Candidate for Civic Engagement Chair

Member since since 2024

Why are you running for this position? 

I recently celebrated my one-year anniversary as a Thursday Network member, so I’ve had the opportunity to attend signature events, connect with fellow members, and better understand the benefits of being a member. Through TN, I've strengthened my passion for advocacy, gaining skills such as being certified to register voters in Maryland, and supporting voter education and registration at local festivals in the DC area. I hope to further utilize the skills to support voter outreach, education and mobilization in the DMV while paying it forward and providing the opportunity for our members to do the same. 

What qualifications do you possess that make you uniquely qualified for this position?

As the current civic engagement chair, I've prioritized relationship building through partnership cultivation with existing partners, and building connections with new partners to share resources, provide education, and advocacy opportunities to our members and broader community. Prior to serving as civic engagement chair, I was the deputy civic engagement chair which allowed me to facilitate and create agendas for committee meetings and conduct outreach to community partners regarding collaborations for events, such as national day of empowerment. 

As a DC resident, I’ve worked on local campaigns and volunteered with the mayor’s office to knock on doors raising awareness about various issues impacting our community, most recently raising awareness about COVID vaccination sites in DC during the height of the pandemic. The civic engagement chair represents more than just a position. The civic engagement chair represents action, love, paying it forward for those who are alongside us, and those who will come behind us. It’s caring for the community that cares for us. It’s showing up for the movement. 

What initiatives would you implement if selected for this position?

If given the opportunity, I envision cultivating partnerships with members of the executive leadership council to help TN members curate civic-minded community spaces, partnering with like-minded organizations in the DMV area to educate on local challenges to DC governance (DC Home Rule, for example), continue to share testimonies at the Wilson Building, supporting telling our unique stories, host sessions on how to run for office in addition to writing op-Eds and contacting representatives, and educate members on how to prepare for general, midterm and special elections while encouraging community members to do the same. 

If selected for this position, describe how you would use your role to impact on the Thursday Network, the Greater Washington Urban League, and the National Urban League Young Professionals?

One of the core values of Thursday Network is civic engagement, and as the current civic engagement chair I've demonstrated the value of partnership to further the scope, awareness, and  impact of Thursday Network. Civic engagement is at the core of all that we do, so I will continue to weave in opportunities for our membership and broader community to engage with the mission, values, and services of Thursday Network (TN) , the Greater Washington Urban League (GWUL), and the National Urban League Young Professionals (NULYP) through civically minded programming, skills cultivation and advocacy opportunities. 

How much time can you commit to this position per month? 

10-20 hours