Lena Chipman
@lenaleadsoutloud.bsky.social
Hi, I'm Lena (they/she)! I'm running for Shelby County Commission District 13 in Tennessee. I'm running to transform power into progress, translate ideas into impact, and transfer privilege into shared prosperity.
Visit www.lenachipman.com to learn more!
Visit www.lenachipman.com to learn more!
Pinned
Transgender candidate announces for Shelby County Commission • Tennessee Lookout
Tech consultant Lena Chipman will attempt to become the second transgender person elected to local office in Tennessee and first in Memphis.
tennesseelookout.com
The first media mention of my campaign is officially out.
“One of the things I’ve tried to do is to show up and show that trans people are just like everybody else: I’m a wife, a mom, I’m a tech entrepreneur.”
Read on to find out more
tennesseelookout.com/2025/11/03/t...
“One of the things I’ve tried to do is to show up and show that trans people are just like everybody else: I’m a wife, a mom, I’m a tech entrepreneur.”
Read on to find out more
tennesseelookout.com/2025/11/03/t...
Tonight, I go live on all major streaming platforms! AMA, from the critical (what should we do to improve services at Regional One?) to the Critical (when is Cure 3 preferable to Medica 2?)!
Tune in @LenaLeadsOutLoud on Twitch, Facebook Live, and YouTube Live at 6:13pm Central!
Tune in @LenaLeadsOutLoud on Twitch, Facebook Live, and YouTube Live at 6:13pm Central!
February 13, 2026 at 8:58 PM
Tonight, I go live on all major streaming platforms! AMA, from the critical (what should we do to improve services at Regional One?) to the Critical (when is Cure 3 preferable to Medica 2?)!
Tune in @LenaLeadsOutLoud on Twitch, Facebook Live, and YouTube Live at 6:13pm Central!
Tune in @LenaLeadsOutLoud on Twitch, Facebook Live, and YouTube Live at 6:13pm Central!
Feb 12 update: Mayor Young apologized on X. I'm posting it here so you can read it yourself.
February 12, 2026 at 1:14 PM
Feb 12 update: Mayor Young apologized on X. I'm posting it here so you can read it yourself.
Last night, Mayor Paul Young of #Memphis explicitly, directly, and repeatedly misgendered a community member, Brandy Price, who is a trans woman (around 42:40 in my livestreamed video of the event: www.facebook.com/share/v/185F... ).
February 11, 2026 at 9:12 PM
Last night, Mayor Paul Young of #Memphis explicitly, directly, and repeatedly misgendered a community member, Brandy Price, who is a trans woman (around 42:40 in my livestreamed video of the event: www.facebook.com/share/v/185F... ).
Today remains a good day to be a good person and Not. Break. The. Line.
Delete the app! Buy local coffee instead!
Today I'm sipping a lovely cold brew from Just Love Coffee in #Memphis on Madison. What's your favorite local shop?
Delete the app! Buy local coffee instead!
Today I'm sipping a lovely cold brew from Just Love Coffee in #Memphis on Madison. What's your favorite local shop?
February 11, 2026 at 4:58 PM
Today remains a good day to be a good person and Not. Break. The. Line.
Delete the app! Buy local coffee instead!
Today I'm sipping a lovely cold brew from Just Love Coffee in #Memphis on Madison. What's your favorite local shop?
Delete the app! Buy local coffee instead!
Today I'm sipping a lovely cold brew from Just Love Coffee in #Memphis on Madison. What's your favorite local shop?
One of the contributing factors to this, if you read between the lines, is the PILOT tax abatement that ends at the end of this year. Big box stores pay a lot in property tax, and this is a Good Thing; in fact, I'd make it exponential and add in further assessments for square footage if I could.
It might be silly to some, but a lot of Memphians were really proud of this IKEA. Of all the places they could have put it, they chose us, and they made it huge and cool, calling back to the cavernous furniture showrooms of old.
It'll be missed.
More thoughts, over on my campaign account...
It'll be missed.
More thoughts, over on my campaign account...
IKEA Memphis was the retailer’s first and only store in Tennessee.
February 10, 2026 at 3:16 PM
One of the contributing factors to this, if you read between the lines, is the PILOT tax abatement that ends at the end of this year. Big box stores pay a lot in property tax, and this is a Good Thing; in fact, I'd make it exponential and add in further assessments for square footage if I could.
