Arena Community,

In light of the news of Kamala Harris’s VP pick, we wanted to share one of our most popular Arena Academy stories, from an Academy grad who ran into Senator Harris at the hotel gym during Arena Academy Des Moines and had the courage to hand her a resume. (It worked!)

Kamala Harris was the first Presidential candidate who agreed to speak at Arena Academy, and we couldn’t be more grateful. We know she'll continue to be a champion of people whose voices aren't always heard just as she was that February afternoon in Des Moines.

Senator Harris supported Arena by hiring our alumni and inspiring grads at our trainings. Now it’s time to return the favor: sign up for Campaign Academy 2020 -- with official partner, Biden for President (+ Kamala!) -- and sharpen your volunteer skills so we can elect Team #BidenHarris in November.

Thanks,

- Arena

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Hey Arena Community,

You know that “elevator pitch” you’re supposed to have in case you meet your idol in an elevator (or in my case, on a stationary bike)? That happened to me at Arena Academy. Now the person I met is on stage running for President -- and I’m part of how she got there.

(There’s even footage of my boss telling our story later that afternoon. I think she was as surprised as I was.)

Let me back up. Hi! I’m Elizabeth. I’m a field organizer on Kamala Harris’s campaign in South Carolina and a graduate of Arena Academy Des Moines. I’m one of a bunch of Academy grads who’ve been working behind the scenes from nearly every major presidential campaign to power the debate tonight.

Arena made getting to this point in my career so much easier than it would’ve been otherwise. I would have never given Senator Harris my resume if it weren’t for one of my classmates. Every morning before Academy sessions started, she and I woke up early to work out and do our homework at the hotel gym. To our surprise, one day we turned around and saw Senator Kamala Harris there too.

When Kamala got off her stationary bike and headed to the hallway, my friend told me, “You have to go chase her down.” So I ran out, stopped her by the elevator, and gave her my pitch. I told her I was with Arena and handed her a resume. 

By 11am, I had an email from her senior adviser asking for a phone call.

Not everyone has a chance to catch their idol in an elevator, but anyone can sign up for an Academy. While meeting Senator Harris was the highlight of my weekend, it was my classmates who formed the most valuable part of my experience. They gave me the connections I needed to break into this industry and the context to make smart decisions. 

Now it’s your turn to encourage the next generation of campaign staff. I wouldn’t have been able to help my candidate get to the debate stage without Arena. If you can afford it, give $15 tonight and your gift will go straight to free or low-cost tuition for people who are usually locked out of politics.

You don’t need professional experience to attend Arena Academy. Some of my classmates had worked in politics for years, but plenty of us had never done anything like this before. My roommate in Des Moines, a new mom, was trained in classical music and had been working with musicians before she applied. She was inspired to switch careers after she volunteered for another new mom running for congress.

The explosion of new voices we’ve seen in the last few years doesn’t just happen -- it requires sustained support from progressives like you. Give $15 to the Arena Academy scholarship fund to support the 55% people of color and two-thirds women who attend Arena’s trainings.

I’m proud of the work I’ve done since graduating from Arena to help my candidate get to the debate stage tonight. Come November 2020, I’ll be able to say I did everything I could to keep Democrats in power and lift up voices who hadn’t been part of politics before. 

I’m excited to see what happens next -- on stage tonight and beyond.

Go team,

Elizabeth Burke

Arena Academy graduate & Kamala Harris campaign Field Organizer