Celebrating Democracy With An Agenda

I am going to Charlotte as an Alternate Delegate. I am honored. I am home in Peachtree Station again after an absence of almost fifteen years. Never in my wildest dreams had I imagined that my home-coming would actualize in my representing the State of Georgia. I am going to celebrate with an agenda.

Georgia elected 124 Delegates and 9 Alternates to represent our State at the 46th Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina in September 3-6, 2012. In Macon on May 19, I was elected as an Alternate-Delegate to represent the 7th Congressional District from Georgia.

I became involved in democratic politics by default.

I left my home in Peachtree Corners in 1996 following my ex-spouse’s career overseas. Before my departure, my neighbor Nancy Davis gave me a beautiful Christmas ornament – a ceramic gardenia flower, which I cherish dearly. Come Christmas, routinely I retrieved my prized ornament out of the carved leather trunk, un-wrapping the flower carefully.  Within the backdrop of the gardenia flower adorning my Christmas tree, the annual event and entertaining overseas kept me connected with fond memories of my neighbors and the community on the Allenhurst Drive. As an expatriate wife, politics built and defined a sense of community to me.

I joined the Democratic Party of the United States in 2007 and collected the ballots of overseas Americans located in Indonesia and sent them back home through the Embassy of the United States. I was actively involved in the 2008 Presidential Election and assisted in electing President Barack Obama to the White House. Henceforth, I have continued my civic activities by remaining engaged at the district and county levels, and in various civil and public sector membership institutions. There are many lessons learned.

I adapted gradually in seeing both the beauty and the beast of politics. The beauty was the opportunity politics gave me to be part of a community – to network, connect, support, commiserate, fight for causes, establish platforms, and celebrate milestones and achievements with like-minded people.  The beast of politics demonstrated to me that celebrations are limited to fleeting moments. Celebrations come with a lot of pain. Tasks are endless.  Sadly, engulfed with greed and lust for success, ‘trust’ is a word that humanity dismisses arrogantly. A hard lesson to swallow for a novice, politics taught me to celebrate with an agenda.

No doubt, the Convention marks a moment of victory of a partisan political process. I am elated to be part of this democratic process. I believe in celebrations. More so, I believe in unity, loyalty, solidarity and camaraderie. Beyond all these values, I am profoundly honored to represent the State of Georgia and the President of the United States, Barack Obama. It is the President’s show and I am delighted to be part of his show. The party will not just stop in Charlotte.

I ran as a Delegate because there are issues I feel strongly about for the State of Georgia. Good resource governance is at the core of all my issues. It is about governance, of human, political, environmental, financial, social and cultural resources. Managing and governing all these resources is important in securing and advancing Georgia's future and growth.

1.       Securing our energy and environment future. Promoting the integration of the energy and the environmental sectors will develop a sustainable future. In order to promote this integration, Georgia must first pass appropriate legislation. There is much work to be done in the alternative energy, the clean air and water sectors. I will advocate for good governance of natural and environmental capital.

2.       Decreasing gender barrier. Promoting a fair, equal and equitable partnership with men and women will improve social, political and economic environment. Georgia must promote these upward policies and protect men and women's legislative rights. I will advocate for good governance of our human capital.

3.       Promoting strategic socio-economic alliances. Promoting a fusion of social, economic and cultural resources will advance socio-economic development.  This fusion will require commitment from all the sectors and partners. Georgia must promote strategic alliances and partnerships by merging social, cultural and economic capitals. I will advocate for inter-cultural and cross-boundary collaborations and promote this fusion.

I am going to Charlotte not just to join the hoopla of delegates shouting and cheering on top of their voices, with placards and banners high in the air, and lobbyists carefully wining and dining on the sidelines. I hope to celebrate democracy as an Alternate Delegate by advocating for the three key issues that I strongly care about. I am proud to represent the new City of Peachtree Corners, the Gwinnett County and the State of Georgia in Charlotte in September, 2012.