Donna Gratehouse

2016

Donna Gratehouse is a ten-year Navy veteran, worked for high-tech in the East Valley, then in financial planning and now currently works as a paralegal. Beginning with the John Kerry campaign, she fell in love with political activism and in 2006, she ran for Arizona State Senate. As a supporter and former board member of Arizona List, an Emerge graduate, and Planned Parenthood warrior, Donna is most appreciated for her pro-choice activism that she has taken to the blogosphere with her impressive progressive, unapologetically feminist blog Democratic Diva.

In January this year, a recent blog began:
The Arizona legislative session began last week and, as has been the case for most of the past decade or five, the Democrats are in the minority. If you pay attention to the doings at 1700 W. Washington St. you know that being the opposition party means that Democratic lawmakers, armed with facts and logic, argue valiantly (and futilely) against atrocious harebrained GOP bills in committee hearings and make impassioned speeches against said bills and ever crueler budget cuts on the floors of the Senate or House. They are, of course, mostly ignored as the terrible bills and budgets pass.

But being the noble opposition does not mean simply resisting, it should also mean offering their own vision for how the state should be run, even if it, too, goes nowhere legislatively. It’s in that way that our Democratic caucus is really distinguishing itself this session…

Reporting like this is invaluable for both Phoenix and the state of Arizona – and it is done by Donna with incredible integrity and thought.  Additionally, Donna is now a regular cohost on the Sam Kelley radio show on KPHX in Phoenix again sharing her astute analysis of the political realities of Arizona. Arizona List is incredibly honored to have Donna Gratehouse as our 2014 Phoenix Honoree!