Meet Swing Blue Alliance intern, Kiran Houri, from Palm City, Florida. She is currently a sophomore at Tufts University, majoring in International Relations and double minoring in French and Economics.
Kiran became involved with Swing Blue Alliance starting in fall 2021 because she wanted to engage with organizations outside of Tufts. After being dissatisfied with opportunities in her hometown, she was interested in joining an organization “where they have shared values and somewhere [she] could make a difference.”
Why Kiran Interns with Swing Blue Alliance
This fall, Kiran has been researching and writing articles for the Swing Blue Alliance blog, including profiles of our interns and advocacy stories covering the importance of writing to your local newspapers’ editor to reach a larger audience and enact change. In addition to writing for the blog, she also does outreach to Swing Blue organizers to check in on their postcarding efforts and to solicit feedback.
Drawing on her Florida roots, Kiran’s main motivator comes from being surrounded by people who have opposite views and values to her own. Moving to Massachusetts for college, she’s “happy that [she’s] able to make a difference, whether it’s big or small” and making a positive impact is incredibly important to her.
Kiran’s Advice for Other Students
Kiran advises all students who want to engage and make a difference to do so, no matter where they come from. She says you shouldn’t feel hopeless and continue to be an activist and fight for what you believe in, even if you are from a place where people oppose your views. Kiran advocates for becoming involved in any way you can, “whether it’s a friendly debate with someone who differs from you or educating one person on a small thing that is important.”
Kiran’s efforts have made Swing Blue Alliance a stronger organization as she amplifies Swing Blue’s causes and priorities, stays true to her values, and promotes involvement in politics.
What to become a Swing Blue Alliance intern? Learn more.
Marianna Anagnostou has been a Swing Blue Alliance intern since summer 2021.