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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Ever since I was a kid, I’ve had to work harder to adapt to and accept change. Change has always been daunting to me, but in my first few weeks in DC, I have noticed myself embracing change more, leading to ample new possibilities for my future.
The main challenges I’ve had to face thus far in my internship have been adapting to my new life in DC for the summer and overcoming imposter syndrome. As I said before, I sometimes struggle with adapting to change, so I was worried about how the transition to working in an office at my first internship and living alone in a big city would go for me. Even though these seemed like huge obstacles, I navigated them with ease. Traveling to and from work using DC’s public transit and adapting to the culture of working in the office of a Congressional House Representative have not shown themselves to be the massive challenges I initially thought they would be.
Additionally, since I was offered this internship a few months ago, I have been wrestling with imposter syndrome. I found myself constantly asking “Why me?” and doubting if I could truly excel as an intern on Capitol Hill. The pressure of this being my first-ever internship only added to that feeling. However, after these first few weeks, I now understand that I was chosen for this internship because I am meant to be here. My passion for public policy along with the knowledge I’ve gained from my extensive coursework at UNC, have made me the perfect candidate for this internship. Now, instead of asking “Why me?” I ask, “Why not me?”
Seeing myself represented on The Hill through my amazing mentors has also been instrumental in helping me to overcome my imposter syndrome. Through the Victory Institute and my networking efforts, I have been blessed with mentors I can deeply connect with because of our shared identities. Having mentors on The Hill who I can identify with because of our shared blackness, queerness, and womanhood has been such a gift. I am profoundly grateful for how my mentors have welcomed me with open arms and provided resources to ensure I can find community and get the most out of my summer as a Hilltern as a Black, queer, woman. Recently, I was able to help the staffers in my office set up a luncheon for the members of the Congressional Black Caucus, and seeing successful members of Congress who looked like me was a powerful moment. The awe I felt as I looked out into a room filled with Black excellence was incredible, and I will cherish that moment for the rest of my life. Witnessing meaningful representation in such a powerful space has been crucial as I think about how my experiences this summer could influence what I want to do for a career in the future.
Before this internship, I never saw myself working on Capitol Hill because I had no desire to be a politician, and those are the only people I saw working on The Hill. However, working in Congressman Torres’ office has shown me the different jobs that operate ‘behind the scenes’ to help ensure our elected officials serve their constituents the best they can. I have recently become more interested in understanding the work of our elected officials’ communications teams and schedulers. Realizing that there are more careers on Capitol Hill than working as a politician and seeing myself represented in these different jobs has drastically changed my perspective on what life could look like for me, working on The Hill. Every day working as a Hilltern, I believe even more that this could be the work I want to dedicate my career to.
I came to DC with an open heart and a willingness to embrace change, and thus far, my experiences in DC have been monumental for my growth. Not only do I now feel comfortable in my position as a Hilltern with the Victory Institute, but I am excitedly looking toward the future. I plan to explore everything that DC has to offer me. I am profoundly grateful to my professors, family, friends, the Victory Institute, and my mentors for guiding and supporting me throughout this process. My experience in DC thus far has been a whirlwind of exhilarating firsts and discoveries of new opportunities and I can’t wait to see what the remainder of my summer in DC has to offer me.
