On February of this year, I went on a trip to Tallahassee, Florida’s capital. Planned by Catalyst Miami, the purpose of the trip was to experience the State Capitol and advocate for and against bills in the categories of Housing Justice, Environmental Justice, and healthcare. I was able to meet other passionate community members, as well as state representatives and senators. Overall, it was a very eye opening experience. I learned that not everyone who gets voted in to advocate for a group of people really does so. I learned that big corporations can impact the bills that get into hearings. I learned that in politics, there can be a lot of corruption, ignorance, and apathy. But I also realize that in the midst of all this, there are actually representatives who care and spent every day advocating for the people in their district. Knowing that, and knowing that true power lies in the hands of the people eased some of my frustrations. Thank you, Catalyst Miami, for making such an experience possible. Below is my photo essay from the trip.
This photo was taken at 6:24 am on the way to the airport. I was admiring the sky.
After arriving in Tallahassee, the group went to a bus which served as our means of transportation for the duration of the trip.
Day 1 at the Capitol: I witnessed a hearing for a bill for the first time in a room on the Senate side of the Capitol building.
Day 2 and 3 of our trip also coincided with "Dade Days" commissioners and representatives and students groups from Miami Dade County were also in Tallahassee. During lunch on day two, we were served Paella, which was distributed by different government officials.
This is an image taken by one of the advocates on trip. Here, I was thanking Senator Pizzo for his honesty, integrity, and the work that he does for his constituents.
On night 2, I walked around the neighborhood and did a little bit of site seeing.
Day 3, like Day 2, of the trip was all filled with meeting representatives, attending and speaking at hearings; essentially doing our part in making our voices heard. This image was taken by staff from Catalyst Miami.
Inside an Optimist's Mind 