Last weekend I attended the “Women’s Political Bootcamp” event on campus. Once I arrived, I instantly noticed something about those in attendance; they were passionate, motivated women who were interested in creating a better future. The environment was inspiring. To see people who were dedicating their time and efforts on a Saturday morning to such a powerful event sends a loud message to the world: we are resisting.
In attendance, apart from Kutztown faculty, staff, and students, were four panelists. These panelists all came from different political backgrounds and experiences which made them an asset to the event. The panelists included Senator Judy Schwank, previous council member Gail Hoover, APSCUF coordinator Chris Ayala, and finally Sam Bennett who is running for Mayor in Allentown this upcoming election.
The morning began with a registration hour, followed by an introduction from those who made the event possible (Inside 254 founders Dr. Colleen Clemens and Dr. Amanda Morris) and finally, the special guests introducing themselves and explaining to us a little bit of their backgrounds, motivations, and how they got to where they are today.
This was really effective as it helped me engage in the events that would occur throughout the rest of the boot-camp. After introductions were all said and done, we moved to private rooms with each of the panelists. We were able to interact with them for 15 minutes and learn valuable lessons in even such a short amount of time.
We need more women in politics. We need a voice for marginalized groups. We need someone who can speak from experience instead of letting people of the opposite sex make decisions for us without understanding. It is with my deepest hopes that this event inspired women from all different backgrounds to run for office and finally make a difference; to be a voice for the women who rarely get the opportunity to speak out.
Overall, this event helped both women and men alike to learn the process of getting into office and making a difference. We refuse to accept the world we live in. While everyone wants to shape the world in even the smallest of ways, nobody ever considers running for office. This event largely inspired those in attendance to step up and make that goal a reality.
Check back for more information about each of the panelists and their advice in the coming weeks!
P.S. Check out Inside 254, they’re awesome.