My Journey Defending Democracy
My Journey Defending Democracy
Networking to Success
I was originally drawn to politics in 2016 because, for the first time in American history, there was a chance that a woman would be elected president. I felt I had to do whatever it took to fight for Hillary. Fast forward to 2020 and the arrival of COVID which took a terrible toll on my family. I was at a low point and didn’t know what to do next when a volunteer with my state’s Democratic campaign texted to ask if I could help out. I leapt at the opportunity to be a text bank volunteer, not a large role but at least I was doing something. I applied myself to the cause and soon began texting for other states, as well as for the Democratic National Committee.
I still remember all the nail biting during the vote counts in Pennsylvania and Georgia, and I was over the moon when Joe Biden was declared the winner. But when the unthinkable happened on January 6, 2021, I realized that my political work must go on.
In February 2021, one of my political heroes, John Fetterman, announced he was running for the U.S. Senate. I jumped right in and did whatever I could to help get him elected. This led to being included on Fetterman’s elite team of volunteers focused solely on his social media. It was a wildly successful campaign, as you can see from the kudos I was getting from my hero!
In searching for my next mission, I came across Field Team 6 and its focus on voter registration. It felt like a very good fit and, best of all, this is the group that introduced me to The Union! As I networked my way through a variety of organizations, I was able to not only develop my voice as a fierce defender of democracy, but recover the hope I thought I had lost in 2016.
Post inspired by an article from Marie Brophy, a volunteer with The Union
Marie Brophy is a self-admitted “Social science nerd” who, by the time she was in third grade, could tell you all the state capitals. She’s done everything from wearing a pre-revolutionary costume and giving tours of the summer home of William Penn to spending 12 hours in a campaign field office in Bucks County (PA) with a group of New Yorkers and a dozen pizzas. She’s currently a member of the DNC’s Social Ambassador team, a phone bank trainer for Field Team 6, and the social media lead for The Union in Pennsylvania, plus a vlogger on YouTube with the channel LifeofMarie267. Originally from southern New Jersey, Marie calls Bucks County, PA home now and is still trying to find a way to convince her uncles that Donald Trump is a bad idea.
Note: The views and opinions expressed by volunteer contributors are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the positions of The Union, a single-issue organization that welcomes all and is dedicated to protecting democracy.
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