OUT ON THE HILL is the official blog of the Victory Congressional Interns. Views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of LGBTQ+ Victory Institute. Learn more about the internship at victoryinstitute.org/vci.
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The past eight weeks working on The Hill and participating in the Victory Congressional Internship program went by so quickly. It truly was a historic time to be working in Congress, with what felt like every single day bringing a new story that would completely change the tides of the news cycle. From monumental supreme court cases to the 2024 presidential election, in addition to the day-to-day operation of Congress, my day was filled with hundreds of news clips and media monitoring.
My time in D.C. has been spent trying to figure out what comes next after I return to school in the fall and graduate in December. I entered the summer with the goal of learning as much as possible working in Speaker Emerita Pelosi’s Office so I have the option to work in either federal or local government. Before starting here in D.C., I was worried that my experiences on The Hill wouldn’t translate to other political arenas, or that my previous experience of working in college and local politics wouldn’t translate to working in Congress.
As part of Victory’s programming, many speakers came in to talk about working in politics, either in Congress, for a federal agency, or through outside activism and non-profits. Having this built-in network of people to talk to was incredibly helpful in providing a sounding board for questions regarding our next steps. In addition to the many guests of Victory, I was also very grateful to all the people I got coffee or lunch with who were willing to answer all of my questions. It was incredible hearing each of their individual stories about how they made it to this current position in their career, because everyone’s path was so different.
On one of our final programming days, we had a virtual lunch with the CEO of Victory, Mayor Annise Parker, and I asked, “How can I take my experiences this summer working in Congress to working in local politics?” She answered in a very simple but profound way, “Politics is politics, is politics.” Meaning that in all levels of government, politics is the same game, and if you are good in politics in one arena, that will likely translate to another. At this moment, I felt an “AH HA!” Politics is a people business, and in every level of government, people must be represented and feel like their elected officials are working on their behalf. This understanding reinvigorated my interest in political communications, because whether it is an alderperson, mayor, or representative, the people deserve to hear what their leaders are doing for them.
These past eight weeks have been full of deep thoughts about our government and my place in it moving forward. I am grateful to the entire team at Speaker Pelosi’s Office for the opportunity of a lifetime to work for and learn from the greatest leader in the history of the House of Representatives. Everyone there has shown me so much support, learning opportunities, and patience. I am also grateful for the team at Victory connecting me with so many amazing queer people in politics, and for the opportunity to work alongside a cohort that has been so supportive in this journey. I realize that what makes a great work experience is the people and team you work alongside, as well as the community you are working in. I feel so lucky to have found welcome in the D.C. queer community and with my new friends at Victory.
In my first VCI blog post, I talked about looking up at the glow of the Capitol dome when I was visiting D.C. for a weekend in November and thinking about how that dome serves as a beacon of democracy and representation to the world. After eight weeks now working under that dome, my sentiments have not changed, but it is clearer than ever that we must continue to fight to make sure that every voice is represented in the halls of power. I have never been more excited to begin my career in public service!