Behold, my beautiful wife and I at the Memphis Botanic Garden last night for the Memphis Child Advocacy Center's Works of Heart!
I love a fancy date night for a good cause, especially at one of my favorite spots in District 13.
I love a fancy date night for a good cause, especially at one of my favorite spots in District 13.
February 8, 2026 at 6:01 PM
Behold, my beautiful wife and I at the Memphis Botanic Garden last night for the Memphis Child Advocacy Center's Works of Heart!
I love a fancy date night for a good cause, especially at one of my favorite spots in District 13.
I love a fancy date night for a good cause, especially at one of my favorite spots in District 13.
Transit Equity Day 2026 with MICAH Memphis and others was great! Hearing rider stories and speakers on their feelings on MATA really honed my perspective and vision on how we can make a world-class transit system. I was one of two county commission candidates there -- where were the others?
February 8, 2026 at 12:08 AM
Transit Equity Day 2026 with MICAH Memphis and others was great! Hearing rider stories and speakers on their feelings on MATA really honed my perspective and vision on how we can make a world-class transit system. I was one of two county commission candidates there -- where were the others?
I'll be there -- to listen and learn from the people who rely on MATA, to make sure we can turn ideas into impact!
The event celebrates the theme, “We Organize. We Ride. We Rise.”
Public Transportation Advocates to Host Transit Equity Day - Memphis Flyer
The event celebrates the theme, "We Organize. We Ride. We Rise."
www.memphisflyer.com
February 6, 2026 at 6:44 PM
I'll be there -- to listen and learn from the people who rely on MATA, to make sure we can turn ideas into impact!
Reposted by Lena Chipman
Looks like the TN legislature is at it again, this time trying to pass explicitly unconstitutional laws in the hope of getting the captured SCOTUS to overturn its own precedent.
You can take action against this bill here: www.tnep.org/legislative_...
You can take action against this bill here: www.tnep.org/legislative_...
Legislative campaigns week of Feb 9, 2026
Legislation important to the LGBTQ community in Tennessee
www.tnep.org
February 6, 2026 at 6:25 PM
Looks like the TN legislature is at it again, this time trying to pass explicitly unconstitutional laws in the hope of getting the captured SCOTUS to overturn its own precedent.
You can take action against this bill here: www.tnep.org/legislative_...
You can take action against this bill here: www.tnep.org/legislative_...
Reposted by Lena Chipman
Be an ally not for one day, but for a lifetime.
February 6, 2026 at 6:08 PM
Be an ally not for one day, but for a lifetime.
The campaign finance reports for the end of 2025 are out for the Shelby County TN (you know, #Memphis) races and they're worth a read!
Relevant to my race, one of my opponents may have outraised me, but I have almost 3x as many donors and I didn't put $4900 from my previous run in like she did...
Relevant to my race, one of my opponents may have outraised me, but I have almost 3x as many donors and I didn't put $4900 from my previous run in like she did...
February 6, 2026 at 1:11 PM
The campaign finance reports for the end of 2025 are out for the Shelby County TN (you know, #Memphis) races and they're worth a read!
Relevant to my race, one of my opponents may have outraised me, but I have almost 3x as many donors and I didn't put $4900 from my previous run in like she did...
Relevant to my race, one of my opponents may have outraised me, but I have almost 3x as many donors and I didn't put $4900 from my previous run in like she did...
I explain and contextualize some very recent research on genAI here.
In terms of policy, the ineffectiveness of it combined with its social and environmental costs in #Memphis is why I want to constrain new datacenters here and shut down xAI's. (Also because it's a CSAM generator.)
In terms of policy, the ineffectiveness of it combined with its social and environmental costs in #Memphis is why I want to constrain new datacenters here and shut down xAI's. (Also because it's a CSAM generator.)
This paper comports with my experience working with people who try to use genAI to augment their skills for things they don't know. They learn less, work more slowly, and -- lacking comprehension of the output -- can't debug, generalize, or adapt.
There's a really interesting result in the paper...
There's a really interesting result in the paper...
www.anthropic.com/research/AI-...
