Elise Picard

On a hot Sunday afternoon in April 2021, I attended a rally for an Amazon unionization effort in

Bessemer, Alabama. Prior to the event, I had no concept of what a union was or why it might be

helpful to working people. Furthermore, political diversity in my experience was limited to the

conservative views of peers in my hometown and the moderate views of my parents and friends

from the city.

After meeting folks from several different states that worked for leftist political organizations

across the US, I found that we shared many of the same concerns: securing a living wage and

affordable healthcare for all, the climate crisis, and lessening disparities for marginalized groups.

The way they understood these aims came through an entirely different understanding of the

American economic framework.

Since that interaction, I have dived deep into Marxist political theory and the work of leftist

activists like Angela Davis. I have also interned at a local law firm to explore political justice in

action. At Emory, I hope to major in Philosophy, Politics, and Law, and utilize its interdisciplinary

nature to carve out a space in the world where I can use my passions to effect change.