Welcome to the HoosLeft podcast, a show about Indiana politics, history, and culture from the unapologetic perspective of the Hoosier left. My name is Scott Aaron Rogers and I’m recording from Bloomington.
Today, we continue our series of interviews with interesting Hoosiers running for elected office in 2024. My guest for this episode is Veronica Pejril, Democratic candidate for State Senate District 24, which encompasses all of Putnam and much of Hendricks county.
Pejril was elected to the Greencastle City Council in 2019, making history as Indiana’s first openly-transgender elected official. In her council service, she championed increased investments in city infrastructure, supported pay-raises for police, fire, and other municipal employees to promote morale and retention. She continues to spearhead ongoing efforts with the city’s Human Relations Commission to bring together city/county law enforcement, first responders and mental health specialists, to strategize improvements for mental health crisis responses in Putnam County. She also serves on the board of several nonprofits, including Putnam County Recovery Coalition, Indiana Youth Group, QPA - the LGBTQ+ alumni association at Princeton, Main Street Greencastle and the Fuller Center for Housing of Putnam County.
An outspoken champion for marginalized and vulnerable young people, Pejril’s community advocacy has been featured in regional press and television media. She represented Indiana in the national media by opening the Pledge of Allegiance for the second evening of televised programming for the 2020 Democratic National Convention. Veronica is an alumna of the 4th class of Hoosier Women Forward and was even awarded the honor of Kentucky Colonel by former Bluegrass State Governor Matt Bevin. She is active with 100 Women Who Care of Putnam County, and also plays jazz/blues piano with her church community and in Putnam County’s music scene.
Our conversation covers her background, education, pioneering work in electronic music, and her role as a teacher and professor. We’ll pivot to her run for city council and advocacy work before getting into this senatorial campaign, her top issues, and priorities should she win in November. But first, I desperately need your help.
I lost my son in January and my my entire perspective on life changed. I used to be content as a handyman/contractor. I could put on my headphones and tune out; the money was okay; and the stress nonexistent. But now that I know real grief, all of that seems meaningless and I feel called to prevent other parents from knowing that same emptiness. So, I’ve devoted myself to the HoosLeft project. My work is dedicated to calling out Indiana lawmakers, their financial backers, and others in their network that actively work to make Hoosier lives worse, those whose policies endanger children through lax gun regulation, bullying of LGBTQ youth, and environmental degradation. I work to highlight these bad actors so we can replace them with more empathetic leadership, and also shine the spotlight on the Hoosier activists, organizations, and elected officials who are doing the hard work to build a more just, equitable, and compassionate Indiana for the next generation of Hoosiers.
I can’t do this without you. Perhaps my decision was rash or imprudent, but I feel my boy pushing me, telling me to keep going. But, all the passion and conviction in the world doesn’t keep the lights on and food on the table. I rely on your financial support from paid subscriptions over at scottaaronrogers.substack.com. For five dollars a month or only $50 a year, you can help me push our state in a better direction, and help my family in the process. But, even if a paid subscription doesn’t work for you at this time, you can still help. Subscribe at the free level over on Substack. Set your favorite podcast player to auto-download new episodes of the show. Rate and review the podcast on whatever platform you use. Follow us on social media at facebook.com/hoosleft (spell); I’m personally at scottrog78 (spell) on Instagram, Threads, and the platform everyone still calls Twitter; and on Mastodon at scottrog78@hoosier.social. AND NOW, we have video too. On both YouTube and TikTok the handle is @hoosleft. But, most importantly, pass on the word. Forward the newsletter to your entire email list; don’t just like, but share on social media; yell from the top of the nearest hill.
With your investment, a full time HoosLeft looks like new content every day; it looks like full coverage of the 2024 election cycle in Indiana and beyond; and it looks like zooming out to see how the malevolent forces at work in our state function nationally, even globally. Again, it might not be financially prudent, but I do not plan on paywalling any content, because I believe in open access to information, and your support helps make that content freely available to all Hoosiers. But I am running out of funds and need your investment in order to do this full time. To those who have contributed already, thank you. It means the world to me. And to everybody, thanks for listening.
