Newness is challenging to embrace. There is comfort in knowing a way forward, comfort in knowing someone else went through the same situation and made it out on the other side.
In spite of the uncertainty, new experiences can pave the way for new discoveries. As a young intern for Team Ness, my past few years have been full of new beginnings. In high school I held several different jobs where I worked for the Crystal Lake Public Library and the Northern Illinois Special Recreation Association (NISRA). Throughout high school, my passion for politics blossomed, leading me to move to Washington D.C. in the fall of 2023 to attend American University. While in D.C., I had the privilege of interning for a local Representative on Capitol Hill, rapidly adopting new skills and encountering new situations on a daily basis. Ironically enough, these once-in-a-lifetime opportunities that presented themselves in D.C. led me back home to District 66. I knew I wanted to work locally over the summer, and my previous work with people with disabilities through my high school and at NISRA drew me to Suzanne Ness’s campaign.
Now that I’m interning with Team Ness, new beginnings come in many forms, and I am not just referring to our awesome new office that we recently moved into (although you should definitely check it out!). Through my work, I have been able to meet with inspiring members of the community, experiment with ideas to create engaging online campaign content, and contribute to a movement that stands for all in a time fraught with unprecedented threats to human rights and democracy.
Working with Team Ness during this stressful and uncertain election year has been refreshing and gives me a sense of purpose in the midst of the “new” developments our country seems to encounter on a daily basis. Through campaigning with Suzanne, I have been able to learn more about my surrounding community and be an advocate for Illinoisains within and outside of District 66. In my own way, I am working towards a more prosperous and promising “new beginning” for our country, one that works for all people.
This July will also mark the one year anniversary of the Barbie movie, a film that similarly sheds light on the complexities associated with being a woman living in the midst of the uncertain, patriarchal “Real World.” As Barbie so eloquently states when deciding to become human, “I want to be a part of the people that make meaning, not the thing that is made.” We get to be the people that make meaning of and in the world around us. With Team Ness, I am proud to work with so many talented people who work to make meaning in our pocket of Illinois here in District 66. We wield this passion in our fight for “new beginnings,” not just in Illinois, but for our country and the world. Whether it be defending reproductive rights, protecting the environment, standing for people with disabilities, or simply defending democracy, I campaign with Suzanne to uplift our fellow meaning-makers in District 66. Together, we can forge new beginnings as we create meaning in our uncertain world.
