By Sydney Brown ’23
On Tuesday morning, I saw firsthand the commitment it takes to serve as a politician within the Massachusetts 3rd District. As Mrs. Lambert introduced Congresswoman Trahan, I listened from the viewpoint of a senior in high school about to embark on my college journey and soon-to-be career in business. From being the first Portuguese-American in Congress, a grandchild of immigrants, receiving a scholarship to play volleyball at Georgetown, to growing through the ranks of what it takes to be at the top serving a community were all elements I held immense respect for and could relate to. After receiving various questions, Trahan delved head-first into the policies she has focused on, one being mental health, which I work closely with through initiatives along with another student Julia ’23.

The Congresswoman’s conversation wasn’t only an inspiration because she showed that it’s easy to judge a person based on what you see on the outside or their political affiliation, but it’s even harder to be in the position of working in a highly divisive, fast-pace moving, and intense job environment. This was evident in having to balance her family life, being in DC three times a week, and continuing to work for the citizens of her district every single day.
At the same time, I was in complete awe of her character and knowledge; her immersion in sports with a reference to the NCAA record-breaking numbers that occurred especially for the women’s side, pushing for women to have a seat at the table in business, her presence in high-tech, and the correlation between TikTok’s effect on individuals even without the ownership of the app itself, were clear elements to an individual who has done her research.
No matter our opinions, our values, or what our belief reaches towards in politics, it’s situations like these that can really exert oneself to the different realms of being a powerful leader in the world.
