Gone, But Not Forgotten

Good evening, y'all. I hope everyone enjoys this final weekend in the beautiful month of June. Today's post will be a little bit different from my previous ones. I wanted to start off by dedicating this post to my grandmother, my mother's mother, who left us late Friday night to join our Father up in Heaven. She was 93 years old, and she lived a long and beautiful life. Though my mother was not raised with her, the bond between a mother and her child is not easily broken. I am fortunate that my mother was able to spend time with her during her last days on Earth; further, I am eternally grateful that my grandmother died peacefully and without any suffering. Rest in peace, Grandma Anderson.

Two generations of strong and beautiful women.

The timing of my grandmother's passing, though not unexpected, occurred on a day I was honoring the lives of others. I guess you could say that was the theme on Saturday: respecting and paying tribute to those lost. After an early start to my day, I decided to take a trip up to the Mall and go to the Holocaust Memorial Museum. The Museum was incredible, and it did a wonderful job walking us through the history of the Holocaust from the rise of the Nazis to American intervention. Perhaps the most powerful exhibit--at least, to me personally--was the display of thousands of shoes worn by the Jewish while enslaved in the concentration camps. Some were so small, they couldn't have been worn by anyone older than the tender age of six.

Photography prohibited inside the Holocaust Museum. But I got this nice picture of the Monument.

Afterwards, I decided to do a little more exploring and check out some of the monuments I hadn't seen yet. First up, Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s monument on the coast of the Mall. While it was all impressive, my favorite part of the monument would have to be all the powerful words inscribed all around the statue of MLK. Just a few minutes away stood the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial. Now, THAT was fascinating. It was almost as if the memorial was a day-by-day walk in the life and the thoughts of FDR. FDR has always been a fascinating character to me, and I believe that it is only fitting that his memorial celebrates his New Deal and WWII accomplishments.

 Reverend Martin Luther King Jr.

Took long enough for this man to get a monument. #BetterLateThanNever

Scene in the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial 

Sunday was a day filled with relaxation and good food. One of the few places I hadn't been yet prior to Sunday was the U-Street neighborhood. U-Street was filled with great shops and restaurants, including the world renowned Ben's Chili Bowl. Just to give y'all some perspective on how good this place is, some of their regular customers include Mr. Bill Cosby and President Obama and his family! It's a legendary spot in D.C., and it happened to be just a few blocks down from a nail salon. Talk about heaven! 

Don't let it fool you; this place was GOOD! 

*Que the mouthwatering* 

Now this is what I call a lunch. Delicious! 

I'm looking forward to this upcoming week. Not only is the House out of session (which, in essence, means less work), but Fourth of July is almost here! Even better, my best friend from High School is coming to visit me! I cannot wait until Thursday; I have a whole lineup of activities in store. But now, I'm just relaxing for the rest of the night. I hope everyone else can do the same! Goodnight! 

An In-Depth Look At The Court's Affirmative Action Decision

United States v. Windsor and Hollinsworth v. Perry weren't the only historic cases the Supreme Court announced this week. Much to my dismay, the Court struck down Section Five of the Voting Rights Act in Shelby County v. Holder, which required states and localities with a history of discrimination to get clearance before enacting new voting laws or regulations. While the Court did say that Congress could pass a new updated version of Section Five, the likelihood of this happening--especially with a Republican majority in the House--is slim to none.

One of the landmark cases I've been following--Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin--involves the constitutionality of affirmative action. I am a strong proponent of affirmative action; thus, this case was of great importance to me. As an associate editor for the Georgia Political Review, I followed the case in great detail and first wrote about it back in October shortly after oral arguments were heard. On Monday, the Court remanded the case back to the Fifth Circuit Court in a surprising 7-1 decision.

If you are interested in learning more about the implications of the Court's decision in this case, I invite you to read my article by clicking here. In fact, for great analysis on national and foreign political matters, I urge you all to check out the Georgia Political Review daily!

The petitioner, Abigail Fisher, leaving the Supreme Court on Monday.

You Say You Want A Revolution?

Wow! To say today was a day to remember would be an understatement. Every time I think I can't fall anymore in love with D.C., something else incredible happens. June 26, 2013 will forever be with me because I witnessed history firsthand.

