Feeling The Bern Everywhere I Go…
The past few months have passed so quickly. It was more than 8 months ago that I knew Senator Bernie Sanders had my vote, and things shifted quickly thereafter. As a volunteer since the beginning of this grassroots campaign, I’ve had moments, and opportunities, that I never thought possible. With the Iowa Caucus tomorrow, it is bitter sweet, as I and many others are hoping Bernie takes the state for a big win! Either way, the Political Revolution is here. I know that no matter how this goes, many Iowan’s and Americans all over, have been affected by Bernie Sanders message, and seek real change in our country. Voter participation is a must and I will be talking about it long after caucus night.
In this campaign, I’ve had many first time moments, met some incredible humans, reconnected with old friends, and even made a few new ones. This is not just limited to Sander’s supporters either; human connection surpasses party in my world. I’ve been to many of the presidential candidates speeches, and those I haven’t been to in person, I have watched on YouTube. I’ve been to meetings, events, rallies, parades, dinners, and even talked about nukes with Bernie Sanders at a roundtable meeting!
Serving on the Latino Leadership Committee, and volunteering with the campaign has scored me some great invites. A couple weeks ago, I had the chance to attend Fusion’s and Urban Dream’s, Iowa Brown and Black Forum. Jenifer Fenton and I drove from Ottumwa, to Des Moines after work. It was so worth the drive and freezing in line, as we got the best seats on the balcony. It was a packed house as everyone gathered to hear the democratic candidates speak and answer questions on issues that affect minorities and their communities. The evening started out with the founders of the forum, Wayne Ford and Mary Campos and a brief history of the Urban Dreams Agency. It was moderated by Alicia Menendez, Jorge Ramos, Akilah Hughes, Rembert Browne, at Drake University. The questions asked focused on criminal justice, immigration, education, economic development, and healthcare issues. The live event started out with Bernie Sanders, followed by Martin O’ Malley, and ending with Hilary Clinton. My favorite parts of the evening were the rapid fire questions with quick answers, and the #DearNextPresident portions of the forum. If you ask me, Senator Sanders outshined the other two candidates, but everyone knows how biased I am too.
This past week, I had the opportunity to meet with the Women for Bernie at a luncheon, hosted by Blair Lawton, and Susanna Cervantes at the Des Moines Botanical Center. Susan Sarandon, Activist, and Academy Award winning actress was our guest speaker. Women from all over Iowa gathered to hear about why Susan Sarandon supports, and is endorsing Bernie this election. She was clear in saying, how it’s not necessary to convince people to support Bernie, but we simply need to educate them on the issues, and they will see for themselves. She brought up her shift from supporting Hilary, back with Senator Clinton’s vote for the war in Iraq. Susan Sarandon spoke of the political revolution occurring and the importance of sharing a message with our activism. It was a fascinating lunch with really good food, and awesome company. The Nurses for Bernie were also guests that day, excited about our speaker, also sharing about why they support Bernie to all they encountered.
As I end this, thinking about this past season and wondering about how tomorrow will go, I realize it’s not about the events and invites. It’s about taking part in helping to shape our nation with a simple vote. Taking the time to learn, share, and take part in the election process. It starts here in Iowa tomorrow, and I’ve said it many times, even if you don’t support Bernie, it’s our civil duty to attend and many Americans would love the chance to participate in our caucuses. All I can hope for tomorrow night is that we have record breaking turnouts, first timers, and plenty of people FeelingTheBern!
