by Chloe Hamm
The very first time I stepped on the capitol grounds I was a wide-eyed senior in high school, getting to tour the iconic building. It was March of 2017 and the 85th legislature was in session. I had just changed my major decision with UT from Psychology to Women’s & Gender Studies. I was proud of that decision, but I was also nervous about it. This specific day was special though, because the “bathroom bills” (attempting to force people to use restrooms associated with their gender assigned at birth, regardless of gender identity) were being disputed on the senate floor, and I would be able to sit-in on that. The “anti” side was actually being argued by the representative of my very own district. Seeing a politician show up and passionately defend trans rights sparked my curiosity of what really goes on in the capitol.
When youre a WGS major the first question people ask you about it is “what are you going to do with that?” My answers used to be vague, not because the degree lacks value but because I had too many interests. I always said that after I do my internship I will narrow down my career path.
The second time I stepped on the Capitol grounds, it was January of 2020 and I had been accepted as an intern for the Texas House LGBTQ Caucus. I worked in the office of Representative Mary González (Chair of the Caucus) and worked closely with her Chief of Staff, Caroline Paplinger, who was later replaced by the equally amazing Greer Gregory.
Overall, the team created an environment that encouraged creativity along with autonomy. My first big task was to do research on a Trans inmate being held in a unit in Bell County Jail that did not align with their gender identity. I did extensive research on the person’s specific case and did research on others throughout the country. Along with other interns, I worked on drafting a letter from the LGBTQ Caucus to the chief of police as well as one to the attorney general and Gov. Greg Abbott. To be able to work on something that can and will impact so many people really made my work feel meaningful. Caroline at the time was impressed enough by my enthusiasm that she encouraged me to sit in on a conference call with a few representatives and the ACLU, in which they discussed a plan of action on how to help the Bell County inmate. I really appreciated this and it allowed me to feel more welcomed and comfortable in the office to take charge of my future assignments, truly fostering independence.
As my position started, the Caucus decided they wanted to start getting into more social media posting and research along with starting their Instagram account from scratch. I eventually focused strictly social media, gaining me the title of “communications director intern.” An average day for me would consist of looking for articles on hot political topics that consisted of anything LGBTQ. Along with this I would create posts ideas to go along with these articles. I became known as the “Canva Queen” of the office after finding a special interest in the graphic design site. I felt that the posts I created fit my my minor (Art History) and the content of the posts fit my WGS major.
My first more creative task was an infographic on absentee voting. Voting by mail is a process that many college students use as well as people with disabilities. I personally found the process of applying for the ballot to be unnecessarily complicated so I thought a simplified infographic with eligibility and deadline information would be the best for our followers. I had a great time with not only making the graphics, but taking on my own research to learn more about the voting process and how to make it as accessible as possible.
When UT and the Legislature closed due to COVID-19 in March, of course it changed the way we approached our postings. We suddenly had more important things to worry about. Rep. Gonzalez’ chief of staff, Caroline, had long planned to leave at pretty much the same time, and Greer came into the job at this tumultuous moment. It was sometimes a struggle, but Rep. Gonzalez and Greer made sure we were all safe, well, and on the same page by meeting with us every week via Zoom. During this time we would all do an emotional check-in as well as making sure there wasn’t any confusion about our assignments for the next week. The meetings were also great for us to brainstorm and get more creative, as a collective.
I was thrilled to be asked to stay on the communications team for the summer. A dream of mine would be to be a part of the caucus’ fellowship which would allow me to assist and support the LGBTQ Caucus during session full-time, post graduation.
So in conclusion, I would say I have had an amazing and beneficial experience working for the LGBTQ House Caucus. I got to apply things from my academic life as well as my own experiences and queer idenity. I often forgot that I was supposed to be doing this for a credit, because it felt far from a requirement and more of an opportunity to learn. I learned about the process of legislature and a lot more about myself and what I can accomplish. My main takeaway was that no task is too small to make an impact and all types of work is important to further equity and protection of marginalized groups…even if you only work 10 hours a week. 🙂
Chloe is a junior at the University of Texas-Austin majoring in Women & Gender Studies, with a minor in Art History.