Wednesday morning, the Supreme Court of the United States announced the decisions of two landmark gay rights/marriage cases--United States v. Windsor and Hollingsworth v. Perry. Regarding the first case, the Court struck down the Defense of Marriage Act (D.O.M.A) in a badly divided 5-4 split. As far as the latter case goes, the Supreme Court split 5-4 again and held that the petitioners in the case (private citizens) did not have standing and thus, Prop 8 remains unconstitutional and gay marriage resumes in the state of California. Now, what the Court did NOT say was that gay marriage is constitutionally protected; however, the Court did rule that gay couples cannot be denied the same benefits heterosexual couples receiver.

Now, my office in the Rayburn House Office Building is a short two minute walk from the Supreme Court. Did y'all seriously think Taryn--Supreme Court and constitutional law nerd--would miss this? Of course not, which is why the other interns and myself rushed over there to be a part of all the action! We even got to stand on the courtroom steps--perks of being a part of the staff! The best part was seeing the attorneys for Windsor walk about the Court hand-in-hand and tears in their eyes. It was an incredible moment in history, and I am proud to say that I witnessed it personally. And of course, I am overjoyed with the Court's decision. Marriage equality for all! 

 The Supreme Court after the cases were decided! Look at all the people!

 Equality over everything! The victorious lawyers celebrating!

 #Amen #EqualityOverAll

All the reporters on hand for this historic day at the High Court.

Immediately after work, I attended our second UGA Honors in Washington luncheon at McKenna, Long and Aldridge. It's always nice getting to meet up with everyone from the program. Of course, a free and delicious lunch is always appreciated as well!

Today was a pretty busy day at work! All in all, I wrote four 499's--remember those are unsolicited letters sent out to our constituents to keep them informed--among other tasks. Oh, and our phones were off the hook thanks to the madness at the Supreme Court! But I live for busy days on the Hill. They make the day go by much faster. And you never quite know who you'll bump into! On my way back from the Capitol to Rayburn in the very exclusive underground Subway, I ran into Congressman John Conyers from Detroit. Since my mother and a good chunk of my family is from Detroit, I've always respected Rep. Conyers for his leadership and his work for the African American community. I finally got the courage to introduce to myself to him. He was extremely nice, and he even let me ride in the Member's Only elevator with him. Afterwards, he gave me his personal card and told me to give him a call so we could set up a meeting in his office sometime. Man, I love my job. 

I got off work a little late, so I decided to treat myself and attend another fabulous reception. Of course, there were free cocktails and delicious appetizers. I even mingled around and made some new connections! But the thing that capped off my entire day was the packages I received in the mail from my family and friends. My Aunt Maxine sent me a beautiful calender and wrote me an inspiring and encouraging letter. And my parents send me the greatest care package ever! To top off all the goodies and treats they sent me was Justice Sonia Sotomayor's autobiography.  Talk about inspiration!

UPDATE: The autobiography was SIGNED PERSONALLY by Justice Sotomayor herself! She wrote: Taryn, thank you for caring so much. Stay (word I can't quite make out) in your life! Signed, Sonia Sotomayor! My mother is the BEST! I don't know how she pulled this off, but she always pulls through for her baby girl.

 My parents know me so well! Look at all that coffee!

Oh, I just love this woman. Can I be her when I grow up?

Needless to say, I had an amazing day. Scratch that, I had a HISTORIC day. One day, my kids will ask me where I was when the Supreme Court decided two landmark gay rights cases; I can tell them with immense pride that I was there...literally! I am too blessed beyond words.

A Different Side Of D.C.

As sad as I am to see another weekend come to a close, I'm happy that I got to experience more of this wonderful city I've come to love. Last weekend, I visited the quaint and upscale Georgetown neighborhood. And this week, I ventured to another part of town. One of the things I love about D.C. is its diversity, not just racially or ethnically but also socioeconomically. On the one had, you have exclusive (and expensive) neighborhoods such as Georgetown and Dupont Circle. And on the other hand, you have more blue-collar, urban neighborhoods such as Columbia Heights and Shaw.

Friday was a bitter-sweet day, as I mentioned in my last post, because it was my friend Janae's last day at work and in D.C. I miss her already, but I know she's happy to be back in Atlanta! After a long day of work, I decided to have a chill night back at the apartment. My roommate decided to stay in as well, and we ended up having a pretty nice night watching movies and catching up on our long week. It's nice to go out, but I'm a homebody at heart; nothing beats relaxing at home!

