The first week of school I was in Denver at the Democratic National Convention. After some struggle, great recommendations and hard work, I was afforded the opportunity to work for the Mayor’s Office of Denver this past summer preparing for the DNC. Not only did I get the opportunity of a lifetime to be at INVESCO Field when the first African-American accepted the Democratic Presidential Nomination, but I also learned a lot in the month leading up to the last day of the convention.
I wrote my first proposal to offer a tour program for National Mayorís. I learned the essence of politics when we weren’t doing something right and had to fix it in an instant to help one of our people. I learned that when you mess something up you have to take a deep breath and pause, figure out what you did wrong, and do what you need to do to correct it. I learned how to properly address former presidents and current senators. I learned when it was important to look your best and when it really didn’t matter.
I learned that there are simple ways you can change your lifestyle that can dramatically reduce your carbon footprint. One simple thing we can all do is replace at least one car trip a week with walking or bicycling and thus decrease carbon dioxide emissions by 520 pounds per year. As much as people may criticize those ‘going green’ or call them ‘hippies’ the truth is that some people simply make a conscious effort to take little steps that have a significant impact on the earth. Each and every one of us has the opportunity to take our own steps.
I was inspired sitting at INVESCO listening to the likes of Will.I.Am, Governor Bill Richardson, and Senator Barack Obama throughout the afternoon and into the evening. I was even more inspired to listen to my staunch Republican coworker speak of how inspired she was by Obama. She struggles to voice her inspiration and opinion because she is surrounded by closed minded Republicans who say Obama is filled with ‘false promises.’ Everyone has their beliefs but there is one thing that is noticed. It is not a Democrat thing, it is not a generational thing; it is a thing that inspires each of us to be proactive and believe that we can change the way politics are run. Through the long hours, the tears, and the stress there were many moments of laughter whether in the office or on the couch at home with drinks and hummus scattered about looking out to the sun setting over the mountains.
The most important thing I learned is that whether you are a Republican or a Democrat, liberal or conservative, progressive or apathetic, we can all come together to make a difference and support our country. This election is not about whether John McCain is too old to be president or Barack Obama too inexperienced. This election is about choosing the Presidential and Vice Presidential Nominee pair that will bring our troops home from Iraq, who will stabilize our economy and that will end our energy crisis. It is about coming together as a country, as Americans, to do what is best for our country in this time of struggle and need.
John Legend has a new song titled ‘If You’re Out There’ the lyrics say, ‘we’re the generation, we can’t afford to wait.’ The future started yesterday and ‘we’re already late.’ We are the generation that is here now and will be here later. We must start now in being proactive, progressive, and making a difference. Do yourself and your country a favor and vote, Tuesday, November 4, for whoever it is you believe will be the change we need. So join me in saying, I am an American, WE ARE AMERICA.
Lizzie Brubaker is a junior journalism major. She can be reached for comment at [email protected].
