have to be the ones. Let me see, you have people who pass it and enforce it. The people who have to enforce that law are the social workers.

Bobbi:
Mm-hmm.

EL'ona:
So I've gotten with a couple of social workers and I said, can you explain when this bill comes to you because it's been passed, what does this bill mean to you? What is the interpretation? They say, yeah, we can't give gender surgeries. It says right here that the law, current law stays in place. It's just that instead of reporting to the parent that they are runaway. you report to Department of Children and Family and they assess if it needs to be a family intervention of counseling or if it's abuse. That's the only difference.

Bobbi:
though it's something totally different than what's being put out there. That's

EL'ona:
Yeah.

Bobbi:
crazy. No wonder politics confuses a lot of us.

EL'ona:
Yeah, because when you read the language, I tell that I could see where people might feel that they're taking your kids and gonna do gender, you know,

Bobbi:
Yeah.

EL'ona:
surgeries. But I said, but I'm seeing this clause that kind of contradicts that. So that's why I asked a social worker who actually works in the field, when this comes to you, how do you have to enforce this? And so I told I said, well, because they're like these other little amendment attachments to it. that I have them looking into to make sure those don't have any things hidden up in there. So when they get finished giving me the information back from that, I'll make a video on that and probably even have them on there to explain what it is and how it affects the parent-child relationship. Because I am about making sure we build our parent-child bond.

Bobbi:
Mm-hmm.

EL'ona:
I don't want that. to, but I don't also want people out here spreading misinformation and ruining something that might be a mental health service that a child needs.

Bobbi:
I'm so excited for you and I'm excited for your state and all the very best with your campaign. I just can't believe that one day I'll be able to say, yes, I actually had the governor of Washington on my podcast. So, that's

EL'ona:
Yeah.

Bobbi:
so exciting. Before we go, Elona, first of all, thank you so much for coming on to the program today, but I would love to ask you if you had one bit of advice. to give to an empty nest mom, what would that be?

EL'ona:
If I had one advice I would say find something that you enjoy to do even like I didn't think that I had anything that enjoy I didn't even think that this Politics would be something that I would enjoy But find something that you enjoy doing find a group. There's websites like meetup groups that you can get out there and Just dibble and dabble I always tell my kids, don't ever say that you don't know what you want to be. At least do something in those are notches under your belt. And eventually you'll find that groove of, I call it your tribe to be around.

Bobbi:
Yes. Yes,

EL'ona:
Yeah.

Bobbi:
that's absolutely perfect. It's all small steps, eventually lead you a very long way and you can pick up tools, tips, knowledge, experience, and then you're ready for that one thing that comes along that sparks a joy in you. And then you're ready to move forward. So Elona, thank you so much for joining us today. As I said, all the very best. And to our listeners, if you want to get in touch with Elona and I urge you to go to her website, all her details. will be there, the web link, the book link, and how you can follow Elona on social media. So thank you so much for listening and until next time that's fly mum fly.