As part of a continuing series, we're following Obama Organizing Fellows as they share their stories and their experiences. They discuss the people they meet, the hardships of organizing, what the campaign means to them, and how this summer is changing their perspective.
Andy is an Organizing Fellow in Ohio. His stories appear each Wednesday.
This past week has been great in Columbus. We didn't have any events as large as the Declare Your Independence Voter Registration Drive, so instead we focused on having a steady and consistent presence in the community. In order to achieve this we have been incorporating our goals into every part of our lives. Living the change I want to see means that I uprooted myself from family, friends and my job to move to Ohio. I have also been riding my bicycle as much as possible. I have already biked 280 miles for change since I started working with the campaign here.My bike is a useful tool for reducing my carbon footprint and for registering voters. It allows me to cover a large area in a short amount of time and maximize the amount of voters I can contact. Getting out of the office and getting some exercise feels great as well.The volunteers that we meet are also living the change they want to see on a daily basis. Mary previously lived in Chicago and has been watching Obama for a long time now. Once he announced his candidacy she knew she had to get involved. She lives the change she wants to see by volunteering for the campaign. She has been involved in Columbus, Ohio since the primary and coordinates with local events to ensure that we have a presence in the community. I asked her why she took time off from her job to volunteer for the campaign she told me that "there is nothing that can ruin this society more than apathy."The importance of getting active was echoed by George. George is an organizing fellow who grew up in Chicago.George was not always active in politics. He recalls past elections when his candidate was favored to win as he sat watching the polls on the sidelines. Watching the polls turned out to not be the best strategy to win an election. He learned his lesson and then explained to me that whether we are up or down in the polls we have to work just as hard to create the change we seek.George has been generating change in Columbus by working with volunteers to host house meetings. His most recent meeting took place on the east side. He met with many people who were involved in the civil rights movement of the sixties. They feel that this election is a chance to continue what they had started in their youth.Change is not just something that George sees happening to this country. He also sees it happening to himself. Through this fellowship, he said, "I have learned to trust myself as an organizer. I was never one to plan events or get other people involved before now." After the fellowship is over George plans to stay involved by registering his friends, family and neighbors in his hometown. His favorite thing about this campaign is enthusiastic volunteers like Mary. He called the experience "empowering" for volunteers, himself, and our country.
Check back next week for more from Andy in Ohio, and check out our Flickr page for more of his photos.
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