A native Hoosier, Arielle Brandy was born and raised in the Rust Belt city of South Bend, IN, where she resides. A graduate of Indiana State University, she received her Bachelor’s degree in Political Science with a concentration in Legal Studies. A proud Afro-Latina voting rights advocate and community organizer, she is passionate about empowering Hoosier women, youth into leadership and mentoring. She has become her community’s go-to on policies impacting the Black & Brown communities, voting rights, voter registration and voter education. She is the co-founder of Vote Safe Indiana, a bipartisan non-profit with the mission of improving Safe Voting Rules amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Arielle was most recently the Indiana State Director for the Pete for America Campaign. As State Director alongside her Pete for Indiana team, she led volunteer & voter outreach efforts throughout the state to help drive success in each Early State primary and build a strong coalition of elected officials, candidates, organization and party official support for Pete Buttigieg in the state of Indiana. Arielle spearheaded national surrogate programs to include voices of supporters/validators from South Bend & Indiana. She also traveled across the country as a National surrogate speaking directly about Pete’s leadership as her Mayor, advocating for Pete’s policies that would directly improve the lives of Black & Brown America.
Before hitting the national campaign trail, Arielle led the exploratory committee as Political Director for Senator Eddie Melton’s bid for Indiana Governor. For 3 years, Arielle served as the Democratic Board Member of Voter Registration for St. Joseph County, where she maintained the voter rolls, ensured every voter in St. Joseph County had access to the ballot and oversaw the elections as an Election Administrator and as a Regional Field Director in 2016 for the Indiana Democratic Party Coordinated Campaign for John Gregg for Governor, Evan Bayh for U.S Senate and Lynn Coleman for Congress in the 2nd Congressional District. As an organizer in 2016, she co-founded the St. Joseph County African American Democratic Coalition. Alongside her membership, she continues to advocate for issues that affect the Black & Brown community through community forums and initiatives. She strives everyday to bridge the gap between government and the community.
Since 2011, Arielle has served the state of Indiana as an Executive Board Member for Indiana Young Democrats. She was most recently elected as President of IYD and previously served as the National Committeewoman working to elect Young Democrats and candidates that represent their values elected into office while also getting young people engaged in the political process. In 2019, Arielle was appointed to serve on the Young Democrats of America National Convention planning committee, overseeing the convention’s training, speakers and panel discussions that brought over 1,000 Young Democrats, Presidential candidates and national trainers from all over the country to Indianapolis, IN.
Standing strong with women’s rights and advocating for women’s healthcare accessibility & policies, she now serves on the Planned Parenthood Advocates of Indiana/Kentucky Political Action Committee (PPINK PAC). Arielle graduated from the inaugural class of Hoosier Women Forward, a Democratic women’s leadership organization. She now serves on the HWF board helping women across the state of Indiana get elected into office, hold leadership positions, find their purpose and have a seat at every table.
Arielle was awarded ‘Leader Under 40’ by Mayor Pete Buttigieg and the City of South Bend in 2019. She serves her South Bend community as Political Action Chair of the South Bend Branch of the NAACP, Committee Member for the Westside Memorial Day Parade Scholarship Fund, a member of Latino Young Professionals Network, IDAAC South Bend Chapter and a Press committee member of ‘Not In My Community’ Campaign- combating the use and distribution of synthetic drugs in her community.
A full time single mother to two beautiful daughters Madisyn and Harlyn, Arielle strives to ensure that our communities are educated, empowered, full of diverse leadership and inclusive policies not only now but for future generations to come.