a passion for politics (cont.)

truly a training ground for anyone who wants to understand more about political life, especially for those who plan to run for office. And all are welcome; men are members of the board of the Hampton Roads League. Motivated millennials can join the League with a $5.00/year student membership. “Back when I joined the League in

the late 1950s, we were mothers with young children, and we used to meet in homes. But so much is different now,” Jennette reflected. Today’s League of Women Voters units meet for breakfasts, luncheons, and evenings, making it easy for anyone to find the right meeting time and place—and a way to engage civic activism.

GROWING AS A LEADER

Many women like Jennette, Melanie, and Gabrielle have been drawn into politics partly to bring awareness to important issues, while others have found that the political world has drawn them to a greater sense of personal leadership and vision. Susan Mariner, 43, is the chair of the Virginia Beach Democratic Committee. A former sculpture artist with her own business for many years, Susan had always worked as a volunteer for civic and women’s organizations following the example of her parents who stressed the value of giving back to the community. “I never would have envisioned

myself in this position,” she said recently. But Susan watched as greater inequities were occurring for families because of the shrinking middle class. She decided that responding to issues one at a time wasn’t effective enough. “At that point I thought I would try

to have an impact on our political system. That was the way for me to help work for things that mattered to me—despite the fact that I never wanted to do it,” she said

with a grin. Susan started by volunteering in

the 2004 presidential campaign, and though her candidate didn’t win, she was undaunted. She admits she had a difficult time with people’s strong reactions to her choice, especially because she says people often would argue loudly, calling her sense of patriotism into question. Those interchanges made her more confident, more able to deal with controversy. “Now, I am comfortable with who

I am, and it’s okay that we disagree,” she said. She worked on Governor Tim Kaine’s campaign, enjoying the result. Then a year later, a tragedy brought

Susan into the center of another campaign. A dear friend’s husband was killed in Iraq, leaving behind his wife, a three-year-old, and a five-month-old. Soon after that, Susan began reading some articles by Jim Webb. When Webb was drafted to run for the Senate, Susan decided to honor her friend’s memory. “I felt that there would probably be

nobody who would work harder to make certain that soldiers had all the proper body armor—because that was still an issue,” Susan said. “I had a lot of respect for [Webb] as an individual.” In 2006, Susan and her husband

agreed that she would commit six months to Webb’s campaign, working full time, leaving her small business. After that election, Susan was hired to work for the Democratic National Committee, as a regional organizer, and then served as the Political Chair for President Obama’s campaign in Virginia Beach. With three children at home, she

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feels very fortunate that she is able to give so much of her time, passionately, to this work. Susan believes this is her time to put forth such energy. Yet she also believes that we all have something to offer—to a party or to a candidate—activating our

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own sense of civic responsibility. “You can do something once a

month, once every three months,” she said. “Any contribution you have, at any level is a good thing. Writing a letter to the editor about an issue is one of the best things people can do.” Because of our gifts as community

builders, Susan says women are particularly qualified to create circles of support, even developing kitchen campaigns, discussion groups, and contacts with our elected officials. While Susan Mariner balances

home and her intense work on behalf of candidates, young people build their civic connections as well. In mid-March, civics students in Virginia’s middle schools participated in The Center for the Constitution’s “We the People” program. Carson Dye, 13, a Lynnhaven Middle School student, prepared speeches with her team on a number of topics pertinent to the Constitution, deftly handling judges’ questions and sharing her own opinions about a variety of topics, including the health care debate. “It was amazing and really fun,” said the teen, a member of the Virginia

Children’s Chorus. “I loved talking to the judges and

giving my opinions—and, who knows, maybe I’ll run for Congress one day!” It takes a village to keep our

democracy working—both younger girls and women just learning about how the government works and women with experience, willing to step out and share their talents. “Even though women are the majority,

why are we are considered a minority?” asked Susan Mariner. “Because we are considered less powerful. But there are ways—and getting politically involved is one of them—to work on behalf of ourselves and our families.” n

For more information: • The League of Women Voters of South Hampton Roads visit www.lwv-shr.org • The Democratic Party of Virginia Beach www.vbdemocrats.org • The Republican Party of Virginia Beach www.rpvb.org • We, The People competition http:// center.montpelier.org Kathleen writes regularly for Tidewater Women. She lives on a farm in Virginia Beach with her husband, John.

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