Becoming civically engaged in the Carolinas

When I started with Common Power (CP) the purpose of my role was to understand how a nongovernmental organization succeeds, learn about voter suppression and voter justice, and gain work experience. At the end of my six months I had registered voters, shook hands with now 46th President Joe Biden, attended a Trump rally, and received a full-time job offer. Throughout this very first internship experience I grew immensely both as a professional and person.

Personal Importance of Work

Although work can seem dull at times, I always think about the bigger picture. I developed this mindset at my second job, as a receptionist for Windermere Real Estate. Even though most of my work consisted of flyers and emailing documents to agents, I realized how major this moment is for the clients. Whether you’re buying a house because you just had a kid, or need to sell a home of a recently deceased loved one-- real estate transactions come at big life transitions. I made sure to bring this mindset to CP.

One of my responsibilities as Fieldwork Associate was writing thank you cards to our donors. With the exception of foundation and monthly donors, no matter how big or small, a donor received a hand-written thank you from me in the mail. This is important because the generosity of donors makes CP possible. Every time I worked on this part of my duties, it helped me think about the way to develop relationships and show gratitude.

At large, my work helped CP function more efficiently and contributed CP’s success in achieving its goals. It takes each and every one of us to progress. My experience as a Fieldwork Associate connected to my passion for human rights and fueled my desire to work on voting justice.

Tasks Accomplished

• Promoted to full-time staff after 6 months

• Enhanced donor relations through hand-written cards; distributed an average of 25 per week

• Improved a database for Pennsylvania Fieldwork Project that records volunteer information

• Traveled with CP to South Carolina on civic tour (February 2020)

• Traveled with the CP’s Team North Carolina on fieldwork trip to register voters (February 2020)

• Assisted with the event logistics, educational and organizational research, and fieldwork planning

• Collected tickets for CP's co-director, David Domke, lectures at Kane Hall

• Provided support to State Leads as needed

Leadership Competencies Gained

Self-understanding

I was a lost soul when my mom dragged me to a CP workshop at 8:30am on a Saturday. I spent most of my Autumn Quarter 2019 seeking an internship opportunity with no success. I was burnt out and a little distressed. But, to my surprise, when I walked into Washington Hall that morning everything changed. CP’s core values-- from a just and inclusive democracy to amplifying next generation leaders --resonated with me deeply. I realized that although I had been looking at some great organizations, I wasn’t passionate about them. For example, after serving as President of the Panhellenic Leadership Council, I applied and interviewed for Panhellenic Executive positions. Throughout the process I realized that I was doing what I thought I should be, not what I really wanted to. I was scared though-- I was on a certain and somewhat comfortable path that I wasn’t ready to leave. Rejection from the Panhellenic Executive Association and my discovery of CP made me realize that I wanted to spend my time doing something more meaningful to me.

Verbal Communication

Much of my work as Fieldwork Associate relied on verbal communication, even that very first conversation with David after the workshop. Although I exercise this competency every day, I did not understand the depth of verbal communication until I entered a more professional space. From hearing the Common Power specific terms (ie, “Mojo”) to interacting with coworkers older than me, I saw the power of language and it’s integral role in CP accomplishing its core value of community. I also saw this at large scale events from fundraisers to workshops. For example, at our Advanced Workshop each Team lead gave a pitch for their state to get volunteers. I wasn’t a lead at the time I gave Minnesota’s pitch after consulting with David and the lead. That was the first time in at least a year that I spoke in front of that many (hundreds of) people.

Functioning Independently

When I reached out to David after the workshop, I wasn’t looking for an internship. Rather, I just knew I wanted to get involved with CP. But as our conversations developed, David suggested that I come on as a Fieldwork Associate and earn internship credit.

“Take a course out of my schedule for Winter 2020...”, I thought to myself, “that would really change my ‘4-year plan”...”.

