Speech

Not many people can say a club has truly changed their lives. some people can say they’ve created lasting memories and lifelong friendships, but life-changing is a phrase reserved for a small group of people, and I consider myself a member of that community. After a difficult middle school experience that left me shy and riddled with anxiety, my entire personality changed. I was no longer the outgoing, upbeat person everyone had known me to be, and I rarely talked to people I wasn’t comfortable with. 

But, in during the 2020 presidential election, everything changed. I became invested in everything about politics and activism. I didn’t have much background in either subject, but I knew I wanted to learn. When I saw that we had a political club at my school, I jumped at the opportunity to join. However, I still hadn’t come completely out of my shell, and  never spoke in debates or thought talks, but I was always invested in the conversations. A couple of months after joining JSA, my chapter president told me about Fall State and suggested that I go. I thought about it for a week or so, and I even remember I asked my friends on my private snapchat story if it would be a good idea for me to attend. The overall consensus was a resounding yes, which led to the best decision of my life. 

 I attended fall state, fell in love with everything  JSA, and made a plan to become the director of activism by my junior year, which, I’m proud to say, I achieved. Serving as your director of activism has been an amazing experience, and every time I see all of you participating in activism initiatives  and having insightful conversations, I remember why I joined JSA. But, as much as I love activism, as I’ve had the opportunity to learn more about different departments, I’ve gained a passion for being involved with all parts of Midwest JSA. Through my time serving as a member of my chapter executive board, activism agent, and activism director, I’ve learned so much about every department and about almost all of the chapters that have attended our conventions. With the incredible support from my interdepartmental campaign team, I have developed plans not only to move every department towards prime efficiency, but to focus on improving cabinet through department specific initiatives. I am also dedicated to providing delegates with the best possible experience at conventions by increasing attendance at conventions and pushing toward heavy community involvement with their chapters through local politics. As your Lieutenant Governor, I will create initiatives to increase diversity, improve fundraising, help chapters get involved in their local communities, and more. Before I end this speech and launch my campaign, I want to sincerely thank all of you. Thank you for helping me come out of my shell. Thank you for making me feel loved. Thank you for giving me a home. And finally, thank you for giving me the opportunity to run as your next lieutenant governor.