Friday, October 13, 2017

People You’ll Encounter on The Hill

People You’ll Encounter on The Hill

From people banging drums outside of embassies to organized groups chanting outside of Senate buildings, activists for many different issues use the political hub of D.C. to try to influence important figures in the government to believe in their causes.



D.C. is extremely fast-paced. While Congress is in session, The Hill is full of Politicians in suits running around trying to get to hearings or other meetings on time. Days start early and oftentimes end late. If you want to meet with one of your representatives, I would recommend going to a constituent coffee or setting up a meeting before arriving to The Hill. Sometimes you’ll only get to meet with a staffer because Congress is busy, but they are also knowledgeable and great to talk to.



The process of writing and implementing legislation involve a lot of litigation. This is done mostly by attorneys. At the end of the workday you can catch many of them at a happy hour in a local bar in their suits relieving themselves after a stressful day.



No one wants a boring internship. Many interns on the Hill can be found on the phone or walking from office to office. Students from many different fields intern in offices that your average American doesn’t even know about. Even when Congress is in session, interns stay busy and enjoy the fast-paced environment on the Hill.



Homeless

It needs to be addressed. There is a huge wage gap between many of the people who reside in the Capitol Hill area. There are so many issues that go into that. Gentrification has forced many families to the outskirts of the city in areas that are not well-maintained. When some prisoners get out of custody, they are given a bus ticket to their hometown and one pair of clothes. People from D.C. get dropped off here with no resources. People with mental health issues have no support. They’re a demographic that’s ignored because they can’t be reached. 

- Stephanie Costa

No comments:

Post a Comment