Empowering Education: Advocacy and Career Reflections from the Hill
Can you tell me about your career path that you’ve taken that’s led you to where you are now?
During my last semester at Syracuse University, I started an internship with Senator Chuck Schumer. I knew I wanted a career dedicated to helping others, but – up to that point – I did my best to avoid going into politics. A main reason is because I grew up in Northern Virginia and I knew if I even remotely liked government work, I’d probably find myself running back to the D.C. area. However, I had completed a few internships that didn’t match exactly what I was looking for, and I felt like it was time to entertain the field I had been avoiding.
In Syracuse, I did all the regular tasks: callbacks to constituents, compiling clips, and tagging along at local press events. While sometimes mundane or ‘character-building,’ I loved when I got to hear how work in Washington was making a difference for people in my college town or when I saw community members get excited when the Senator visited. There was a sense of hope that I wanted to help facilitate even more. The office then very generously invited me to be a press intern in the D.C. office after my graduation and offered to help in my search for a full-time role. I very happily accepted.
I’ll admit, when I started in the D.C. office, I didn’t know a whole lot about the current political landscape. It’s embarrassing how uninformed I was. That said, I received a crash course about all the legislative action happening in and out of D.C. as well as all the major players through the memos I made. Capitol Hill is already an exciting place to be, but it felt even more energized because it was the summer of 2022 when some major pieces of legislation were being introduced. I really enjoyed getting to see how the team worked on the press front to secure the passage of some historic bills and watch from the sideline’s history in the making.
Through the help of my supervisors and other mentors I met through the Congressional Hispanic Staff Association (CHSA), I eventually landed a role with Senator Peter Welch! I’ve been in the office for almost a year and a half, and it’s been an exciting experience.
Which specific policy areas or legislative issues are you most passionate about, and how do you stay informed and engaged in those areas?
I’m passionate about improving the nation’s education system, particularly within our K-12 public schools. This is because my time in public school gave me countless opportunities to discover myself, explore my interests, and begin building a path for post-classroom success. I sincerely hope my experience can be universal for kids in this country because I believe if we can provide every child with a quality, well-rounded education it would begin to resolve many instances of ongoing inequality.
I like to think I’m very aware of developments (good and bad) happening in the education realm, but I will say that my time in Senator Welch’s office has opened the ways I want to support our students. For example, the Senator is a huge advocate for deploying high-speed broadband across the country. He often points out that areas with poor broadband infrastructure added to challenges kids were facing in their virtual learning during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Investing in this infrastructure is one way we can make sure education overall is more accessible. I’ve also become more familiar with the SNAP program. This program plays a crucial role in helping various demographics combat food insecurity. Like the Senator, I hope to strengthen these benefits, so students never have to worry about when they’ll get their next meal because supporting our students is more than just meeting their classroom needs.
Describe a challenging or rewarding project that significantly influenced your growth as a professional. How did you handle the challenge, and what did you learn from the experience?
It’s been an incredibly special experience to join a freshman office close to its beginning. The ‘challenging’ part was that there were a lot of decisions yet to be made. But for me, that was the fun of it! I really appreciated seeing senior staffers regularly ask their team members for input on office operations. For me, I got to suggest background pieces and format styles for the memos I’d be making. I know my suggestions will most likely get changed at some point, but it was still empowering to be given the opportunity to share my thoughts on structural elements. This made me, as an entry-level staffer, feel more comfortable in the office.
I also learned a great deal about flexibility. When I joined, there were still many people yet to be hired. Because of this, team members were juggling tasks that would eventually be delegated to others. It was often said, “We’re just building the plane as we fly it” and it was impactful to witness this expression in-action. I’m quite confident a lot of my observations will manifest into my management style down the road, and I look forward to using this experience in many of my anecdotes.
What advice would you give to individuals who aspire to work on Capitol Hill?
My advice would be to remember that sometimes staffers are required to go against their personal beliefs as part of the job. This comes in many forms: recommending policies for an officeholder to sign onto, writing press releases, or participating in events with certain groups. I’d say that in these times it is important to remember your role is to support the Member. If the Member asks for input, certainly voice your opinion but try your best to omit passion and rely on facts of all sides. Once you realize that your help to the officeholder isn’t a characterization of your personal beliefs, it makes things much easier.
I’d also say for any Hill interns– ask for that coffee. Admittedly, I was nervous to begin reaching out for networking conversations, but it’s important to have, and you learn so much in the process. In my experience, you’ll find that most people are excited to share their story, and often want to help in your journey.
What do you believe sets Capitol Hill apart as a unique work environment, and how do you navigate its challenges in your everyday work?
I think what makes Capitol Hill so unique is that most – if not all – staffers have a very personal reason for being here. I’ve had many chats with people, where I’ve left really inspired by their stories and felt more empowered to do my work well. It’s also pretty incredible when you see how many young staffers there are. It makes sense though – this place requires a lot of energy to handle the constant chaos that is going on.
I think the biggest challenge, for me, is internal pressure to be excellent. This used to translate into me trying to learn everything on my own, but I realized this was a disservice to me and others. I came to the realization after a Communications Director shared with me his journey and stressed the importance of always asking questions. He said by asking questions he learned a lot more than he would’ve and it made others notice him and his work. I slowly began finding all ways to ask my supervisors their thoughts on work in the office and Congressional work at-large. I also went to friends I made through CHSA for guidance. I’ve come to really enjoy hearing from others how they are setting their goals and the lessons they’ve learned along the way. Recently some of these mentors have even asked me for advice, and it’s really warming to feel like I am returning their kindness back.
Word association, what is the first word that comes to mind for each of these?
Policy – Layered
Networking – Energizing
Writing Skills – Essential
Working on the Hill – Demystifying
Leadership Connect – Resourceful
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