Happy Friday! Welcome to our Media Round Up. Each week, we’re collecting and sharing gender + politics stories. Here’s what caught our eye this week:

‘We should all be represented’: Rhode Island could send the first Afro-Latina to Congress

Mel Leonor Barclay, The 19^th*

Next month, Rhode Island could lay the path to send its first person of color to the U.S. House and give Congress its first Afro-Latina. The special election comes as a result of Representative David Cicilline’s retirement. The crowded primary has 12 Democratic candidates, including Lieutenant Governor Sabina Matos as well as two other Latinas – state Senators Sandro Cano and Ana Quezada. At least five other candidates of color are running for what will probably be a blue seat. Congress currently has a record number of Latinas in its ranks, however, Latinas still remain underrepresented, and the group does not include any women who identify as Afro-Latina.

Read the full story here.

Black donors, power brokers take note of Alsobrooks’s historic Senate run

Lateshia Beachum, Washington Post

In May, Prince George’s County Executive Angela D. Alsobrooks announced her run for Senate. If Alsobrooks wins, she would become only the third Black woman to serve in the U.S. Senate. In order to win, Alsobrooks needs to quickly raise money to help build statewide name recognition. Alsobrooks’s competition includes a congressman who is self-funding his campaign with about $10 million so far according to July finance reports. Historically, while their white male counterparts tap long-standing networks of support, Black female candidates regularly rely on small-dollar donations. A review of early political giving shows that Alsobrooks’s candidacy has energized Black power brokers, policy wonks, and Democratic supergivers – with some of them having no direct ties to Maryland politics.

Read the full story here.

Kamala Harris visits Martha’s Vineyard for two fund-raisers

Samantha J. Gross, Boston Globe

Over the weekend, Vice President Kamala Harris visited Martha’s Vineyard, participating in two fundraising events. One of the fundraisers was at Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School in Oak Bluffs and Harris delivered an impassioned speech highlighting the accomplishments of the Biden-Harris administration and indicated what is at stake in the 2024 presidential election. Harris also attended a smaller fundraiser earlier in the day at supporter Maria Harleston’s Martha’s Vineyard home. During this time, she touched on similar topics in a 20-minute speech to attendees including Maryland Governor Wes Moore, comedian Chris Spencer, and actor Don Cheadle.

Read the full story here.

‘Barbie’ on track to become highest grossing domestic film of the year

Jennifer Korn, CNN

Since it’s opening on July 21, “Barbie” has broken numerous records and is close to breaking another one. Only behind “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” by an estimated $48 million, Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” appears to be headed to gain the top spot for highest grossing domestic film of 2023. “Barbie” received $155 million domestically in its opening weekend and has now surpassed the $1 billion mark in global box office sales, a feat only achieved by about 50 films in history. “Barbie” passed the $500 million mark during its third week, while “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” did not do so until five weeks after its premiere.

Read the full story here.