“Protest, Dissent… Organize”: A Call to Action From Congressman Jim McGovern
By Meera Sehgal (Kennedy Political Union|First-Year Fellow)
The Kennedy Political Union was honored to host Jim McGovern, Democratic Congressman for Massachusetts’ 2nd Congressional District and Chairman of the House Rules Committee on Wednesday, April 7th. During this virtual event, moderated by School of Public Affairs Dean Vicky Wilkins, Congressman McGovern shared his invaluable perspective as an American University alumni and high profile political figure with the AU community.
Named Chairman of the powerful House Rules Committee by Speaker Nancy Pelosi during the 116th Congress, Congressman McGovern is undoubtedly influential. He recounted that, though he was outspent by his incumbent Republican challenger during his initial run for congress in 1996, he outworked him, unseating him and going on to win reelection for 11 subsequent terms.
Having earned both a Bachelor of Arts degree in history in 1981 and a Master’s of Public Administration in 1984 from AU, Congressman McGovern serves as living proof of the value of an AU education. As a student activist and the Director of The Kennedy Political Union during his senior year, he remarked that he “loved every minute,” of his time at AU. The Congressman credited much of his early exposure to politics to the unique opportunities he had at American University, including working as a Senate aide while pursuing his degree in the nation’s capital.
The Congressman’s career illustrates his passion for, and dedication to, public service — values championed by the School of Public Affairs. His work has been characterized not by legislation that is inherently partisan or driven by political interest, but which genuinely seeks to improve the lives of all Americans. In conversation with Dean Wilkins, he highlighted his deep passion for ending what he refers to as “food apartheid”, the lack of access to quality, nutritious food experienced by millions of marginalized Americans. I appreciated hearing him bring this crucial, but often overlooked, issue to light.
Despite his impressive legislative track record, Congressman McGovern reminded our community that social progress is not just a product of the House of Representatives. He underscored the individual role that we each have in improving our community by suggesting that small acts within our power as students, such as redistributing meals to students experiencing food scarcity on campus, help to further the larger political aims that he is fighting for in Congress.
Referencing the popular video of Congressman McGovern directly in the line of fire of rioters on the January 6th assault on the Capitol, Dean Wilkins turned the conversation to the role of both us as individuals, and of institutions like AU and the School of Public Affairs, in protecting our democratic institutions. As the Congressman bravely shared his account of the traumatic events on that day, it was clear that these events had impacted him on a deep, personal level. Initially, the notion that I, a first-year college student, is capable of individually contributing to the protection of our nation’s fundamental values seemed unrealistic. However, I realized that even though democracy seems like a removed and abstract concept, it takes individual action to either erode or reinforce it. The Congressman’s vivid account made me realize that the mob of violent rioters at the Capitol was not an indiscernible mass of humanity, but was instead composed of individuals, each a coworker, family member, and member of their own community. Expecting a complex answer to the Dean’s question of what each of us can do, the remedies he proposed struck me with their effective simplicity: “Protest, dissent, use social media. You can organize or join an organization”.
As members of the AU community, our obligations go beyond the academic. If there is one thing we all know about AU, it is that the school provides us with no shortage of ways to get involved. We are lucky to be in a community that both celebrates and fosters activism and civic engagement. Receiving a world-class education in the nation’s capital, we each have a unique responsibility to stay engaged and to use politics to better our community. As future leaders, the knowledge that we gain is not solely for our personal benefit, but has the potential to uplift our entire community. The best way to honor our privilege of access to higher education is to “create a better country, better community, and better world,” as the Congressman stated so perfectly.
Listening to an alumni of American University gave me a newfound appreciation for the School of Public Affairs’ dedication to training the socially-engaged leaders of tomorrow. As I continue on my academic journey, I plan to take the Congressman’s message to heart, giving equal attention to both educational enrichment and social impact — and I encourage all members of the American University community to join me.
