Adriana Montoya, Class of 2024
Growing up in a family of educators, I began understanding the importance of civic engagement at a young age. I remember when I was a child and my parents would take me with them when they voted in local elections, and as I stood by them at the ballot box, I felt proud that I too could someday participate in the democratic process. Today I understand how the system I admired as a child is often inequitable in many ways, but this knowledge has only driven me further to fight for representation and lead a life of public service. Since beginning my education at Texas State University, I have hosted get-out-the-vote rallies with Beto O’Rourke and Senator Bernie Sanders, spoken at numerous city government meetings, led voter registration drives, and created voter education programs all to inspire others to be the change they want to see in their community. I know it often seems like this country’s problems are too big to solve, but I also know that a better world is possible because I have witnessed the power of organized people firsthand. I choose to define my civic leadership simply by helping others see this power too.
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