GAMVP Insights

I have been a field organizer with GAMVP since April, but my journey with civic engagement started long, long before that. When I was six years old, I triumphantly announced “When I’m an adult, I want to be the President of the United States.” All my friends dreamt of being firefighters or doctors or scientists, but I wanted to be a public servant. I didn’t realize it then, but that was little me saying “Someday, I want to be in the space of helping people.” That idea is what eventually motivated me to become a youth ambassador with GAMVP last year. I was really interested in learning how even as a young person, I could initiate change in my community. 

I am really glad I got the opportunity to be a youth ambassador, because that experience ended up being so much more impactful than I thought it would be. I met so many interesting people, and got to hear about all the reasons they were doing all the things they were doing. I think that may have been my favorite part of the whole experience—the conversations I had with people (aside from getting people registered to vote, that is). Whether it be an elder registering to vote at a masjid for the first time, or a youth at a voter education session asking questions about the ins-and-outs of the county government process, new immigrants stopping by the grocery store, or a Christian minister I met while canvassing out in the community, I am always completely fascinated by everything I hear. I learn about people’s perspectives—why they vote (or why they don’t), their beliefs, who they are, why they are who they are—and I’m able to paint a more complete picture of the tapestry of identities that makes up our state. Beyond that, I’m able to paint the tapestry of my own life in deeper and richer colors. In my time as a field organizer, I’ve become more confident about cold-approaching people, if not to register them to vote, but to learn their perspectives, thoughts, and ideas. 

The world we live in can be a deep, dark abyss sometimes. So I say, let us come together and cast a bridge of connection across that abyss. Make that connection, have that conversation. And please, register to vote!

Sincerely,

Amaar Alidina