[nabs-l] Tonight's Conference Call Will Be Streamed Live On The internet

[Sean Whalen]

Elizabeth,

Nice choice to get involved in a Congressional campaign. I have done
campaign work in 2006 as a volunteer on the Wisconsin Governor's race and as
a paid employee in 2008 on the Presidential campaign out here in Arlington
Virginia. I have had a range of experience from basic GOTV and voter ID
calling, to volunteer recruitment and training. I have even done my share of
door to door canvassing, though that can, at times,  present some
difficulties.

I have always liked the dynamic of political campaigns. You work really hard
and spend a lot of time with the same group of people, and the group almost
inevitably ends up becoming close.

As is the case with virtually any job, it is important to go in with ideas
about how your time and particular set of skills can be best put to use. In
all of my internship/employment experiences, be it campaign work, my
Congressional internship, or anything else I've done, I could tell initially
that my colleagues had doubts about how useful I would be or how much I
would be able to contribute. Just be proactive and look for places you can
be useful. Just because all of the other interns are doing a given task
doesn't mean that that is what you have to be doing as well. A quick
anecdote to illustrate: One afternoon late in the 08 campaign, my office
manager was stressing about cutting turf on the computer for volunteer
canvassers who were coming in. She was trying to show all the interns and
volunteers how to cut the turf with the mapping program so she could go
train a group that was coming in to do calling. Obviously, the mapping
software was completely visual and I was of no help completing that task.
She said she was sorry, but there was really nothing that I could do until
the calling started later. I asked her why she didn't just let me go train
the volunteer callers so she, the one who actually knew how to use the
mapping software, could prepare the turf for the canvassers. This worked out
great, but she never would have thought of it if I hadn't said something.

Unfortunately, in many employment or volunteer settings, there will be
things that a blind person either cannot do, or cannot do efficiently.
Fortunately, there are a whole host of other things at which a blind person
can excel. Focus on those, and you will become indispensible.

In each job/internship that I have had, I have left knowing that my
coworkers respect me and value me as an equal part of the team.

If you have any questions, want to chat, or if there is any way in which I
might be helpful to you, please feel free to email me directly.

Take care,

Sean