Posing in the boss man's office! Not goodbye, but see you later.

I woke up pretty early on Saturday morning to meet up with my friend, Kayla, so that we could go to the Eastern Market together. The Eastern Market is a couple of blocks away from where I work on the Hill, but you would think it was in a whole different part of D.C. The weather was perfect as we made our way through the all of the food and goods. The fruits and vegetables were fresh and extremely tasteful; the jewelry, clothes, and other goods were handcrafted and original. I treated myself to a brand new ring and a delicious grilled-shrimp sandwich at the market cafe. Afterwards, we walked up on Capitol Hill and explored the Library of Congress. I even got a library reader's card! I will definitely be checking out more books in the future before I leave!

Eastern Market. The picture doesn't do it justice! 

Look at all that beautiful jewelry! And those RINGS! 

Can you say delicious? Grilled-shrimp sandwich! #yumyumyum 

The Library of Congress is absolutely beautiful. The architecture is astonishing!

Your girl can now check out books from the Library of Congress. #boss

 ....and just right next store is my future home. Call me Justice Winston, please.

Saturday night was a pretty fun night as well! I met up with Kayla and five friends from her George Washington complex, and we all took a trip up to Howard University in Shaw. We ended up going to this birthday party/house party just outside of campus. When I say this party was HOT, let's just say I went to the party with my hair curled and five minutes later my hair was straight. We ended up going to a few different places that night. However, we ended up at a pretty nice party towards the end. Despite the heat, it was a pretty fun night and I met a lot of cool people! 

Kayla and I before heading to Howard! 

Sunday was a pretty lazy day for me. I didn't get back to my room till early Sunday morning, so I slept in till around 10:30. After I cleaned up my apartment a bit, I decided to take a short walk up to the Lincoln Memorial and the Monument. Once again, it was another hot day in D.C. so I didn't stay too long before I circled back around and walked back to Foggy Bottom. The walk was just long enough to clear my head.  

I had a really interesting encounter on my walk back to my apartment. After running into CVS for a brief minute, I spotted an older woman walking outside the store with a large backpack by her side and a can filled with coins by her feet; the woman was visibly upset and appeared to have been crying. Now, I'd like to think that I'm a pretty friendly person, but I've definitely never been one to strike up conversation with a random stranger. But something about this woman told me that she needed someone to talk to, or at least someone to let her know that everything was going to be okay (which I certainly did not even know if it would). So I went up to her, dropped my extra change in her can and told her just that. She thanked me, and as I was beginning to walk away, she called out to me and asked me where I was from. I proceeded to tell her that I was from Georgia but I was staying in D.C. for the summer as a part of an internship. After I told her this, she smiled at me and congratulated me for my successes. I was pretty amazed. Here she stood--without a home, food, or money--complimenting me on all the blessings in my life. We ended up talking for a good five minutes about all sorts of things. She briefly discussed some of the good things in her life (mainly her daughter who lived with a family member) as well as some of the challenges she's faced (mainly her drug addiction). Towards the end of our conversation, I ran into the nearest Subway and bought lunch for the both us. Seeing her face when I brought back her sandwich was priceless; she was so appreciative! Tears formed in her eyes as I told her goodbye. I wanted to tell her that everything would be alright, but the truth is I don't know if that's the case. 

I'll probably never see or talk to this woman again. I'll never know whether she was able to overcome her drug addiction. I'll never know if she'll ever be reunited with her daughter. And while I'd like to say that my encounter with this woman had some profound impact on my life, I know that probably (and sadly) isn't going to be the case. But this woman did serve as a reminder that there are two very different sides to Washington D.C. and quite frankly everywhere in the United States. Where I work on Capitol Hill, I am blessed to be surrounded by some of the most influential and powerful people in our country. Yet just a couple of blocks away, hundreds upon hundreds of people live amongst us in the streets, without a home for whatever reason and struggling to hold on. It's saddening and unjust that in the midst of so much wealth and power, there is so much poverty and despair.

I'll try not to end this post on a sad note, so I want to wish all of my readers a safe and blessed week! I'm currently planning my epic Fourth of July; my best friend from high school is even coming up to visit me! Y'all have a great night!

My Take: Amnesty Or Enforcement? Why Not Both?

