Reflective Essay: Yes On V Campaign

There is one, fairly recent event in my life that has created what I believe to be a lasting impact on me. When I had the opportunity to volunteer for the Yes on V campaign (also referred to as Amendment V) this year, I learned far beyond just basic politics. This action in the scope of my life has left a positive impact on me for a few reasons. First, the actions and events that led up to my acceptance of this opportunity helped shaped my perspectives on not only politics, but the world in general. Secondly, volunteering for the campaign taught me many lessons about myself and the community I am apart of. Lastly, the people I met and discussed issues with had a major impact on how I think and view issues today. There were a few events that

I spent a majority of my time with the campaign coordinating team, which happened to be mostly made up of a group of interesting college boys. The coordinating team did all of the volunteering and so I got to know three boys- Josh, Justin and Nathan- very well. They were all very politically aware and I spent lots of time talking about every issue under the sun with them. It was interesting to hear their stories and stances on varying topics. I also now know more raps by Biggie Smalls than I would ever want to. The coordinating team wasn’t the only group of people that I spent time with though. I spent time at meet ups with a group of campaign financiers that funded and guided the campaign. One specific man that taught me quite a bit was an old guy named Chuck Parkinson, who worked at the Capitol in D.C. for 30 years and was appointed under Ronald Reagan 's administration. I met and talked to many other people in positions of power but what is interesting to note is the difference in party affiliation and why this had an impact on me. Chuck Parkinson is a registered Republican and I really enjoyed talking to him and reading his books on rules and procedures of the United States congress. He informed me quite a bit on the procedures of our government. I also met and talked to Democrats Rick Weiland, who ran for U.S. senate, and Drey Samuelson who was Senator Tim Johnson’s chief of