Representative Patty Kim, Harrisburg Delegate

“I believe that the system needs to work for everyone.”

From Beaver County to Bucks County, delegates are traveling across the Keystone State to support Hillary Clinton at the Democratic National Convention. This week we’re sharing the delegates’ remarkable stories of resilience and tenacity.

I serve as State Representative for the 103rd District which includes all of the city of Harrisburg. I am pushing for things that I see Hillary Clinton pushing. I am the prime sponsor for a minimum wage bill to increase the minimum wage. I want to put more money and accountability into public schools, and of course I want to have safety with common sense gun control. We are in the same trajectory with how we think that we could help improve the United States and Pennsylvania.

Have any constituents in Harrisburg come up to you and shared stories of how the minimum wage affects them?

Yes, definitely. I feel this sense of politicians not really understanding the plight of the average person, of somebody who’s working minimum wage at two to three jobs, of having a mom say to me, “Patty, I work 60 to 80 hours a week as a housecleaning lady in a hotel. I just want one job so I can spend more time with my kids.” She didn’t say so she could buy a yacht or put money in bonds. It’s to spend more time with her children. I think that we have to, as elected officials, become more compassionate and really listen to people because the way things are working now is not working for the average person. We need to stand up to make sure measures are put in place so that they can succeed and prosper. When that happens, all of us do well.

Can you recall a moment when you realized that you wanted to become a representative in Pennsylvania?

I’m not the loudest person. I don’t shout and scream and use the word “fight” all the time, but what I like to do is hear somebody heart-to-heart. It is so rewarding to be able to really listen to somebody, think of ways to help them and then, in my position of influence, execute a solution. To see that we are actually helping to change someone’s life for the better, is something no big paycheck can replace. Seeing that satisfaction in their lives is just amazing.

You were originally a news reporter, and I have a journalism background too.

How do you think journalism and politics are related?

Journalism and politics is always about people, the good and the bad. Everyone wants to talk to you when you’re in the media. It’s the same thing in politics. We’re always thinking about the readership, the viewership, and the voters. You have to stay in tune, because if you don’t, then you’re off message. You have to stay focused on what they want.

Another way that they are similar is that they are both about interacting with people. It’s important to make people feel comfortable because then they are able to talk with you openly. You have to let people know they can trust you. Building that trust and credibility is so important. When you go door to door, you literally have two minutes to win them over. And it’s not about your issue — it’s about whether they like you or feel like they can trust you. Such superficial things, but unfortunately, that’s just the way people operate in the voting booth.

Can you recall the moment when you decided you wanted to support Hillary Clinton in the election?

Watching her as a First Lady, as a US Senator, and as Secretary of State, I know what her leadership looks like. She will not be a surprise when she gets to the White House. I know what her leadership looks like. I know that she’s a fighter, that she will not back down. Yes, it makes complete sense for me to support Hillary Clinton because I know the incredible leader we are going to get when she becomes the next President.

Going back to some of the issues that you’re advocating for in Harrisburg, — gun violence prevention, minimum wage, education — have you ever been personally affected by any of these issues? What made some of these issues resonate with you?

I’ve been serving the city of Harrisburg for eleven years now, so their issues are my issues. Seeing the crime with illegal guns on the streets is so heartbreaking. One person may die but it affects a whole neighborhood, and the next neighborhood, until our whole community is affected. I don’t want to see that anymore.

I’m tired of seeing our kids not get what they need in schools, having teachers pay out of pocket for supplies. My students deserve better and I believe Hillary feels the exact same way. I love that Hillary is a mom and a grandmother because I love the image of a mama bear. Mama bears fight for their kids, fight for their families, and they never back down. We need to have somebody who is stable. We need to know what their leadership looks like, because the last thing we need in the United States right now is instability.

If we continue with the nursery rhymes, we’ve got a mama bear and we’ve got a red fox! I don’t know what Trump is for, he’s been very cunning and sly, and I’m not comfortable with that at all. We need a mama bear to lead the country, and Hillary’s the person to do that!

What does being a Democrat mean to you, especially heading into this historic convention?

I am a Democrat because I believe that the system needs to work for everyone. I think that everybody needs to have barriers taken away and a path made open for people to succeed in the United States. I believe government plays an important part in supplying some of those resources, especially for people who were just not born in the right zip code. I love that the Democratic party is diverse, that we’re inclusive, and that we want to make sure that everybody rises up together. This is a very important time, it’s a historic time. I’m going to be at the convention completely excited and not wavering in my choice for presidential candidate. It’s exciting to be a woman. It’s an exciting time for the country itself, because we have someone who is strong, who is qualified, and who knows what it’s going to be like. I’m excited and proud to support Hillary Clinton.

Have you lived in Pennsylvania for most of your life?

I’m a transplant, but I’ve been here since 2000, so sixteen years. I’ve lived in California and outside of DC, but this is where I want to be.

What do you love most about it?

We have the old, we have some of the new, and it’s a transformative time for Pennsylvania. We’re trying to put in a lot more transparency when it comes to government so I get to be a part of something that’s improving government and hopefully improving lives for the people of Pennsylvania. Our state is rich with history, so it’s just so cool to walk in the hallways and see Benjamin Franklin’s picture because he was Speaker of the House for the House of Representatives. To be able to work in a building with so much history is pretty cool.

I asked my daughter when she was eleven, “Brielle, will you become the President of the United States one day?” And she said, “No! No, Mommy!” And I thought “Oh, my gosh, I didn’t instill confidence in my little girl. What did I do wrong?” And then she said quickly after, “Because then I’d just be way too busy! And I can’t be that busy. My schedule would be too crazy!” And I thought, “Okay, she understands the job, and that’s really important.” It’s not impossible for her to become President of the United States, and having Hillary as our President would be so meaningful to show that every girl has the potential to be President. It’s really, really exciting.