A research paper, from _Anthropic_ of all sources:
"[U]sing AI assistance led to a statistically significant decrease in mastery. ...participants in the AI group scored 17% lower than those who coded by hand"
A research paper, from _Anthropic_ of all sources:
"[U]sing AI assistance led to a statistically significant decrease in mastery. ...participants in the AI group scored 17% lower than those who coded by hand"
February 6, 2026 at 1:07 PM
I explain and contextualize some very recent research on genAI here.
In terms of policy, the ineffectiveness of it combined with its social and environmental costs in #Memphis is why I want to constrain new datacenters here and shut down xAI's. (Also because it's a CSAM generator.)
In terms of policy, the ineffectiveness of it combined with its social and environmental costs in #Memphis is why I want to constrain new datacenters here and shut down xAI's. (Also because it's a CSAM generator.)
Today's a stripey day!
Indeed, I'm the candidate for county commission who wears the striped socks and the Mary Janes and sneakers with hearts on them!
Yes, the job is serious and the stakes high -- but we should never lose our whimsy, our joy, and our hope!
#LeadOutLoud
Indeed, I'm the candidate for county commission who wears the striped socks and the Mary Janes and sneakers with hearts on them!
Yes, the job is serious and the stakes high -- but we should never lose our whimsy, our joy, and our hope!
#LeadOutLoud
February 5, 2026 at 4:27 PM
Today's a stripey day!
Indeed, I'm the candidate for county commission who wears the striped socks and the Mary Janes and sneakers with hearts on them!
Yes, the job is serious and the stakes high -- but we should never lose our whimsy, our joy, and our hope!
#LeadOutLoud
Indeed, I'm the candidate for county commission who wears the striped socks and the Mary Janes and sneakers with hearts on them!
Yes, the job is serious and the stakes high -- but we should never lose our whimsy, our joy, and our hope!
#LeadOutLoud
The final totals from the winter storm that hit #Memphis are in, and these are both wild and show why we have "snowcrete" -- we got both snow and sleet, and together those compact and fuse into a very tough layer!
Out at the NWS Memphis office, we got 4.8" of sleet and 4.8" of snow!
Out at the NWS Memphis office, we got 4.8" of sleet and 4.8" of snow!
February 3, 2026 at 5:41 PM
The final totals from the winter storm that hit #Memphis are in, and these are both wild and show why we have "snowcrete" -- we got both snow and sleet, and together those compact and fuse into a very tough layer!
Out at the NWS Memphis office, we got 4.8" of sleet and 4.8" of snow!
Out at the NWS Memphis office, we got 4.8" of sleet and 4.8" of snow!
The fact that we have elected officials arguing that police of any sort (which ICE should not be, as immigration is a civil matter) should have no judicial oversight and complete anonymity is a horrifying reminder that many of them care only about their own power and nothing about you.
Rep. Mark Harris: "Some of these things are nonstarters. Having judicial warrants? To me, hat's a nonstarter. Being able to make off their mask, putting them at risk? That's a nonstarter. I would say anything that's going to hamstring the work of ICE, that's just not going to go anywhere."
February 3, 2026 at 4:41 PM
The fact that we have elected officials arguing that police of any sort (which ICE should not be, as immigration is a civil matter) should have no judicial oversight and complete anonymity is a horrifying reminder that many of them care only about their own power and nothing about you.
One of the most common questions I get is, "am I in district 13?"
County commission districts in TN are gerrymandered, so the boundaries are hard to explain. I've listed some key neighborhoods in the picture, but the easiest way is to go to www.lenachipman.com/lookup to look up your details!
County commission districts in TN are gerrymandered, so the boundaries are hard to explain. I've listed some key neighborhoods in the picture, but the easiest way is to go to www.lenachipman.com/lookup to look up your details!
January 30, 2026 at 7:14 AM
One of the most common questions I get is, "am I in district 13?"
County commission districts in TN are gerrymandered, so the boundaries are hard to explain. I've listed some key neighborhoods in the picture, but the easiest way is to go to www.lenachipman.com/lookup to look up your details!
County commission districts in TN are gerrymandered, so the boundaries are hard to explain. I've listed some key neighborhoods in the picture, but the easiest way is to go to www.lenachipman.com/lookup to look up your details!
Reposted by Lena Chipman
Felt like this was appropriate, given some milquetoast statements coming out.
January 25, 2026 at 6:33 PM
Felt like this was appropriate, given some milquetoast statements coming out.
Reposted by Lena Chipman
Hi, it's me.
