What it’s like voluntering for the Bernie Sanders campaign

When I first arrived at The University of Connecticut as a transfer student (from Suffolk University, a private school in downtown Boston), one thing immediately became apparent: I was literally in the middle of nowhere. It was clear that unless I wanted to become a dairy farmer or an arborist, I would have to search every corner of this 4,093 acre campus for a cause. What I found was the Bernie Sanders presidential campaign.

At the time I was certainly aware of the Vermont Senator championing campaign finance reform, the right to healthcare, and the de-escalation of US military intervention abroad; for the first time, I had some hope for some change to the current political system, a system living in the shadow of Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, a Supreme Court case that elaborated on the nature of a corporation’s personhood (and in turn, their right to free speech).

Bernie Sanders has had a lot to say about Citizens United v. FEC, saying in 2010: “The ruling will, to a significant degree, give control of the political process in the United States to the wealthiest and most powerful institutions in the world and the candidates who support their agenda. Instead of democracy being about one-person one-vote, it will now be about the size of a company’s bank account.”

I was already a Bernie fan, and now was my time to get involved. My duties as a volunteer varied greatly from day to day; Monday I would be registering students to vote during Connecticut’s closed primaries (a part of the system that both Bernie and I believe should be abolished) and then another day I would be sliding leaflets under the doors of my neighbors (with the occasional angry Trump supporter lambasting me for spreading “communist propaganda”).

A popular tactic for mass-communication that emerged on many college campuses this year was the use of common sidewalk chalk for the “chalking” of political messages within a given public space. These chalked messages acted as a form of temporary promotion of a given political candidate (some of UConn For Bernie’s work is exhibited above). The rise of chalking has received plenty of media attention, such as when students at Emory University protested the mass-chalking of pro-Trump blurbs on their campus. Many students deemed these markings to be threatening, as many feel the name Trump is synonymous with terms like anti-immigrant, anti-woman, and anti-Muslim.

One of the standout moments of my experience with the Bernie Sanders campaign was driving one of their shuttle vans back and forth from the polls. For the entirety of the daylight hours of April 26th, 2016, I sat in the cockpit of the ivory Chrysler (that smelled a bit like fast food for no particular reason), driving back and forth between the same two locations. With a few hours sleep and a Moe’s bag full of chips, guac, and a tofu burrito; I powered through that day no like no other.

Not to say that my experience with the campaign was all work and no fun. I was given the opportunity to meet one of my long time favorite actors; Justin Long (Yes, the guy from the Mac vs PC commercials, Kevin Smith’s Tusk, and many other films). Justin was very enthusiastic about Bernie Sanders and the ideals he stands for, remarking that he himself is involved in No Kid Hungry, a charitable organization that helps children get the nourishment they need on a daily basis. Justin also stated he was involved with the Mote Marine Research Laboratory in Sarasota, FL, a lab that studies the effects of climate change on marine life in Florida.

Being a part of the Bernie Sanders Revolution has taught me many things. I’ve learned that not every politician is crooked and catering to the interests of big business. I learned that a single person, if dedicated enough, can make a big difference on a scale only restricted by their own vision.

When I decided to volunteer to support Bernie Sander’s presidential run, I had one thing on my mind: the future. I reasoned that if nothing is done soon to separate money from politics, the United States government will be at risk of becoming a corporatocracy, ruled by the interests of Big Business.

Due to the dire nature of the current situation, I am intent on supporting Bernie Sanders; even if he is not the candidate elected this year, because this movement is bigger than one man and one political office; this is the beginning of a progressive revolution.