In such a complex and multidimensional political landscape, the purpose of politics can often be lost among American citizens. Politics can appear to be a corrupt and convoluted profession, full of screaming matches and hostility, where little can be accomplished. While it's easy to only focus on the national political stage, we can't lose sight of where the real work gets done: local politics. Where the splendor and glamor of national politics is lost, efficacy and diligence is replaced. Local politics is what politics truly is: accurate and important representation, and the insurance that no constituent is left behind. 

One of my first assignments as an intern for New Jersey Legislative District 38's office was to help a constituent understand the vaccine rollout program. This constituent had been home-bound, confined to his residence due to the lack of appropriate medical care caused by the pandemic. Now that the world was seeming to reopen, he felt compelled to do his civic duty and get vaccinated, despite having self-isolated for the entirety of a year and a half. Even throughout the blatant circulation of misinformation and unnecessary politicization of public health, this constituent still want to contribute to the public good even when he didn't have a pressing need to. He wasn't a frontline medical worker, he didn't need to go to work every day, he wasn't going out every day, but he still understood the pressing need to get vaccinated. 

Lately, the vaccine has been effectively demonized — some politicians are even going to the extent of purposely promoting misinformation — but seeing this constituent ignore these lies and still choose to make the right decision, despite having virtually no incentive to, reminded me that we're all in this together. Lockdown made it hard to see friends and family, gatherings were shut down, and masks hid half of faces. Our ability to connect with one another was essentially severed and a sense of community was hampered. But the decision to get vaccinated and contribute to the collective benefit has been the first tangible example of our community healing. And being a part of this experience, being put into a position where I was able to help someone contribute to this communal good, reiterated to myself that helping my community was the most important thing I could do. 

The idea of community has seemed to find its way into every part of my experience as a NJLP Fellow thus far. Even beyond the close-knit community established between all the fellows, the necessity of communal benefit has been an underlying theme of every speakership series.

Even when the speakership series theme varies from government to campaigning to advocacy, each speaker reminds us of the importance of giving back, energizing us even through the online haze of a Zoom meeting. From Laura Jiminez's talk on the importance of integrating your experience in your work, to Carissa Smith's talk on maintaining your composure under pressure, to Shanti Narra's talk on fighting gender stereotypes in the South Asian community, each speaker has reminded me of why I want to go into public service. I feel compelled to give back, and NJLP has given me a community of motivated individuals who feel the same. 

After every speaker series, the fellowship group chat buzzes with discussion. Each of us can agree that we have been impacted in some way by what we've just heard, even when the application of this varies from person to person. I learn about how some of my peers felt inspired to enter a certain area of politics, how others challenged their beliefs by hearing from a certain speakers, and even how others learned a new way of thinking — all in only three hours. Every Saturday morning, I don't just hear from experienced professionals motivated to make change, I hear from the next generation of them, too.