As I was thinking about what to write about this week, I first struggled. I could not remember what I had specifically done this past week, although I knew it was a busy one. As  I focused on the blur that was this past week I realized I had been  to a lot of events, in fact  I had been to an event everyday this week, sometimes twice in one day. I realized I needed to document this in my latest blog post- to not only  share my experiences with others, but preserve my memories.  Here are the events I attended this past week:

Monday
How to Make Blogging Pay @ The National Press Club
In a spur of the moment decision I attended an event at the National Press Club. My friend and I arrived pretty early and chose a seat in the front row.  The discussion that proceeded was one of the most lively, heated, and crazy panel discussions I have ever been apart of. The  conversation quickly turned to the collapse of journalism, which sparked outrage by those journalists present. I found this panel  memorable because it made me aware of the sad truth  about the sad  difficulties our generation faces. Old trademark professions, such as journalism are no longer the same, and we must expand our skill set and knowledge to be successful professionally. 

Tuesday
Twosomes & Two Parties - Talking Pairs:  Mark Chester and Norm Ornstein @Busboys and Poets

On Tuesday I had the pleasure of enjoying a great dinner with a great discussion  that included author,  Norm Ornstein. Norm wrote a book that I was assigned to read in my policy class.  I enjoyed hearing his brash statements about the Republican party in person.  To my surprise the down fall of  journalism occurred again in conversation!  I came away from the event still thinking and stuffed with delicious sweet potato fries and cherry pie.

Wednesday
Lunch with Senator Joseph Tydings@ The Washington Internship Institute
Former Senator Joseph Tydings  was a close friend to  the late President Kennedy. For a little over an hour I was delighted to hear about  his past adventures on the campaign trail. I could have listened to his stories all afternoon . His excitement and first hand accounts made for a lovely lunch with a remarkable man

Thursday
From Foreclosure to Fair Lending: The Pursuit of Equitable Credit Show Embed Code Widespread @ The Center for American Progress
At an event offered at the place of my internship I learned of the harsh world surrounding 
discriminatory and unethical lending. The discussion got heated an passionate as this issue is prevalent and effects individuals deeply. Those affected spoke out.  I was genuinely scared, hurt, and concerned as this issue is massive in its negative consequences. I was glad CAP  brought attention to it.


"Event" @ Georgetown University
Alright, on Thursday I was suppose to attend an event that my supervisor invited me too. The night ended with me getting hopelessly lost and on the campus of  Georgetown University. Finding myself in this situation I toured the school with my friend,  grabbed a delicious snickers latte, and enjoyed the change in plans. Attitude is everything people, just go with it. As I said to Shannon,  "We are lost...Surprise!"

Friday
Brown Bag @ The Center For American Progress
I will keep this brief as  I have previously explained several brown bags. This one was especially special because I received some advice that resonated with some deep inner thoughts of mine. The advice was, "Working on a campaign is getting your masters in Political Communications." Those were some some pretty powerful words for a student on the fence about Grad School.  I have a lot to think about  in the next coming years.

I hope you enjoyed my weeks activity. I certainly learned a lot now that I look back at it.

Last Tuesday can be remembered  as the day I played hooky from class, but gave my teacher a clear heads up that  I would not be present. In one exciting day I experienced, two Supreme Court Cases, the House and The Senate in Session , the DC botanical gardens, and a guest speaker. I self- proclaimed the day, "Ferris Buellers's day off: DC edition," as our  day's activities were only appropriate to what you do in DC when you do not attend class. The day was long but the memories were worth it.

The time we 8:34 am and it was the coldest day that has occurred since I have been here in D.C.  My friend Shannon and I waited an hour and a half in the freezing cold to see two Supreme Court Cases. The guards cut off the line of people admitted into the cases just two people behind us.  We were so happy and thankful not only that we made the cut but because the two people behind us, happened to be a ridiculously adorable elderly couple from Arizona. Once inside we were sat promptly behind a massive marble pillar. At that point in time I could only see Justice Sotomayor.  I was so excited be inside I did even mind I could not see everyone, I greatly respect and admire Justice Sotomayor anyway! So, behind the massive white pillar was where we sat for the first case about guns. Side note, it was still really cold even inside. For the second case I asked politely if we could move seats. You are actually not supposed to move seats but the guard let us move from behind the pillar, making it possible for Shannon and I to see all of the Justices at the same time! The second case was about drugs and was just as confusing as the first. The Justices even said, "This is confusing." I took a US Constitutional History Class two semesters prior, so to see all the Justices in person was a big deal. Afterwards, we did a quick walk through of the building.  Upon exciting the building Shannon, my friend David, and I realized we would definitely not make it to our first class. In a spur of the moment spontaneous decision we decided to view the House and Senate gallery.

 Thinking back about our experience at the Capitol, and really the whole day, I can shortly describe the experience in three words: cold, exciting, and security check points. First, to enter the Capitol we had to dispense of all our food and drinks, this involved Shannon and I gulping our water bottles, and quickly eating what snacks we had in front of the Capitol guards (I really think they found us amusing). Once in, and through the preliminary check points we discovered that both the Senate and House were in session. At this point, the day could not get  any better, or patriotic!  Although the topics of discussions were not especially riveting, it was still  a great sight to see. The whole process of getting into the galleries took much longer than expected (apparently my umbrella is very dangerous). We knew if we left in a half hour or so we could try to arrive for the last hour of our last class. On the way back to the metro we did the last spontaneous activity of the day and quickly walked through the D.C. botanical gardens. It was beautiful AND warm!

