IssueVoter Spotlight: Isabel Hernandez
Meet Isabel Hernandez, an Intern
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Age: 18
Current Location: Providence, Rhode Island
What issues do you care about, and how do they connect to your life?
Some of the issues I am passionate about are disability rights (particularly in education), reproductive rights, improving the economy (particularly in terms of inflation, unemployment, taxation, and pension systems, among others), and promoting civic engagement/addressing voter suppression.
How do you balance life and civic engagement to live a civically engaged life?
The impact of government and policy extends to nearly every aspect of life, so educating myself on issues surrounding me and their political context is very important to me. I think the key to becoming civically engaged and educated is finding reliable resources and using them consistently: daily news, podcasts, publications, websites, etc. Everyone’s time is limited, but change does not come without effort, which is why I appreciate IssueVoter’s mission to make educating oneself and engaging as simple as possible. The clearest way to become civically engaged is, of course, by voting, and informed voters yield effective representatives.
Life moves fast, and so does the news. How do you stay up to date and engaged with politics? (Besides IssueVoter of course!)
I like to use a combination of Twitter, podcasts, and checking headlines on Google News.
Why did you start using IssueVoter?
I joined IssueVoter because, as a student of public policy and as a voter, I find the services that IssueVoter provides to be sorely necessary for our country. The mission of promoting civic engagement efficiently and accessibly really resonated with me, as did the goal to connect voters with their representatives, get their voices heard, and increase accountability. As a student, I have found that finding exactly who is voting on and proposing what (and when) is unnecessarily complex and discourages voters on their journeys to inform themselves. I believe the best way to sustain democracy in modern times is with information and IssueVoter’s mission is to provide just that to as many people as possible in a simple, effective, and engaging way.
What is your favorite part of using IssueVoter?
My favorite thing about IssueVoter is the upcoming bill feature, in which users can vote on whether they support that bill, and then that information is relayed to representatives. I think that this is a really efficient and easy way to engage constituents and strengthen democracy, and it is personally my favorite feature of IssueVoter.
What is your go-to podcast or newsletter?
NPR.
What people and/or organizations do you look up to, related to the issues you care about?
AAPD, NAD, the Center for Reproductive Rights, the League of Women Voters, mijente.
What is your favorite song about America?
America the Beautiful by Katharine Lee Bates (or Party in the USA by Miley Cyrus)
What is your favorite quote?
“It’s a great privilege, after all, to have been given a part to play, however small, on the world’s stage.” ― Kazuo Ishiguro
Complete this sentence… “A healthy democracy is…”
One that takes full advantage of the information and technology age to ensure constituents are heard, informed, and involved in their governments.
Rapid Fire Questions!
How do you get your news?: Online News or Twitter
What do you enjoy more: Blogs or Podcasts
Podcasts
Morning News or Nightly News
Nightly News
How do you vote?: Absentee/Early or Election Day
Absentee/ Election Day
IssueVoter Bill Alert or IssueVoter Score Card
IssueVoter Score Card
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