So I took some time to think about it. Luckily, thanks to my scholarship from the Honors Program and Summer 2019 study abroad, I was in the position to drop a course and enroll in Political Science Internship credit. In order to do so; however, I had to create an independent project and find a faculty supervisor. I have to admit that this terrified me. I wasn’t particularly close to any Political Science professors and had no idea how to create a learning contract. Despite this, I am proud to report that I didn’t let fear stop me. From time management to accomplishing tasks, I functioned independently. This became particularly difficult when we went virtual in the spring, but my prior experience helped me take on this challenge.

Inclusion

Common Power is civic on-ramp, meaning if you are willing to do “the work”, we’ll help get you there. “The work” is our case, advancing voting rights through fieldwork and advocacy. We believe that accessibility and community are key to sustaining progress toward a more just and inclusive democracy. This can be seen in many dimensions of CP from our young, majority WOC staff to our multiple generational communities. First, prioritizing diverse, next-generation leaders empowers us to enter this space. Our communities-- CPNow for Baby Boomers, CPNxt for Millenials, and CPFuture for Gen Zers --create environments that are understanding of where you are in life. From watching and contributing to CP’s organizational structures I have a better understanding of what true inclusion looks like. It’s not always easy and there are many aspects to consider, but it is worthwhile if you’re seeking to build something strong and sustainable.

Plan

I’ve always been a planner. Color coding, stickers, to do lists-- these are a few of my favorite things. But nothing compared to my first quarter as a Fieldwork Associate. My time management and organizational skills were immediately put to the test. I already anticipated missing two weeks of the quarter for CP-- one for a fieldwork trip to register voters in North Carolina and another for a civic tour of South Carolina leading up to the 2020 presidential primary. I had to communicate this to teachers ahead of time, reschedule midterms with TAs, stay on top of coursework, manage flights, pack, adjust to time changes, and, oh right, breathe too. As my mom watched me plan the month of February to the hour, she asked me if I was taking on too much. In hindsight, it was the most I had taken on up until that point, but I was eager to make everything work because I cared about it. When you have a clear goal, anything is possible with the right amount of planning!

Other Perspectives

Above all, I value the opportunity to work with people who come from different backgrounds than myself because, not to state the obvious, I don’t know everything. We can always learn something from each person we meet. The staff at Common Power is the first majority WOC team I’ve been a part of. As a young womxn of color, being in this community is important for my personal development. I feel safe sharing with my coworkers and am privileged to hear their stories too. I am proud to be with an organization that truly prioritizes bringing in new, diverse voices-- and I’ve seen the importance and power of this from the way we approach projects to the way we care for one another.

Appropriate Interaction

When I arrived in North Carolina I had never done any type of voter registration work, but I saw this as an advantage. A common CP sayings is “their [in reference to our partner organization] ground, our boots”. I had no preconceived notion-- I was simply eager and ready to learn. Something that I will always remember is the language we learned to use when addressing folx the community. Instead of asking someone, “Are you registered to vote?”, you ask the following: “Are you registered to vote at your current address?” This is empowering language because it doesn’t automatically assume that an individual is unregistered. It’s important to recognize the power language has and the way it can make people feel.

Lessons Learned and Future Oriented Statement

As I write this piece, I am still working with Common Power, but instead of Fieldwork Associate, I am now CP’s Partnerships Coordinator. Although it’s likely I’ll hold different positions at different organizations over the course of my career, I will never forget about my beginning.

Because of my experience with CP, I will not only seek organizations with values I connect with, but organizations that truly live up to those values. I also want to be parts of groups and teams that have people who are different from me and one another. Ultimately, I’ve learned that work can be much more than just that.

I hope I can find meaning in every career I take on, knowing that it’s okay to have to find a job to pay the bills as well. I want to feel passionate about the work I am doing and the people I am doing it with. In reflecting on my “why” I came to the conclusion that I really want to be a good person who helps those around me. This must carry over into my work.

Artifact

Below you'll find a photo of two handouts as well as David and Charles' business cards from the very first CP workshop I attended in November 2019.