This week, I had the pleasure of speaking with three FSU students, Alexa Senan, Alex Carson, and organization president Aidan Payette, on their involvement in Students for Bernie at Florida State University. Formerly Noles Want Bernie, the organization has been revived for the 2020 presidential election and boy do they feel the Bern.
Students for Bernie at FSU
According to Alexa, the organization’s goal “is to create a safe space for students to educate, organize and canvass for Bernie.” Aidan pointed out that historically, young people do not have fairly low voter turnouts when it comes to elections. “With this campaign, however, we feel that our message resonates with everyone, especially young people. Young people overwhelmingly support large scale action against climate change, criminal justice reform, tuition-free public college and single-payer healthcare, so there’s no surprise that young people also overwhelmingly support… Bernie Sanders! So it’s up to us to make sure this message is spread across campus so we can see an unprecedented turnout from young people.”
What is a typical meeting like?
Alex says the meetings start “with introductions and a reason that we support Bernie.” According to Aiden, the group will then go into whatever activity they have planned for the night, which is usually canvass training (“where we will go over how to interact with our fellow students and ask them about the election”), barnstorms (“in which we come up with a list of anyone in our lives whom we are willing to talk to about Bernie”) or phone banking (“in which we will actually reach out to these people we’ve committed to talking to”). During meetings, the group also discusses any updates to the BERN app, which Alex describes as “a tool for volunteers to canvass and sign others up to volunteer.” Finally, Alexa points out that each meeting ends in a group picture!
What are a few interesting activities you have been able to participate in through the organization?
Though he points out that they “are not the best way to spread information on candidates,” Aidan says he has loved “holding debate watch parties.” He says it can be “nice to be able to hold an event where we can get like-minded people out to watch them with and also gain a better understanding of what separates the candidates from one another.” Alexa mentions she’s been able to attend every debate watch party so far, as well as the showing of Knock Down the House at the Student Life Cinema, where she canvassed to students attending the event. Alex also mentioned that several members of Noles for Bernie at FSU “went to the state capital for the #FundOurFutures rally to increase public school funding.” Recently, the organization has also been able to travel to South Carolina for canvassing.
How can other students get involved?
All three members told me that the easiest way to get involved is to follow the organization’s social media accounts (and give them a like or two).
Twitter: @noles4bernie
Instagram: @noles4bernie
Facebook: Students for Bernie at FSU
This is where all future meeting and event times will be posted. Outside of these times, you can find the organization tabling and canvassing every market Wednesday. Alex also points out that “it’s never too late to start volunteering; the political establishment will do everything in its power to stop Bernie from becoming president. No effort is too little.”
Finally, if you’re still wondering why a Bernie Sanders presidency is so important, I asked Aidan, the president of the organization, to give me his thoughts –
“If we want to secure a viable planet for our future and a just society for all people, we are going to have to fight like hell. I don’t think there is another campaign with that mentality. That’s what #NotMeUs is all about… Bernie knows that real change doesn’t come from the top down but from the bottom up. If we want to see the real revolutionary change that we want, it will involve a movement. As an education major here at FSU, I know that this is the case as well. Teachers in West Virginia, Oklahoma, Arizona, and all across the country didn’t see increased funding just by sitting back with crossed fingers. They stood in the streets and demanded the dignity… their profession deserves. It’s time for us to fight like that for healthcare, for our planet, for workers’ rights, for women’s rights, for LGBT rights, for our planet. This campaign is all about solidarity, and it excites and inspires me to no end. So, I suppose that’s what a Sanders presidency would mean to me.”
The presidential preference primary election in Florida is March 17, and if you feel inspired by these students, be sure to cast your vote for Bernie Sanders.
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