Little Girl with Big Plans
If I had a dollar for every time someone told me I was the future of this province I would be a rich woman. I think hearing that so many times is what really inspired me to get involved with politics. I realized quickly that I had to be the change that I wanted to see; I had to set the example that I wished to see in my elected representatives; I could ask tough questions because as a voter, as a citizen, it was my duty.
And that is where you will find my passion. I’m passionate about engagement. I’m curious about what makes individuals get involved, stay involved, and turn sour. My Undergraduate Honours thesis focused on University Students’ Union governments in Alberta – would social media help to engage campuses of over 20,000 students? My MA thesis in Communications Studies explored the concept of deliberative and electronic democracies. Could online communication tools (like blogs, Twitter, and Facebook) change private individuals into public engaged citizens? My conclusion – YES!
And my future involves showing people how passionate I am about getting involved IN the process and being a part of making the change in this province we all talk about every day. And along the way I hope to help people find their own passions, whether they are left or right on the political spectrum and get excited about talking about them, and doing something about them. I like being a part of a province that strives to respect, nurture, and encourage “little girls” like me to be the best I can, and yell and stomp my feet until I catch someone’s attention and a change is made.
Remember my name … I’ll be famous someday.
That being said – I’m quite the marsh-mellow on the inside … and enjoy nights in playing cards with @ppilarski.