On the (Virtual) Campaign Trail

By Dorothy Shi ’22, Horizons Media Team

Sammy ’21 is interested in politics and activism.

As part of her senior year Horizons project, Sammy volunteered for Dianne Morales, who ran for New York City Mayor and, as Sammy describes, as a really amazing candidate whose positions included advocating for defunding the police and supporting universal housing. Sammy wanted to help the candidate however she could, despite the location difference.

Through volunteering, Sammy noted that she learned a lot about politics in general. Although she has volunteered and interned for politicians in the past, she explained that it is always interesting to see the world of campaigning. She also learned a lot about New York City and many of the social and economic issues the city faces.

Undoubtedly, she met some challenges. Because Sammy lives far from New York, she was not able to conveniently go to her Horizons site in person. This meant she had to add more Zoom meetings to her schedule, which was not ideal. However, Sammy still hoped to meet the campaign team and canvas in real life.

One thing Sammy enjoyed the most about her work was the feeling of making a difference, no matter how small.

“[Morales] was an incredibly progressive afrolatina woman in a race crowded with centrist men, but it still felt good to campaign for a different future for New York City,” Sammy says. “I also really liked working alongside motivated people who care a lot about their work.”