At approximately 1:00 A.M. on this early Saturday, June 22nd morning, a great idea popped into my head! While I'm here on the Hill and sharing my everyday experiences with y'all, why not make it a little bit more educational and actually discuss some of the fresh (and controversial) issues? Working in Congress each and every day has forced me to be really up-to-date on the issues currently circulating through both the House and the Senate. Thus, I believe discussing some of the current issues with y'all would be a great way to start discussion--and perhaps even spark a healthy debate.  My plan is to have one of these every week so everyone should definitely stay tuned in.

DISCLAIMER: My own personal views DO NOT reflect the views of Congressman John Barrow nor the views of any of his staff. These are my personal opinions that I would like to share with y'all. Additionally, if you are to leave any comments, please make them respectful or else I will delete them. Successful debates consist of respectful disagreement--key word being respectful. Thank you.

First, we are going to discuss a topic that's been pretty controversial the past several years. Yes, that would be immigration. Now, for those of you who maybe haven't been paying close attention to recent congressional activity, the Senate is currently working on a comprehensive immigration bill that would put the 11 million undocumented individuals currently living in the U.S on a pathway to citizenship. The bipartisan measure was drafted and negotiated by Senators on both sides of the aisle, collectively known as the Gang of Eight. Recently, the Senate has added amendments to the bill that would significantly enhance border security and improve technology along the border. While the bill is projected to pass the Senate (because the Democrats hold the majority), Senate leaders and the Gang of Eight are aiming for 70 votes so that they can increase the pressure on the House of Representatives to pass comprehensive immigration reform.

Meanwhile, the Republican-led House is also working on immigration legislation of its own. But rather than working toward passing comprehensive legislation like the Senate, the House has decided to take a piecemeal approach (meaning that they are considering individual bills instead of a large, collective one). So far, immigration bills in the House have been much more strict in that they do not grant amnesty to the 11 million undocumented individuals present in the U.S. and there is a much stronger emphasis on border security. In my last few posts, I talked about my experience attending the House Judiciary Committee hearings on the S.A.F.E ACT. This bill would give state and local governments the authority to detain individuals alleged to be here unlawfully thus making it a crime to be in the U.S. illegally.

MY OPINION

It goes without question that are current immigration system is flawed and broken. On the one hand, our borders are simply not strong enough and too many individuals are entering our country unlawfully everyday. Yet on the other hand, approximately 11 million individuals are forced to lived in the shadows each and every day within the borders of the greatest country in the world. Most of the 11 million are hardworking, honest individuals who are just trying to make a better living for themselves and for their families.

Too often, this immigration debate pits amnesty vs. border control enforcement. It's almost as if we can only have one. NEWSFLASH: We can do both and more importantly, we MUST do both. First and foremost, our borders must be properly secured. We must invest more into improving technology around the border and making sure that everyone who wishes to come to our country enters the proper way. This is essential, and this is one of the key reasons why so many Republicans did not support the comprehensive immigration bill in the Senate. Quite frankly, I believe that enforcement across the border should be our first priority. If need be, we should create triggers and standards for the Department of Homeland Security to meet before we discuss anything else. I believe this type of enforcement will only generate more support from key House members.

But then, what are we to do with the 11 million undocumented individuals currently within the United States. These individuals have lived in the shadows long enough; it is time to let them live freely and set them on a path to U.S. citizenship. Yes, I am saying that we must grant amnesty to these people. Why? For moral reasons, these individuals have built their lives and started their families here in the United States. Could we honestly just ask them to pack their bags and leave after they have walked amongst us for so many years?  And additionally, for economic reasons, these individuals have contributed to our economy by providing us with services that otherwise would not be available. Too often, people argue that undocumented individuals are taking away American jobs. Yet most of the jobs undocumented individuals have are extremely low-paying and unattractive jobs that most Americans do not want. Let these people live their lives without fear. Let these people realize the dream they have always wanted.

Amnesty or enforcement? Well, why not both? In order for comprehensive immigration to pass, both tougher border enforcement as well as amnesty for those already in the U.S. will both need to be present in the final bill. The President himself has made it clear that he will not support any type of immigration reform unless it includes some type of amnesty. Similarly, the House will not pass any type of immigration reform bill unless it includes tougher border security measures. So, let's compromise and give them both what they want! And what the people of the United States--both citizens and undocumented individuals--deserve. That is why I support the current immigration bill in the Senate, and I sincerely hope that the House can pass a similar version.


