A passion for community advocacy led 艾比·尼克24岁 to serve as the “Get Out the Vote” coordinator for the 哈特福德投票联盟 直到11月7日的2023年市政选举.
尼克自5月以来一直在哈特福德投票联盟工作, a nonpartisan organization with a mission to increase voter engagement in the city of 哈特福德.
“I’ve learned so much from this local opportunity,” said Nick, who is from Pepperell, Massachusetts. “市政选举和地方非营利组织非常重要. I want to encourage other Trinity students to look at these positions available to them and to learn from the 哈特福德 community.”
阅读更多关于尼克的经历:
How did you get the position as ‘Get Out the Vote’ coordinator for the 哈特福德投票联盟?
我5月份开始在他们那里做青年实习生, when I was recommended for the position by Assistant Professor of Political Science 讨厌做他参与了该联盟. 我这样做了一个月. Then after they received grant funding from the 哈特福德 Foundation for Public Giving, they were looking for a grant coordinator and I was hired in a contract position. 这个资助周期在学期结束时结束. 选举之后, we’ll evaluate our progress and write up a grant report about the impact we made and to suggest adjustments for the 2024 cycle. I hope to continue to be involved in this organization in some way after that.
为什么选民参与工作对你很重要?
I think one of the most important aspects of being part of the Trinity community is also being part of the 哈特福德 community. That has meant a lot to me in my years 在这里, being engaged off campus as well as on. 我和当地的非营利组织合作过, 实习期间主要是做游说和宣传工作, 我想更直接地参与到公众参与中来. This position really interested me because 哈特福德 has a low voter turnout, 尤其是在Frog Hollow和Trinity附近的其他社区. I think it’s so important to make sure that everyone has equal access to voting and voter education. I’ve also done a lot of work with college students in 哈特福德—including Trinity students—like a youth-based forum, 有针对性的公益广告, 以及面向年轻人的材料. The 18-to-27 age group has the lowest voting participation nationally and in Connecticut.
你在这个职位上的目标是什么?
从长远来看，我希望在大选中看到选民的增加. 但我衡量成功的方式是通过与社区的日常互动. I’ve been part of numerous candidate events in various degrees, including one on Trinity’s campus. 大多数这些活动的投票率都很高. 我们尝试接触不同的人群, making sure the events are in different neighborhoods in 哈特福德 and that we’re engaging with different parts of the community. Making sure that everyone has equal access to these events is what matters to me.
你在这份工作中最好的经历是什么?
对我来说最重要的是我们的“动员投票”会议. 在夏天，我们几乎每个月都有一次. We brought together leaders from 12 different nonprofits in the 哈特福德 area that are focused on civic engagement work, and we’ve collaborated and talked about ways we could better our work and learn from each other. We are all focused on different populations, but we’re all working toward similar goals. 这些对我来说都是鼓舞人心的事件, especially as a student hoping to work in the nonprofit field when I graduate in May. It’s been really amazing to have all these networking opportunities to connect with people in the field.
How does your work with the 哈特福德投票联盟 connect with your studies at Trinity? 尼克主修人权和政治学的双学位, 辅修社区行动和哲学.
这有助于加强我的政治科学教育. 我研究了联邦和州政府的许多方面, 所以现在在市级工作很有趣. 我上过游说、选举、统计和数据方面的课. 当我们收到哈特福德的投票数据时, I can use that to adjust our strategy about who we’re reaching out to and w在这里 we’re making registration more available. It’s taking exactly what I’ve learned in the classroom and applying it to the real world. 我的辅修是社区行动，我在 社区行动门户 as a first-year student and that started my interaction with the 哈特福德 community. It taught me how to effectively research and engage with community partners, 这对我的工作很有帮助. 我希望参加全球十大网赌正规平台 立法实习计划 在康涅狄格州议会大厦, 我很想看看这两种经历有什么不同.
这和你在三一杀手之后的计划有什么关系?
今年春天我要参加法学院入学考试, but I plan to take a year or two before going to law school to work either in the nonprofit sector or as a paralegal in a public interest firm. 在那之后, 我打算攻读法律学位, 我希望用它来从事社会工作或人权倡导法. 我一直对这个很有热情. I actually found Trinity because I wanted to pursue a degree in human rights, 全球十大网赌正规平台是全国第一所拥有 人权方案. I’ve always been interested in community work; as a kid, I volunteered in community service organizations and got my Gold Award in Girl Scouts. I’m passionate about injustices I’ve seen in the world and helping various populations by being an advocate for my community. 我从小就受到教育价值的熏陶. 我知道不是每个人都能负担得起教育费用, so I’ve always wanted to gain a degree that I can use to help others who may be less fortunate.
Do you have any advice for Trinity students about voting at the municipal level?
Make sure you know when your local elections are and what candidates and issues are on the ballot. If you’re a Trinity student registered to vote at home, request your absentee ballot. 我把我的邮件寄到我的校园邮箱. I fill it out and send it back to my hometown in Massachusetts and I’ve never missed an election. 这很容易做到. 市政选举, 在我心中, 比全国大选重要得多, but they’re often the ones that people don’t think about or don’t think matter. Your voice and your vote are taken at such a higher value at these local elections. These are the elections that will result in things that directly affect you, 比如为学校提供资金, 道路, 和公园. Initiatives that affect your daily life w在这里 you live are determined by our municipal leaders. 这是一种叙述, 尤其是在我们这一代, 人们不投票，因为他们认为他们的投票不重要. 它. Our generation has so much to say and so many important changes that we want to make in our world. 第一种方式是投票. I think if our entire age group was getting out and voting, we would make a huge impact. 确保你在投票，确保你的声音重要.
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