When I began my Gardner Fellowship on a swampy September day, I was hopeful of building meaningful professional relationships, learning the ins and outs of Congress, and maybe even making an impact. But I was also fearful of the unknowns that lay ahead – Would my mentor and I get along? Would I fit into the office culture? Would I have something to contribute?
During the first three months of my fellowship, I struggled to navigate complex legislative text on critical minerals, oil and gas development, and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) reform. It was a comprehensive crash course on topics I had only peripherally encountered in undergrad. I remember distinctly thinking to myself, “What did I just spend four years learning! I know nothing!”
But then my Berkeley instincts kicked in. While I didn’t know everything, I did know how to figure it out through research, questioning, and asking for help. Slowly, through the help of my incredible mentor, Kelsey Hartman, and many adopted mentors along the way, I absorbed my committee’s positions on complex environmental issues and could explain them to a broad audience.
One of the most gratifying moments of my fellowship came when Representative Jared Huffman used a set of talking points I had written while debating a bill on the House Floor. Committee Democrats were discussing a rather arcane bill to eliminate the requirement for oil and gas companies to survey for marine archaeological resources before drilling for oil and gas offshore.
While this may seem like some bureaucratic red tape, what I learned throughout the research process was that these surveys can identify areas where unexploded ordnance (UXOs) are located, which are military ammunition that never detonated. Without these surveys, there is a risk that drilling could take place on or near a UXO, presenting grave threats to workers on oil and gas rigs. After learning this information, I crafted a set of talking points that reframed this bill as a worker safety issue, which Representative Huffman used in his debate while I sat behind him, staffing the session!
In that moment, I realized I had valuable skills and a unique perspective to offer. I could make a difference by elevating issues I cared about, and that I knew my friends and family cared about, all the way to the halls of Congress.
This is just one example of the impactful and inspiring work I got to accomplish through the support of the Gardner Fellowship and the generous team at the House Natural Resources Committee. I’m fortunate to say that my fellowship was full of moments that inspired me, from the dedication of public servants on the Hill to the passionate advocates who came to speak to our Committee. These individuals and their commitment to making the world a better place will be a guiding light throughout my public service career.