If y'all want any more information on the immigration debate, I suggest going to http://thehill.com/immigration-debate-latest-news for the latest updates. As always, if you have any questions, feel free to send me an email or just comment below.

Attending Receptions & Making Connections

Good evening everyone! I hope y'all had another great day, and I hope everyone is getting ready for this epic Game Seven tonight. I originally had the Spurs in six; but I can't go against the Heat. Not after Tuesday night and not with the reigning MVP on their side. But of course, it's not easy going against the Spurs in a Game Seven either. I'll be pulling for the Heat tonight, only because of a little bet I have going on with one of the other interns in my office, Adam. If the Spurs win, I have to re-stock our office fridge for the next week (it sounds harmless, but it's actually kind of annoying and tedious!). If the Heat win, he has to re-stock it for the next week. He clearly doesn't know that I don't lose bets--so naive--but I don't ease up for anyone, even amateurs. Bet on! 

I've had a pretty good week thus far. At work, I'm starting to pick up some more responsibilities. I got to write several 499s--which are basically pieces of unsolicited mail sent to 499 people in the Congressman's district. In compliance with federal statute, we aren't allowed to send the same piece of unsolicited mail to more than 500 people (hence, the name 499). Additionally, I have given some more tours and helped out with other tasks around the office.

Starstruck Wednesday

After work Wednesday, my friend and fellow intern Beatrice and I headed over to the Senate side to attend a reception. The reception was in celebration of New Hampshire cuisine; thus, there was tons of delicious food and a vast array of local wines. I met a whole bunch of wonderful people--including two other interns from Illinois who were particularly interesting to talk to. But the highlight of my night was meeting Kelly Ayote, the junior Senator from (where else?) New Hampshire. There aren't too many female Senators (20 as of now), and so I admire every woman in the Senate and the House. Congressman Ayotte has also been a role model of mine even despite the fact that we have different viewpoints. She was extremely nice and gracious enough to take a picture with me. But overall, the reception was one of the better ones I've attended thus far. 

Congressman Kelly Ayotte and I. She was terrific!

Terry Thursday

While I originally didn't intend on going anywhere Thursday, at the last moment I decided to attend a UGA Terry Alumni in D.C. event at a bar/lounge close to Union Station (near the Capitol). And while I am a proud SPIA and Grady baby, I managed to mingle my way into attending despite the fact that I'm not in Terry. The event was pretty nice; a lot of recent Terry alumni there spoke about their love for the University as well as the construction of the new business learning center. Seriously, future Terry students are SO lucky! Before we left, we each got a little Terry 'goody bag'! Guess I'm a honorary Terry student now. 

 It's good to be an (honorary) Terry baby! Free stuff, oh yeah!

On our walk to the Terry Alumni in D.C. event, we came across the Annual Capitol Hill Icecream Party outside of the Russell Senate building! We mingled around for a bit and met some pretty interesting people. There's always something to do and someone to meet on the Hill. My kind of place!

Icecream on the Capitol Lawn? Why not! 

UGA girls! Beatrice and I.

This week has gone by so slow! I'm so glad tomorrow is Friday. But it will be a bittersweet day as one of my fellow interns and great friend, Janae, will be saying her goodbyes as Friday is her last day. Even though we've only known each other four weeks, she's become an amazing friend and I am super sad to see her leave. But best believe I will be visiting this girl when I head down to Georgia Southern next year! She's on to bigger and better things in her life; I know she has an amazing future ahead of her and that's why I'm so thankful I met her. 

Well, enjoy the game folks! Go Heat! Just kidding, I hate the Heat; I just want them to win because of the bet. Goodnight y'all.

Call The (Honors) Dawgs

Hey everyone! I hope y'all had a great Tuesday, whether it be in Athens, Atlanta, or anywhere else. Today was certainly another interesting day for me! The weather in D.C. has been up and down to say the least. And today was no exception: it was HOT, humid and rainy outside today. Not the best combination. But work was pretty exciting for a couple of different reasons:

• I attended a markup today on the SAFE Act in the House Judiciary Committee. The SAFE ACT (which stands for Strengthen and Fortify Enhancement Act) is one of several immigration bills currently in the House. This particular bill would give local and state authority the ability to investigate and arrest undocumented immigrants and transfer them to federal authorities for deportation. The bill also strengthens border security as well as interior enforcement (for individuals already unlawfully present in the U.S., VISA overstays, etc.). The markup was filled with proponents and opponents of the law. Several of the opponents of the law were the so-called Dreamers, or children who were brought to the U.S. by their parents. They were dressed in graduation robes. At the very beginning of the markup, a group of individuals stood up and began chanting Shame Shame Shame. Stop the pain!, expressing their disapproval of the bill. And while they were escorted out, they began chanting Si se puede! in the Rayburn Hallways. It was very interesting and intense to say the least. Obviously, immigration is a very sensitive and controversial topic for people on both sides of the argument. And while both sides of the aisle agree that the current immigration system is broken, the way in which we go about fixing it remains to be seen. 