Here’s my interview with Veronica Pejril.
Once again, that was the Greencastle city councilwoman and State Senate District 24 candidate Veronica Pejril.
Just, what a remarkable individual. Raised by public servants, becomes a public servant herself. Someone who brings the joy of music to her community and has taught children how to express themselves musically as well. Veronica is one of those helpers Fred Rogers talked about; an ally to police, fire, and first responders; an advocate for vulnerable youth; a champion for those struggling with addiction. A Hoosier by choice who works every day to improve her city, county, and state.
And Indiana Republicans would rather she didn’t exist. We’ve already discussed last year’s terrible Senate Bill 480. That law, which was signed by Governor Holcomb last April the literal day after he called it “clear as mud,” just went into effect after an injunction was lifted by the US 7th Circuit Court of Appeals. It bans gender-affirming care for minors under the age of 18. Think of this, and all of the other vitriol directed at the queer youth, their families, and allies in this state and imagine all of the potential Veronicas we’re pushing away. Teachers, musicians, police, firefighters, EMTs, people that strengthen the fabric of our communities driven out of the state in fear for their health, their safety, their very lives.
And the GOP won’t stop with the kids. Just this January, Representative Chris Judy (Douchebag - District 83), and three other religious extremist goons introduced House Bill1291, which would have ended all legal recognition of transgender people in the state. Some states like Florida, Missouri, and Ohio have already, according to Axios, “broadly limited or sought to broadly limit transition care for adults.” Now, thankfully, HB1291 didn’t make it out of committee. But, don’t think it won’t pop up again next year, or that Indiana Republicans won’t go all-in on hate like the their counterparts in other jurisdictions.
You know, when I started the HoosLeft project, I had the name before anything else. Obviously, it’s a portmanteau for Hoosier Left, but the underlying play on words is a distinct reference to the “brain drain” Indiana faces as our best and brightest leave the state. The hell with what people call themselves, what pronouns they choose, what they wear, who they date; every state, every community needs people like Veronica Pejril - teachers, helpers, allies, public servants. If our state stays the course with MAGA Christian nationalist extremism, all of our best people - who have the means to do so - will leave. And then who’s left? Just racists, bigots, and smallminded idiots like Donald Trump, Mike Braun, and Chris Judy.
That’s it for me this time. Again, subscribe at scottaaronrogers.substack.com. Follow me on facebook, YouTube and Tik Tok at hoosleft and on most other social media sites at scottrog78. If you want to reach me, send me a DM on the socials or email me at scottrog78@gmail.com. Until next time, this has been the HoosLeft podcast. I’m Scott Aaron Rogers. Love each other, Indiana.
HoosLeft #25: Veronica Pejril
Guest: Veronica Pejril
Subscribe at https://scottaaronrogers.substack.com
https://www.veronicaforindiana.com/
https://www.bannergraphic.com/story/2658961.html
https://mypcrc.org/
https://www.indianayouthgroup.org/
https://tigernet2.princeton.edu/topics/3754
https://www.mainstreetgc.org/
https://www.facebook.com/FullerCenterPutnamCounty/
https://www.depauw.edu/stories/details/depauw-music-tech-leader-leads-the-pledge-at-national-convention/
https://www.misterrogers.org/videos/look-for-the-helpers/
https://www.aclu-in.org/en/press-releases/seventh-circuit-allows-indianas-ban-care-transgender-youth-take-effect
https://www.wfyi.org/news/articles/holcomb-signs-gender-affirming-care-ban-for-trans-youth-into-law
https://www.aclu-in.org/en/legislation/gender-based-terms
https://www.axios.com/2024/01/10/trans-care-adults-red-states
https://www.thestatehousefile.com/politics/indiana-chamber-of-commerce-blames-education-failures-for-states-brain-drain/article_d9b78c3a-726e-11ed-8c74-1f0dba8c592c.html
