Katie Cartiglia received the Changemaker Catalyst Award to fund her internship for Karl Dean’s gubernatorial campaign in Tennessee to explore the intricacies of campaigns and the political process. Katie is double majoring in Political Economy and Physics.

I was told, at the beginning of the summer, that this would be draining, that campaigns are basically 24/7, and that sleep might become optional by Election Week. I’ve learned first-hand how right this was – and also how much the entire thing was worth it. Coming onto this gubernatorial campaign fresh out of my freshman year of college, I knew I was going to be the baby on board and learning hands-on would be a specialty I would have to gain quickly. Between running around at different events and getting all of my canvassing doors knocked, I felt like I barely had a spare minute to soak up the majesty of what we were trying to accomplish: getting the best man elected governor. But each and every second was worth it, whether that be talking to Tennesseans that we are trying to help or simply hanging out as a campaign staff, it was clear that working for the betterment of my state is my duty and the source of my joy. There’s one particular story that lays out why I fought so hard this summer for Karl Dean and why I loved this experience so much.

One day, I was in charge of the “campaign phone,” or the phone number found on the website where citizens could call to ask questions about policy, find yard signs, or basically anything else they needed in the campaign’s world. Most of these calls are easy; yes, Karl is a strong advocate of LGBT+ rights, and yes, he is in favor of stronger gun control legislation, especially in schools. However, one caller had such a personal story that it truly shook me to my core and showed me again why I worked so hard for the state and people I love. This caller, a woman in her mid-fifties, told me about her husband’s terminal illness and their overwhelming medical bills accrued in the hospitalization process. She spoke about her hopelessness and her loneliness, even to just a stranger, as a result of this overwhelming financial crisis she and her family were now experiencing, and she wanted to know what I was doing to fix it. Me?! As a nineteen year old, this situation felt impossible – I have never felt the weight of financial burden, I have never had an immediate family member diagnosed with anything like this, and I certainly didn’t presume to have the solutions right now. However, I knew I was doing everything within my power to help her because of the work I was doing. I spoke about my candidate and his plans for the state, how much I believe in his plan to expand Medicaid, how that policy would affect her costs directly, and how I know that he is listening to her concerns and working around the clock to be in a position to truly help. Although I knew I couldn’t do anything more than that in that moment, I could listen to this woman and I could give solace in the fact that I am working toward a better Tennessee, with better health insurance and better financial aid to those who are in need.

The beautiful thing about campaign work is those moments of inspiration, of hope, and of encounter happen nearly every day. I got to know my state in such an intimate way by getting to know the people who live here, what they care about, and how I can make those things happen. This summer was such a positive experience for me, learning about the ins and outs of Karl Dean’s policy, why he thinks they’re the most beneficial for Tennessee, and how to communicate those policies effectively to people of all different stripes. Although I felt like I couldn’t sleep until Election Day was over (and oftentimes, that was true) and sometimes the stress was hard to manage, I knew that every single ounce of my energy was going toward something bigger than me – it was going toward a dream of a better Tennessee, an image of hope that everyone on the campaign united around. Karl Dean’s slogan on the campaign trail is “Working Together To Get Things Done,” and that is truly what we as a campaign did, whether that be by answering calls or by fulfilling our civic duty by participating in the beautiful political process, wherein we were trying to get this man elected governor.