• After work, I headed over to a Cuban restaurant called Cuba Libre for the Honors in Washington/UGA Alumni dinner. Maria, our HIW intern coordinator, invited 60 UGA Honors alumni currently living in D.C. to network and mingle with the current interns in D.C. I met a lot of great people, from attorneys to nonprofit workers to staffers on the Hill. Dr. Williams, the President of the UGA Honors Program, was also present! I must admit, I was a little overwhelmed with all the advice and information I received. But I am incredibly grateful that I was able to meet so many wonderful people. And of course, GO DAWGS everywhere I go! 

 Jackson and me at the UGA Honors Alumni dinner!

HIW moderates, haha! And we finally got a roommate picture!

• I am currently watching Game Six of the NBA Finals; if my prediction holds, the Spurs will hang on to this lead and take the title. But the Heat are starting to warm up a little so I'm not writing this game off yet. But with Tim Duncan is playing like the ageless wonder he is, the Heat are definitely in trouble. Guess we'll see! 

I'd like to end my post a little differently tonight with some food for thought. In the markup I attended today, Congressman Trey Gowdy of South Carolina offered some wise words in the midst of chaos and controversy stirred up by the SAFE Act. Gowdy--a conservative Republican and the author of the SAFE Act--reminded his colleagues to 'never question the motive of another member' because you never truly know another member's experiences or beliefs. Debate facts, not motives, Gowdy added. And while I obviously do not agree with Mr. Gowdy on a number of different issues, his words really stuck with me. Sometimes it is difficult for us to fully understand the other side but that is because we will never fully know the other side. There's a reason there are two sides to every debate; one will never be the 'right' one because we all have different viewpoints and perspectives. In conclusion, I urge my readers to reflect over Congressman Gowdy's words and understand that although we may not agree with the other side, we must never question their motives because we will never fully understand their motives. And that goes for BOTH Democrats and Republicans.

Goodnight everyone!

Young, Black Female Addicted To The City Life!

Good Sunday and Happy Father's Day everyone! Before I begin recapping another exciting weekend in D.C., I must give a special shout-out to my father! From teaching me how to drive to showing me the paradise that is Packers Nation, I would not be where I am today without this man. He's constantly supported me and looked out for me--even if it does drive me crazy sometimes--and he's always been there for me. I love you, Dad, and I hope you had a great day of golf and relaxation. Sorry Tiger couldn't pull through for you, though. At least Lefty choked up!

But anyways, back to my weekend. I won't go into each day too much just because I did so much! So what I have decided to do is post my personal pictures from each day of the weekend, that way I can let those do the talking (with a short little summary included).

Smithsonian Saturday at the American History Museum 

 It was a beautiful yet HOT day in D.C. on Saturday!

The Greensboro sit-in counter during the Civil Rights Movement. #myhistory 

My two favorite ladies'--Jackie Kennedy and Michelle Obama--inauguration gowns! Gorgeous! 

 Chief Justice Rehnquist's robe. Hopefully, I'll be sporting one of those someday! 

 ...and later that day...

Took a little walk and guess what I stumbled upon. 

Honest Abe. Number Two on my list of favorite presidents of all time. 

World War II Memorial. Took a nice little rest in the fountain!

 Saturday Night Dinner in Georgetown 

 Georgetown at night is L-I-V-E! Parties on boats, waterfront restaurants, dancing, etc!

Georgetown by the waterfront! 

The restaurant we ate at Saturday night. Delicious seafood. #yumyumyum 

 My lovely date and I! We had such a great night. 

A little pricey, but well worth it! 

Young, educated, black women taking over D.C!

