Last Saturday, Margaret and I had the opportunity to attend the kickoff campaign rally for Dione Sims for Congress. Most of you know that Dione is the Executive Director for Unity Unlimited, Inc., of which Opal’s Farm is a part. It has been my honor and privilege to work with Dione for the last seven years as the Farm Manager for Opal’s Farm. Dione is not only my boss, but my friend and mentor. Her joy, her faith, and her love for bringing people, all people, together in community has helped me become a better farmer, citizen, and man of faith.
That being said, a disclaimer is in order. I’m writing this as an individual who has seen firsthand her commitment to service for our community and not as the Farm Manager for Opal’s Farm.
Dione and I were talking about the difficulties facing our community, state, and nation when she said she was thinking about running for Congress. So much of what has taken place since January 20th of last year has harmed our neighbors and threatened the very freedoms we’ve known and attained in my lifetime.
Our neighbors were having to make choices between paying for food or paying for needed prescriptions; paying the electric bill or feeding their children; barely surviving, living in fear, working two and three jobs to just scrape by, or spending time with their families. They made these hard choices while the current Administration’s tech bros and billionaire buddies amassed greater fortunes and power. She could no longer sit on the sidelines and do nothing. Running for Congress was not about her. It was about us. I knew immediately that she was the perfect choice to represent the twenty-fifth Texas Congressional District.
In 2025, Texas, under pressure from Trump, redrew Congressional District lines in a blatant attempt to gain five additional Republican seats in Congress, hoping to keep control of the House. Dione waited patiently for the redistricting plan to go through the courts and joined the race as soon as everything was settled. Her desire to truly represent the very folks whose voices the redistricting tried to silence led to this decision.
Dione is carrying on the legacy of service started by her grandmother, Dr. Opal Lee, with the belief that freedom is for everyone every day. Freedom means having the opportunity to thrive, to reach out for the American dream that has rapidly disappeared for most folks.
Unfortunately, I live just outside Texas District Twenty-five, but many of my friends, both urban and rural, live there. If you reside in District Twenty-five, know that Dione Sims for Congress will represent you and your issues in Congress. Please consider voting for Dione in the upcoming primary on March 3rd. Early voting begins February 17, 2026 and ends on February 27th.
Go to https://dionesimsforcongress.com/ for more info!
gregoryjoel.com 