We spoke to the students campaigning on Hillary for America

As the Democratic National Convention approaches, we talked to two young people involved with Hillary for America.

Chelcie Alcorn, a Biology student at Pitt, works on the ground in Pennsylvania, while Jordan Cozby, an 18-year-old who starts at Yale in the fall, is based in Alabama.

Tell me about your role and your day-to-day responsibilities within the campaign.

Chelcie: Day-to-day is a bit difficult because right now, everyone from the HFA campaign in Pennsylvania is transitioning into organizers for the PA Democratic Party. Since Hillary “isn’t the nominee yet,” we aren’t doing anything for her right now.

Organizing is voter outreach every single day. We makes thousands of phone calls and knock on hundreds of doors. Tuesdays and Thursdays we held evening phone banks for other volunteers to come and join us. Saturdays, we held canvasses that launched at noon and 3pm to houses in the nearby area.

I was also on what they called the “advance team,” so I was responsible for making things happen when someone was coming to to town. For example, when Hillary came, I helped find people to stand behind her, which surprised me because I didn’t know that was a job, and I checked in VIP and photo line people.

Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee came in from Texas to speak at a Students for Hillary event, and I was able to introduce her. I would’ve never imagined at this time last year that I would be this involved, but it’s been truly amazing that I’ve been able to do so much with the campaign.

Jordan: I currently serve on the Hillary for Alabama Leadership Council. This group is made up of mostly elected officials and dedicated activists from all walks of life in the state. I supported student engagement and get out the vote efforts ahead of Alabama’s March 1st primary.

When Secretary Clinton hosted a rally at Miles College on February 27th, I had the opportunity to meet her and speak to the crowd a few minutes before she gave her speech. February 27th happened to also be my 18th birthday, which was amazing and allowed me to cast my first ever ballot in the primary election for Secretary Clinton.

Why did you join the campaign?

Chelcie: Well, I’ve been with Hillary since before she was announced. It started with my admiration for how accomplished she was as a woman in public life, then my passion for women’s rights pushed me toward her some more, and the more I knew about her, the more I liked her.

Then Bernie Sanders started to get more attention. “I’m pretty progressive,” I thought, “I border on socialism myself. Universal healthcare is something I’ve always wanted the United States to adopt.” I call this my “existential crisis.” Akin to asking your pastor for guidance when something troubles you in life, I went to my mentors.

I said: “Give me three good reasons I should stay on Hillary’s team. I really like Bernie.” Naturally, I got WAY more than three good reasons which ranged from “we have to win,” to “she has the best record of walking the bipartisan line,” to “she’s much more realistic,” to your basic, “she’s a she.” And yes, I know that being a woman isn’t a good reason to vote for someone alone. She has to be the right person for the job.

I believe Hillary Clinton is the most qualified of the entire original field of candidates to be suited up on day one. She has proven her understanding of almost all areas of the presidency, both foreign and domestic. Though I don’t agree with her on every single issue, I think she will do the best job at representing the US as a whole, and not just a part of it.

Jordan: I became involved with the HFA campaign because I saw the urgency of this election. Having first gotten involved in Obama’s 2012 re-election effort, I knew we had to build on the progressive achievements the President has established, and I believe Secretary Clinton is uniquely qualified and equipped to take on that task.

The potential devastating consequences of Donald Trump as President also serve as motivation for me. Trump poses a threat to our nation that transcends party lines, and Americans must unite to stop him in November. This clear choice continues to serve as my favorite part of this campaign. We are organizing in a truly historic time in our country. When the stakes are this high, I can’t imagine sitting on the sidelines.

What would you say to other college students thinking about getting involved in the campaign?

Chelcie: Do it! You will not regret it. Even if you can only give a few hours every week or two, every volunteer hour counts. Especially if you want to go into politics, you should start at the bottom. If you get involved, you learn the nitty-gritty of what makes a successful campaign and a successful elected official. You understand how undeniably critical it is to cast informed votes. The work is tiring, but it is very much rewarding.

Jordan: I believe this election will largely define much of our nation’s future. This election will determine whether the progressive achievements President Obama has enacted – from the Affordable Care Act to LGBTQ rights and more – will remain in effect. This election will determine the balance of the Supreme Court for years to come and our international standing and whether the United States can remain a stable, global leader. For these reasons, I believe other students and all Americans must get involved, speak out and vote.

How has this campaign compared to others you’ve worked on?

Chelcie: The Hillary campaign is different because everyone is talking about it. Now that I’m with Hillary, my entire life is consumed by this election whether I want it to be or not. I understand how critical this election is–for the president and down the ballot–so I’m okay with politics infiltrating every part of my life.

Not only that, but there’s a hell of a lot more phone calls to make and doors to knock on. Presidential campaigns have endless money, so we have “endless” resources to just keep working and bringing people on to work with us. I did a bit for Obama in 2012, but this is unlike anything I’ve experienced before and I love it.

Jordan: I’ve been active in state and local races, along with starting my involvement as an Obama for America (OFA) fellow in 2012. Secretary Clinton’s campaign has tremendous energy and focus. In 2012, there was of course no Democratic presidential primary race, so this year’s cycle has been very interesting to be involved in from my perspective as it’s the first time I’ve been active during a national Democratic primary campaign season.