It can be easy to forget how large of an impact Washington D.C. has on our home towns. Back home it feels distant, and while we know that the political decisions our leaders make are important, it doesn't necessarily feel personal. However, living in D.C has afforded me the opportunity to see where issues of importance to the local community, and the federal government intersect. Over the past summer, I had interned with the Jewish Federation of Cleveland, and was able to focus on many policy issues relevant to the community. One of the projects I had worked on was helping to organize a D.C. mission trip consisting of leaders from the Jewish, African-American, and Latino community, to discuss with elected officials the needs of our communities. Had I remained in Ohio, I would not have been able to see that work come to fruition. A number of legislators made an appearance at the event, including Congresspeople Jim Clyburn, Marcia Fudge, Tim Ryan, and Senator Sherrod Brown. They all spoke on one of the major topics of the mission, voting rights. It was interesting to learn both their different opinions on how to solve the issue, as well as getting to see their different speaking styles.  In the end, I'm glad I had the opportunity to see my work fulfilled, and to witness the dialogue between federal and local leaders.

-Nadav Pecha