Meet Christopher Beardsley
A proud Delawarean, a former Federal employee, Peace Corps volunteer, and Americorps member running for U.S. Senate because you deserve leaders who understand the impacts of the decisions they make on all of us.
Biography
I was born in Wilmington in 1993 at St. Francis Hospital, and no matter where I have gone, Delaware has always been home. As a proud Delawarean, this is where I grew up and learned about the values of community, and my love for this state. Where people cared about me and I cared about them no matter our background. From the beautiful state parks I experienced as a cross country runner, the wonderful educational institutions I attended as a student, to the beaches I brought my friends to; I am proud of my state.
In each opportunity for public service, I endeavored to always represent the best of my state. These values allowed me to extend myself beyond my state and the borders of the U.S. to understand the roads that we all come from, the goals we all share, and make connections with those who sought to make this world a better place for all of us.
When I was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Rwanda from 2016-2018 I connected with the rich cultural history within Rwanda and learned about the intergenerational impact its genocide had on families. I lived in this community for two years: learning the language, being welcomed into spaces I could never imagine, and making lifelong friends for years to come. The same was true during my time as a Fulbright scholar in 2020 in South Africa where I learned about apartheid. Living in Rwanda and South Africa filled me with a deep sense of gratitude and accountability to the community, and people I met there.
But abruptly, during the Covid-19 pandemic, I and many others were faced with a crisis: how to take care of each other and wondering if our government would take care of us. After living through so much turmoil I felt drawn to throw myself into what I knew how to do - public service, and to support my fellow Delawareans at such an inflexion point for our state.
As an Americorps member and a Safe-Return to School Support Coordinator with the Colonial School District, I connected students across Delaware to learning pods to maintain their studies, developed focus groups for Black and Brown teachers who faced high rates of attrition, and created a district-wide workgroup to support LGBTQIA+ students. Serving my state in this capacity allowed me to give back to the state which gave so much to me already. I understood that working in public service is where I belonged, and I made an effort to challenge myself in how I can continue to support the needs of communities everywhere.
Between 2021-2023 I attended Syracuse University where I received a dual master’s in Public Administration and International Relations; to build off my experience in domestic and international issues. During that time I met people who pushed and challenged me greatly, where I studied topics which tie directly to our everyday lives. Topics about economic inequality, international law, and social policies were of particular interest to me. I also worked jobs on and off campus in order to cover my living expenses. And then, I once again returned to Africa, this time to Tanzania, as part of the National Security Education Program. In Tanzania I lived in Arusha and learned Swahili, which cemented my belief in the importance of connecting with as many communities as possible. After I graduated from Syracuse University, I began my work at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, an institution I cared deeply about due to the proximity to homelessness within my own family. However, directly witnessing the wreckage caused by the Trump administration showed me how desperately we need leadership that will fight for us.
Amid the turmoil between administrations, rising costs of living, increasing homelessness, and billions of U.S. dollars funding bombs, I began to ask, “Who cares about us?” As threats to the social safety net and U.S. Democracy are realized, our leaders are failing to take action. We need leaders who see our predicament and vote like they care about us. Right now, our state and country are in desperate need of care, and in need of leaders who refuse to leave us out in the cold.
Why I’m Running
Growing up as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community in an untraditional and blended family, my mom resided in New Jersey while my dad remained in Delaware. From a young age, traveling across borders instilled in me the concept of broader community. In this community, your neighbors, second moms, and chosen family are the people that come along your journey. They are the people who care about you and you care about, showing up for one another in times of need. The friends in high school that give you a ride because they want you at the party, the college dad that you walk dogs for while they are recovering, the host parents that give you a space in their room while you learn their language – the concept of community expands beyond our household, beyond our state, and beyond our country.
As a Peace Corps Volunteer in Rwanda learning about the genocide, a Fulbright Scholar in South Africa learning about apartheid, a Public Ally in Delaware during the Covid-19 pandemic, a Boren Fellow learning Swahili, and as a recent Federal employee at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, I have never stopped thinking about the connections we have to one another at home and abroad. Over the past ten years I have seen our communities face unimaginable burdens. People are losing their jobs at all stages in their career and at risk of chronic homelessness. Meanwhile, funding for bombs remains unabated and politicians protect their personal ambitions rather than us. American democracy is crumbling and no one who has been at the wheel faces accountability. I know firsthand how systems can fail people who are doing everything right.
Our leaders are too comfortable. They take our votes for granted as our situation worsens. We cannot trust the old guard who slow-walked us to this moment to resolve the crisis that we are in now. We need someone who will stand up for universal healthcare, housing solutions, and reduced energy costs. I will work tirelessly to protect our communities, raise wages, end genocide, and expand our social safety net.
My name is Christopher Beardsley. I am a lifelong Delawarean, former Peace Corps Volunteer, Fulbright Scholar, Americorps member, and public servant who’s spent my life standing up for people forgotten by those in power. From protesting genocide abroad to working inside our own government, I’ve seen what happens when leaders lose their sense of honesty, community, and consistency.
Throughout my life I learned that real community means showing up for one another. I’ve seen what’s possible when we act with integrity and compassion. Whether in protest lines or food lines, we remind ourselves that we are not powerless. Across Delaware, teachers, workers, parents, and students are doing their best to build a life, but they’re being crushed by wages that don’t keep up, housing they cannot afford, and leaders who have stopped listening.
That is why I am running for U.S. Senate: to make Delaware a place where everyone can thrive, where the needs of all Delawareans matter, and where we can plan our lives with dignity. I am asking Delawareans to join me in demanding a government that values people over profit, truth over convenience, and peace over war. United, we will change the tide and ensure that we can build the life we deserve.