CT’s Secretary of State talks about civic courage and representation in a new documentary

By Rayna Oakley & Emma Gutfleisch

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Promotional flyer for the documentary screened at the University of Hartford.

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Hartford, December 19, 2025

Stephanie Thomas’s political journey began with an intention to evoke a genuine sense of duty and responsibility that comes from civic literacy. Through intimate interviews and fly-on-the-wall footage, Voice in the Room offers a rare look at the high-stakes environment of Connecticut’s chief elections supervisor.

As the first African American Secretary of State for Connecticut, she has achieved historical levels of success in making possible a technology-driven tamperproof voting process and developing an accessible online platform to educate residents on the basics of voting, local government, and civic responsibilities. “When I first ran for political office, I had no political experience. I only ran for this role because I thought the lack of civics was getting to a critical point in the United States and in Connecticut,” she said.  

Thomas, who is originally from New Jersey, moved to Connecticut after her husband got a job here. She credits the state’s leaders for their approachability and receptive nature. “Everything was much more accessible in Connecticut. It was easy to meet the Mayor of my town and have a conversation or meet a state representative. Access to government, I’ve never seen anything like it in the states I’ve lived before,” Thomas said.

Jodiann Gayle, filmmaker and graduate student at the University of Hartford, was inspired by Thomas’s background and her journey from entrepreneurship to a civic-minded political figure. Gayle said, “She highlighted to me as an individual that she is from a very humble beginning, like myself. I am from Jamaica, I'm an international student here at the University of Hartford. And so it opened my eyes to what the possibilities are as a woman.”

Filmmaker Jodiann Gayle at the screening of the documentary

The documentary highlights the weight and responsibility of Thomas’s historic election. It examines how she "redefines what it means to lead," moving away from traditional bureaucratic archetypes to a more accessible, community-focused model. Gayle adds, “As a woman of color, and also someone who would not be seen as the first pick for opportunities, she also encouraged me to look at things differently, to say that if she can do it, if she can open doors for herself and others, then I also can take on that role and responsibility.”

The film captures the way in which Thomas balances the technical complexities of implementing early voting and securing tabulators with the personal resilience she must maintain to lead effectively in an era of heightened political scrutiny. This project, not only documenting Gayle’s own achievement, but also the well-earned accomplishment of an African American woman in the highest office in the state.

“She is the first black woman to be elected in that role, and it's also highlighted how she is navigating power, public service, and also her journey leading up to being in this position.” Gayle explains

Along the way, Gayle learned that her and Thomas have more in common than she anticipated. During a 3-month internship at The Secretary of State’s office, she was taught just what it means to serve in the position. She was exposed to a whole realm of possibilities within civic governance.  

Since August of this year, Gayle has been working to capture the essence of Thomas's grit and passion using her skills as a filmmaker. With a strong inclination to take the digital route than a more traditional research paper, storytelling and effort are at the core of the documentary’s creation.

“Just about two and a half months, I would say, is the timeline that I've been working on. And I think my favorite part would be the editing. Because in that space, I am able to put all my creative juices together. I am able to seat myself, not just as a narrator, not just as a writer, not just as a producer, but also someone who is able to take raw materials and to execute to put out a final product that I hope myself, my family, and others will be proud of and people will enjoy.” Gayle states

Stephanie Thomas (Image courtesy: Facebook)

At the screening for the documentary, Gayle dedicated her work to her late mother who passed recently, crediting her mother with ambition and drive she instilled in her and for the person she has become today.

In her remarks about the documentary, Thomas expressed her joy in being a part of this project. She said, “Anytime I can get my story out to let people know that this isn’t the career path I dreamed about and never thought I’d be in public office and see myself in this type of role.”