I had the pleasure of working with TakeAction as a Digital and Data intern this summer. While 2020 certainly hasn’t been at all what I pictured it to be, my experiences here have still been impactful and helped guide my path forward.
So, what does moving forward look like? To me, it’s all about doing my part to create the world that I know we deserve. A world where everyone has a roof over their head, food on the table, and the medicine they need in order to stay alive. A world where our people and are planet are cared for – not exploited – by a government and democracy build by and for the people. I know this world is possible.
Right now, the biggest thing I want to do is help with elections. I don’t want 2020 to be remembered only for the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the uprisings and protests, and the national reckoning with our failing economic and health care systems. I want this year to be remembered for a historic election where progressives took back control and halted the constant downward slope that has taken thousands of lives and endangered millions more. I know winning elections will not solve everything. It will take much more than having progressive candidates in office for serious change to happen – but it’s a crucial step in making sure we – the people – get to decide what our future will look like.
TakeAction has helped me learn what different groups and people are working on related to politics, including community organizing around climate change, racial justice, and healthcare reform, both in Minnesota and across the US. Going through almost 10 years of blog posts for the organization, I have seen these three themes come up time and again. And while it is difficult to feel like progress has been made, I have been reminded how the ACA and MinnesotaCare both changed in the early years of the 2010s, how criminal justice and racial justice reform have had many important leaders in our state, and how more and more people, including elected officials, are joining the fight to save our planet and help the people on it.
I know our fight to create the world we deserve to live in won’t end with this election. I also know the weeks leading up to it are still vitally important if we are to face these issues head-on, with people at the center of how our government works.
For my part, I plan to volunteer with TakeAction to help elect candidates across the state who are focused on improving lives and building a better future. I continue to learn and share more about politics every day, and I will continue to use my platform to educate and motivate others to join us in this fight, including voting in this fall’s election.
Join me and the TakeAction squad in making sure we elect progressive, people-centered candidates to offices across Minnesota this November. Take our pledge to help us get out the vote. We cannot all do everything, but everyone can do something. I am thankful for TakeAction’s help guiding me on what my something(s) can be. Whether you love chatting on the phone, you’re a social media guru, or you just have a few minutes to help us send texts to voters – there’s a place for you here at TakeAction, and in this people-centered movement for a better, brighter future where everyone can thrive.