These are core principles of mine
But the oligarchy in the Democratic party, and in politics generally, is more interested in protecting their jobs than helping people like me get elected
But I'll do what I can, with what I have, here in the Southeast at the municipal level
These are core principles of mine
But the oligarchy in the Democratic party, and in politics generally, is more interested in protecting their jobs than helping people like me get elected
But I'll do what I can, with what I have, here in the Southeast at the municipal level
My 5 Litmus Tests for any Democratic "Leader" Moving Foward:
1. Fights for Affordability AND Accountability
2. Abolish/Tear Down ICE
3. Will Tax billionaires and take on the oligarchy.
4. Won't support Israel's genocide.
5. Refuses to throw any group under the bus.
1. Fights for Affordability AND Accountability
2. Abolish/Tear Down ICE
3. Will Tax billionaires and take on the oligarchy.
4. Won't support Israel's genocide.
5. Refuses to throw any group under the bus.
January 25, 2026 at 12:49 PM
Hi, it's me.
These are core principles of mine
But the oligarchy in the Democratic party, and in politics generally, is more interested in protecting their jobs than helping people like me get elected
But I'll do what I can, with what I have, here in the Southeast at the municipal level
These are core principles of mine
But the oligarchy in the Democratic party, and in politics generally, is more interested in protecting their jobs than helping people like me get elected
But I'll do what I can, with what I have, here in the Southeast at the municipal level
Reposted by Lena Chipman
Anyway here's my field director and I looking cute while canvassing
January 25, 2026 at 2:21 PM
Anyway here's my field director and I looking cute while canvassing
Just a reminder that if you want to get a transfemme candidate into office who's an actual leftist who will actually stand up for everyone's rights, fight against ICE and genocide, and push transformative policy, I'm right here!
www.lenachipman.com/donate
www.lenachipman.com/donate
January 25, 2026 at 2:56 PM
Just a reminder that if you want to get a transfemme candidate into office who's an actual leftist who will actually stand up for everyone's rights, fight against ICE and genocide, and push transformative policy, I'm right here!
www.lenachipman.com/donate
www.lenachipman.com/donate
We've all seen the videos at this point. This morning, ICE agents attacked a man legally observing them -- starting with pushing him, and then escalated to wrestling him to the ground, pistol-whipping him, and then murdering him by shooting him at close, fatal range.
January 24, 2026 at 10:42 PM
We've all seen the videos at this point. This morning, ICE agents attacked a man legally observing them -- starting with pushing him, and then escalated to wrestling him to the ground, pistol-whipping him, and then murdering him by shooting him at close, fatal range.
It's very cold and very sleety here in #Memphis . If you need help, please reach out. My DMs are always open and if I can't help, I may know someone who can.
January 24, 2026 at 7:21 PM
It's very cold and very sleety here in #Memphis . If you need help, please reach out. My DMs are always open and if I can't help, I may know someone who can.
As some of you saw, I was out canvassing with my field director the other day. For those unfamiliar, that's when we go meet people on the street and at their houses and ask what's bothering them and how I can fix it when elected.
The number one issue from everyone?
We need to abolish ICE.
The number one issue from everyone?
We need to abolish ICE.
January 23, 2026 at 5:24 PM
As some of you saw, I was out canvassing with my field director the other day. For those unfamiliar, that's when we go meet people on the street and at their houses and ask what's bothering them and how I can fix it when elected.
The number one issue from everyone?
We need to abolish ICE.
The number one issue from everyone?
We need to abolish ICE.
Reposted by Lena Chipman
No.
ICE is not judge, jury, and executioner.
Any agency that believes this must be abolished. And any elected who believes this must be removed from office, irrespective of party.
ICE is not judge, jury, and executioner.
Any agency that believes this must be abolished. And any elected who believes this must be removed from office, irrespective of party.
When an ICE agent confronts you is "when your due process ends," says the member of Congress from the largest border district.
www.politico.com/news/2026/01...
www.politico.com/news/2026/01...
January 23, 2026 at 5:21 PM
No.
ICE is not judge, jury, and executioner.
Any agency that believes this must be abolished. And any elected who believes this must be removed from office, irrespective of party.
ICE is not judge, jury, and executioner.
Any agency that believes this must be abolished. And any elected who believes this must be removed from office, irrespective of party.