A Trip to Remember
By Gladys Sanchez
The Hispanic Congressional Caucus Institute offered a
week long program of civic engagement to 70 brilliant students from around the
nation and Puerto Rico. I, Gladys Sanchez, was one of the lucky students to
take part in the 2015-2016 Next Gen R2L program. During the week I was able to
meet young leaders from the nation who had different backgrounds but who wanted to
strengthen this nation for those living in it.
We discussed issues that have been affecting
our nation for centuries such as immigration, education, The DREAM Act, etc. At
times, the discussions resulted in heated disagreements parallel to those in Congress,
but at the end we came to a consensus of what is best for the people affected
by the law and its effects in the future. The discussions were insightful due
to the experience my peers had seen. In many occasions the stories were
unbearable to hear. Many shared their struggles and our tears united with their
hardships. It was challenging to imagine some of my peers not having food to
eat or worrying if one day someone would take away their parents forever.
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| At the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial |
But
not all was sadness, we were able to visit various memorials and reminisce some
of the knowledge that great leaders left behind. We observed Martin Luther
King’s memorial, Jefferson’s memorial, Lincoln’s memorial, World War 2
memorial, Vietnam Veteran memorial, Franklin D. Roosevelt memorial, Korean War
memorial and the Air Force memorial. Each statue and monument signified the importance
of citizens in this government. Whether it be fighting for rights in D.C. or
overseas, or advocating for change and including citizens in government
policies, everyone has the power to influence change and those are reminders of
that.
What
I’ve learned from CHCI Next Gen R2L I will now use to share with my community
and encourage them to educate themselves on the importance of voting, to learn
that their senators and representatives are there for them, to understand how
laws are made and how they will impact their lives.
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My
advice to those who decide not to vote because they don’t want to get involved
is: “You’re going to have to accept that law even if you hate it. Why? Well, because
you didn’t want to get involved and now someone has decided for you.”
