Fourth-year Carleton University student and Rideau River Residence Association (RRRA) president Kaisha Thompson embodies dedication, determination, hard work, and a strong love for all things political. Thompson is majoring in political science with a concentration in Canadian politics and minoring in both law and indigenous studies. Throughout her academic career, Thompson has invested a lot of time into political organizations both on and off campus.
Growing up in the small town of Meaford, Ont., Thompson was always surrounded by people she knew. Ottawa, being a much larger city, had a whole new vibe. Living in residence helped Thompson feel more comfortable with the transition.
“I come from a very small town so I was very used to having people around me and feeling very much a part of the community, and that’s what residence gave me,” she said.
RRRA, the oldest residence association in Canada, is instrumental in ensuring Carleton students have the best experience while living on residence. While in her third year, Thompson felt that RRRA had suddenly declined.
“They weren’t engaging students. They weren’t being an active student government. I thought that if I ran [for president] I could make RRRA basically better,” she said.
When Thompson took office on May 1st, her team was left with an $18, 000 deficit. After many cuts, this deficit has been completely cleared, leaving RRRA with a projected surplus of $40, 000.
On campus, Thompson is involved in many different political organizations. Thompson is one of the founding members and vice-president of Equal Voice, a national organization dedicated to getting women into politics.
“I don’t consider myself marginalized as a woman, I just think that women surely could do better in politics and in society; there aren’t many CEO’s or business leaders that are female. As women, we need to be more cognitive about when we are being left out and why. If its due to our gender, I think that’s [when] we need to fight back,” she said.
Thompson is also the vice-president in communication for the Political Science Society, the fourth-year representative for Carleton Academic Student Government, the only student to sit on the Senate executive and is the vice-president of the Carleton Young Liberals.
“No one becomes president of everything on their first day. I’ve worked hard to get to where I am,” she said.
Off campus, Thompson has worked on several political campaigns at all levels of government.
She spent two years as the parliamentary intern of Hon. Larry Bagnell. Thompson was the youth advisor, candidate aide, regional chair and social media director in the Meaford municipality for Liberal candidate Kimberley Love. She was also the national youth chair on Sheila Copps’ campaign for Liberal party presidency.
“I really like politics. There are some days where I curse myself; it’s certainly a bloody sport, but it’s fun for me,” she said.
But despite all her experience, Thompson is still uncertain about whether she will pursue politics as a career.
“Politics is one of those things you are kind of thrown into. You never know what will happen and it’s not something that I have a plan for,” she said.
Graduating this April, Thompson is sure of one thing, that she will not be running for CUSA nominations.
“My name for sure will not be on the ballot. I feel that my time at Carleton is done. I’ve been active enough in student politics to feel fulfilled,” she said.
“It’s interesting that the beginning of my politics is also the end of my politics at Carleton. It’s kind of come full-circle, which is nice.”
– Photo Credit: Harrison Boyd