|
| Due to the unprecedented circumstances surrounding the summer of 2020, the usual seasonal hustle of a city filled with interns, crowded roof top bars, and eagerly attended baseball games came to a screeching halt. Lily Mott '23, from Evergreen, Colorado, worried that her plans to live in downtown DC while working as a press intern for Congressman Joe Neguse (D-CO) were fleeting. However, with the support of the university, Mott found summer housing and focused on taking advantage of DC's unique offerings. |
| She arrived at the end of May, during the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd. This historical moment became a touchstone for Mott's summer experience, as she decided to attend protests on police brutality and racial injustice in the city. |
| "The first protest that I went to was the one where Trump pushed all the protesters back so he [could] make his appearance in Lafayette Square," she said. "I just got to see people's passion and people's anger, and just see the effects of government and the decisions that we make on people more than I've ever been able to see before. These raw emotions were just on display, and there was more anger and passion and commitment than I've ever seen. I got to see people's commitment from all walks of life. There were different ages, and different races, and genders, and all of these people coming together in anger and with so much passion to fight for a common cause was so amazing. And it changed my worldview." |
| Mott, with her phone battery at 7% and affected by pepper spray, decided to start recording the audio of the protest. After heading back to her apartment, she created "Be The Change," a podcast series focused on young people making an impact on their communities and the world. When the university first sent students home in March to continue their studies remotely, Mott first began to consider making a podcast of her own. She viewed these protests as an important, impactful moment in our history and wanted to showcase them for her pilot episodes. |
| "I shared my own voice for the first episode, but my focus has always really been to highlight other people," she explained. "I want to empower other people and share their voices, because I think a lot of the young people that I've had the chance to connect with through this are so passionate about the issues that they're focusing on, and they're all taking it one step at a time and making a difference." |
| She interviews business owners, members of nonprofit organizations, and political activists who all find a unique way to influence and support their communities. Mott, who has managed to upload a weekly episode since June, hopes to inspire her listeners and instill them with the belief that anyone can make a difference. |
| "Being in DC, I think a lot of people lose hope in their government and their participation, but there is always something that you can be doing," she said. "I'm hoping that they get inspired to – at the very least – vote. But I think if they can get inspired and maybe want to support these causes, or even follow along with these activists on Instagram, that's an important step. I just feel like I have the agency now to share my voice more, especially just because with these times, everybody's on edge a little bit. I think the best thing that I've done has just been to keep a clear head and stand up for what I believe in." |
|
 |
|
|
