Former LA Congresswoman Katie Hill’s new memoir is a call to arms for women in politics

Former Congresswoman Katie Hill became a political star when she won her House race in 2018. She flipped a traditionally red district in northern LA County blue, despite never having run for office before. She was one of the youngest people ever elected to Congress, and one of its first openly bisexual members. She was picked to represent the historic class of freshmen Democrats in meetings with party leadership, becoming a favorite of Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Then last November, Hill resigned after nude photos of her were leaked to a conservative website. The site also revealed that Hill had a relationship with a campaign staffer, which she confirmed, and accused her of having an affair with someone on her congressional staff, which she still denies.

Speaking on the House floor on her last day in office, Hill blamed a double standard for women in public office: “Yes, I'm stepping down, but I refuse to let this experience scare off other women who dare to take risks, who dare to step into this light, who dare to be powerful. It might feel like they won in the short term, but they can't in the long term. We cannot let them. The way to overcome this setback is for women to keep showing up, to keep running for office, to keep stepping up as leaders. Because the more we show up, the less power they have.”

Hill has been busy in the last several months. She has a new political action committee. And her new book — part memoir, part manifesto — is called “She Will Rise: Becoming a Warrior in the Battle for True Equality.”

“I’m glad that I’m standing back up and showing that this isn’t something that can take a woman down permanently. And hopefully the next woman who’s in a position like this doesn’t feel like she has to resign,” Hill tells KCRW.