In the wake of the blue wave that swept the nation in the November elections, the Democratic Party has another opportunity to show what we stand for and where we will go by electing a battle-tested leader, Rep. Barbara Lee of Oakland, for House Democratic Caucus chair.

The chair plays an outsized role in determining the party’s direction in the new Congress. We can imagine no better leader for this role than Lee, a principled and accomplished legislator who understands the power of grassroots organizing and activism.

As Democratic Caucus chair, Lee will be a unifier, charged with building consensus and moving our party forward. She would make history as the first African American woman elected to congressional leadership, as well as the first female chair of the caucus.

Throughout her career, Lee has shown that she is forward-thinking — exactly the kind of leader we need to protect vulnerable communities from the dangerous GOP agenda. We share many of her legislative priorities — ensuring that every American has access to quality affordable health care, tackling poverty and income inequality, and building a green infrastructure to address climate change and leave a healthy planet for generations to come.

These are the priorities the American people voted for. To voice these needs, people mobilized on the ground, knocked on doors, made phone calls, wrote postcards, marched in the streets and have remained energized.

When the 116th Congress convenes Jan. 3, we need to ensure that we continue to be heard at the top levels of Democratic leadership. That’s why we support Lee for the job of Democratic Caucus chair and hope House Democrats will do the right thing by electing her to the job.

Amelia Cass is with Indivisible East Bay and Jonah Hershowitz is with Indivisible San Francisco. Indivisible is a nationwide movement of volunteer-led groups that engage in progressive advocacy.