Beginning

Last summer, I went to a political science program at Georgetown University. Finally, I was surrounded by like-minded individuals who were just as passionate and opinionated as me. At first, I was extremely overwhelmed; what do I do when everyone seems more educated, more intense, more directed. I had no idea how I could compare to them. As time went on, I began to find my own footing and my own opinions. Even if they contrasted with the person next to me, they were something I could call mine. I could now turn to someone and debate a heavily controversial topic without blinking an eye. Yet I could still manage to call them my friend, to sit down, have lunch with them, and gossip about the boy next door. People didn't judge me for believing something different, they embraced it. Everyone had a different viewpoint, different background, different perspective, and passion to learn more. Conversation never flowed as easily as it did then. The empowerment I felt from first constructing and then defending my own belief system is something that has significantly affected me even after the program had ended. I want Debate and Democracy to have that effect on everyone involved. Yes, we may believe that everyone around us agrees with common issues, but why? No one's opinions or experiences are the same, and I hope that this program brings together a community of people who can accept another's opinion without damaging their view of them. Compromise and acceptance is a skill that has been sorely missed in the last few decades, but we are the generation who will bring it back. Debate and Democracy is more than just a program, it's a way of thinking that will change lives.