I spent the past two days (July 27th, 28th) spending my afternoons watching a series of incredible panels during the annual Reagan Institute Summit on Education (RISE). This year, RISE examined Networked: The Quest for Connectivity and provided a virtual option for those who couldn't be there in Washington, DC. RISE 2022 invited professionals who were invested in the nation's education system including CEO of The Washington Post Fred Ryan, Governors of multiple states, Deputy Secretary of Education Cindy Marten, Assistant Secretary of Education Roberto Rodríguez, and more.
One of the most interesting discussions was the final session of RISE featuring Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor and Associate Justice Amy Coney Barrett. It's awesome that both of them made time to speak to us! The discussion was moderated by Dr. Akhil Reed Amar, a Professor of Law and Political Science at Yale Univeristy who also provided meaningful insight throughout the conversation. During a time when our nation is constantly divided, it was great to see the "human" aspect of politics as Justice Sotomayor and Justice Barrett––two figures who often have differing views on various issues––came together and talked about the importance of civics education, youth engagement, and the privileges/responsibilities of citizenship. They also shared fun traditions in the Supreme Court such as shared meals after case reviews, "handshake" rituals, and birthday celebrations. Just for context, the video was recorded on May 12, 10 days after the draft of the majority opinion overturning Roe v. Wade was leaked and about six weeks before the Supreme Court actually overturned the landmark court case.
Watching the panel was like a breath of fresh air in a time when politics seems so complex and clogged up. Though I understand that tumultuous times like these can be extremely challenging, I truly believe that applying this "human" lens when stepping into the realm of politics can go a long way in terms of uniting communities, acknowledging different perspectives, and healing our divided nation in hopes of collectively driving change.
If you have some time, I recommend checking out a recording of the panel down below:
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