Sunday Night Dinner #HonorsDawgsinDC

Since I don't have any pictures from Sunday, I figured I might as well give a brief summary of my day. I woke up pretty late--11 A.M. is super late for me--but I definitely needed the rest. For the most part, Sunday was a pretty chill day. I took another short walk up to the Lincoln Memorial and got some reading in. Afterwards, I checked out the Watergate Shops (for those of you who struggle with history, Watergate was the old hotel where the whole "Nixon wiretaping" scandal took place in the 1970s). I even found a relatively cheap nail salon; the personal time was much needed.

After some rest and relaxation in my room, my roommate and I walked a couple of blocks up Pennsylvania Avenue to a restaurant called The Founding Farmers. We met up with Maria--our Honors in Washington intern coordinator--as well as the other Honors interns. Maria is awesome and incredibly helpful so it was absolutely wonderful seeing her! We had a great dinner and talked extensively about our experiences. The best part was dinner was on UGA Honors dime (a deliciously free meal). 

With another epic weekend in D.C. coming to a close, I wanted to take the time to thank all of y'all who have been so supportive of me throughout my entire journey. It means so much to hear that people are interested in my experiences; I definitely wanted to share them as a way to keep in touch as well as a way to help others who may be interested in doing something similar in the future. Nevertheless, your support has been incredible and I cannot express who truly grateful I am to have some awesome people in my life. I hope y'all have a great night (and GO Spurs! Only because I have them winning in six so I need them to pull through).

Summertime Fine

Hello everyone! I hope y'all are having a great week and a great summer thus far. It's finally Friday! And while I usually look forward to Friday each week, I must say that this week was one of the more entertaining ones I've had thus far while here in D.C. I got to meet a lot of new people, made connections, and I even had some additional fun after work each day.

Tuesday was another somewhat slow day at work. However, I was able to venture over to the Senate side for the first time and attend a congressional hearing. Let me just say that the Senate buildings are SO much nicer than the House ones. I'll admit I was a little jealous when I peaked in one of the Senate office buildings. The hearing I attended was a markup on the Strengthening America's School Act. The room was packed and filled with some top-notch senators. Senators Rand Paul, Richard Burr, Patty Murray, Elizabeth Warren, and Georgia's own Johnny Isakson were just some of the stars of the hearing.

 The Hart Senate Building! It looked like a modern-day museum!

Front row seat at the Senate Committee Hearing!

Oh, hey there Johnny! Senator Isakson from Georgia.

Again, Wednesday was another relatively relaxed day at work. Usually during the day, my assignments include answering the phones and talking to constituents, giving tours of the Capitol, preparing and sending mail to constituents, working on lists or excel sheets, as well as several other tasks. However, after work, my fellow interns and I were able to attend a pretty neat reception. That's another one of those perks of working on the Hill: free food and drinks at receptions during the weekdays. This reception was particularly interesting because it felt like a zoo! There were baby rabbits, hares, birds, and a chincilla! Of course, the "guest" that made my night particularly special was Elmo (my childhood favorite). Random? Most definitely. But fun and memorable? You bet!

All my interns/friends with our little friends!

Thursday was probably one of the best days I've had this summer. I got the opportunity to attend a heated congressional hearing on a proposed immigration bill in the House Judiciary Committee. The hearing lasted almost four hours, but it was incredibly interesting and even somewhat emotional. But the real fun began after work! The annual Congressional Baseball game is held each year in June at the Nationals Park. Democratic representatives go up against Republican representatives in one of the most entertaining games of baseball you'll ever see. So after work, my friends Alex, Beatrice, and I headed over the park together. Before the game started, we went to a congressional reception at the Diamond Club inside the park. And believe me when I say we got the VIP treatment! Everything was free! The theme of the reception was Taste of America, so it included food such as South Carolina shrimp and grits, Maryland crab cakes, and Georgia peach gobbler. Oh, and did I mention that there was an open bar? We had a great time socializing and meeting other interns/staffers. After we ate, we headed outside and watched the game with some of the other staffers in my office. The Democrats DESTROYED the Republicans, 22-0! Not surprising, since the Democrats are the best of course! But in short, it was a great time!

 Gooooo Dems! Beat those Republicans!

 Fortunately, the rain held off! And the game was on!

 Another picture of Nationals Park!

Can you say heaven? Open bar and free food in the exclusive Diamond Club! #pinchme

And now, it's finally Friday! I'm looking forward to another classic weekend up in the nation's capitol. I hope y'all have a safe and blessed weekend!