We arrived to class just in time to hear a guest speaker discuss the Affordable Care Act.  Something I am so happy I did not miss as she provided a lot of information and answered some great questions. It was a very eventful day, waiting in the freezing cold was worth it! In the words of  Ferris in a statement that encompasses  my experiences here ,"The question isn't what are we going to do. The question is what aren't we going to do."

Time is passing by entirely too fast  in D.C. This past week I would have to say that I wasted no time in taking advantage of  what the city has to offer.  Not only was it a busy week with events, but it was also Veterans day weekend. DC is definitely the place to commemorate the holiday. I channeled my inner tourist once again in visiting Arlington Cemetery and the National American History Museum.  
 
With my internship at The Center for American Progress it comes
with the opportunity to attend awesome events, something I wanted to make sure to take full advantage of while here. This past week I attended both a brown bag with a Senior Cap Fellow Sam Fulwood, and a lecture on immigration and youth. Brown bags are casual lunches where interns can interact with professionals regarding their experiences. The environment is ideal for questions and conversation. This was my second brownbag  at CAP, the first brown bag with
CAP's Public Lands team. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. It was easy to stay engaged with such a transparent and interesting speaker. The brown bag reminded me of an informational interview, just with twenty or so more people participating.  I have already RSVP'd for next week’s upcoming brown bag. 

Another event presented by CAP that I attended was a lecture on Immigration and youth, which took place at the NYU (DC campus.) This event stood out to me because it was not just strictly academic, I was a mix of both personal storytelling and data an analysis. Hearing the first hand testaments from actual undocumented people, coinciding with the emphasis for a pathway to citizenship was especially memorable.

An additional event outside of my internship was at the Brooking Institution. On the panel was my professor, Dr. Hudak. The topic was projections for the 2014 Elections. I was very much looking forward attending an event and Brookings. The topic was both relevant of my current interests and I was able to see my Professor speak impressively on a panel.  The place was crowded and diverse,  I almost wished everyone had to wear nametags with their affiliation. I was very pleased with the Brookings Institution- their professionalism and importance as a think tank.

As mentioned prior, this Veterans day weekend I was able to visit  Arlington Cemetery and the National American History museum. The Cemetery was especially moving. During the changing of the guards  ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Veterans participating in honor flight were in attendance as well.  I will admit my eyes watered as I heard  the taps playing and the Veterans looking on.  I would like to express my deep appreciation for all Veterans, past, present , and future. On Sunday I attended the National American History Museum. Selfishly, I really just wanted to see the exhibit with the first ladies  inaugural dresses but I was impressed by so much more. Between Dorothy's red ruby slippers, Kermit the Frog,  Abraham Lincolns top hat, or the flag that inspired the star spangled banner- I am not really sure where I acted the most nerdy. My dear friend Shannon was very enthusiastic about Harry Potters' robe from first year. :) I really appreciated the place. I
can check that off my endless list of places to go while here in D.C.

This past week was a crazy busy one, but I know I have to continue making an effort to use all available resources.  I only have a little more than a  month to go here, and I cannot wait to share whatever may come next in this ever busy city.

In an effort to share my academic experiences in addition to my personal ones, I wanted to take a portion of my blog to discuss gun policy in America. In light of recent shootings, I decided to write an academic paper for one of my classes regarding gun control. As the week progressed, and yet another shooting occurred (this time in New Jersey ) I thought it was important, as well as relevant to share a portion of my academic paper with others. It begins:

Historically, Americans have witnessed and dealt with tragedies such as Sandy Hook, Columbine, Fort Hood, Virginia Tech, Aurora, and the D.C. Navy Yard shootings (just to name a few). The debate on gun control needs to be seriously dealt with before further misfortunes occur. With so many tragedies, it becomes necessary that reforms regarding gun control on a national scale should be implemented. Real change regarding gun policy in the United States can be achieved by revising failed legislation such as the Manchin-Toomey Amendment, halting harmful rhetoric from both conservatives and liberals, and finally more mental health awareness and resources on a national scale.

Instead of copy and pasting my  academic paper verbatim I wanted to briefly describe my assertions in reference to gun control.  First, I critiqued a piece of legislation that was  not passed due to gridlock and bipartisanship in Congress (The Manchin-Toomey Amendment). I proposed that similar legislation be pushed forward in an additional effort to pass any sort of comprehensive gun control bill. This can be done through my second point- reducing the harmful rhetoric of politicians that contribute to the lack of legislation that is passed. With the pressure of voters, and those affected by gun tragedies this could be a viable option. The voters are getting sick of the  government's "tricks" Lastly, improving mental health awareness and treatment is the key to gun violence prevention, in my opinion.

A startling truth is that young Americans are becoming desensitized to gun violence. The shootings that occur, although absolutely horrifying, are not surprising—this should be a wakeup call. American gun
culture needs to change. Gun violence should not be a cultural norm.  I believe that legislation on a national level needs to be enacted in an effort to prevent the preventable, and save the innocent. Government officials bury your hatchets and work towards the greater good of the American public’s safety. 

This blog may not be my most upbeat and exciting, but it is an extremely significant ad relevant issue that needs to be dealt with sooner than later. To transition entirely, it was Halloween weekend! One of the better costumes I have had was as a secret service agent (pictured above). The surrounding environment along  with our creativity brought a lot of smiles. I realize this blog post was  very diverse in its topics but I hope you enjoyed  in my sharing of my academic  AND personal experiences.