Stated Podcast: Calvin Wilborn, College Democrats of America
Season 2, Episode 2 of Stated, a podcast by the DLCC
Calvin Wilborn is President of College Democrats of America and a senior at Auburn University majoring in Public Administration. He is passionate about voting rights, health care, and southern food, and sat down with Jessica to discuss young people and the upcoming elections.
This interview was first published on May 1, 2019 and has been edited for length and clarity. Subscribe to Stated on your favorite podcast app.
Jessica reminisces about her time knocking on doors in Missouri as a member of College Democrats of Truman State University, and talks with Calvin about the important work College Democrats of America (CDA) is doing now to gear up for 2020.
Calvin Wilborn: The proudest accomplishment that I’ve had as President of CDA is organizing for National Voter Registration Day last year. This was the first time that CDA has really had a concentrated effort to have a National Voter Registration Day, and we had over 200 campuses across the country… We knew that it was so important that we actually mobilize voters and make sure young people are registered to vote, especially as we get ready to go into 2020.
Many young people are active and engaged in issues that affect their lives, but don’t always see party affiliation as a path to success in moving their issues forward. Jessica asked Calvin, “What would you say to them about joining the Democratic Party?”
This election, 2020 and 2019, these are elections of values… We look at these big issues, whether it’s marriage equality, civil rights, voting rights– the Democratic Party has been pushing these issues, trying to restore the Voting Rights Act. I think we can point to these issues and say, whether you’re a moderate or a super progressive, “These are the core issues of the Democratic Party.”
Jessica also asked Calvin what inspires him the most about working with College Democrats and young people.
It’s the hope in the future. These students are really working hard for something that’s a bigger cause than themselves… We recognize that there’s so many issues, so many things going on in our country, that we have to fight for the next generation. I think that’s what we’re here for is to make sure the next generation of college students, the next generation of children don’t have to face the same barriers we face.
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