March 09, 2020
Early Monday morning, the Power to the People loaded up and headed to Denver for an exciting and undoubtedly educational adventure to meet with Denver Post journalist Bruce Finley and Colorado Governor Jared Polis.
Our first stop was at a coffee shop in downtown Denver to meet with Denver Post journalist Bruce Finley. Over coffee, we discussed the importance and the purpose of journalism. We learned about the method behind truly objective journalism as well as the essentiality of bias in good journalism: “Ask all sides, and the truth is somewhere in the middle.” Contrary to other Power to the People guest speakers, he made the profound distinction between people being objective and objectivity being a process. Finley also discussed his role as an environmental journalist to keep our state government accountable for their actions and inform the public of the consequences and effects of new policy. Our meeting with Finley was informative, enlightening, and a refreshing perspective on journalism as a whole.
After we wrapped up our meeting with Finley, we walked a couple of blocks north to the Colorado State Capitol where we eagerly anticipated our meeting with Governor Jared Polis. After entering the capitol and clearing security, we posed for a picture awaiting Polis’ company. Soon thereafter he warmly greeted us with smiles and small talk. However, in the wake of the COVID-19 spread, it is understandable that he could not allocate much time to us. I introduced our school and our ECS program before he advised us to take extra precautionary measures to stay healthy and prevent the wider spread of the virus. Shortly after posing for a picture, he said his goodbyes and so did we. We didn’t have as much time as I would have liked to have with him, but it was an unforgettable experience and the Power to the People ECS is tremendously appreciative of the time he gave to us.
Finally, we wrapped up our eventful day by closing with a reflective discussion in Civic Center Park adjacent to the capital where we digested our lunch as well as all the information and experiences we had that morning. During our lunch break, some of us revisited the capitol to investigate a protest by anti-vaxxers, and I realized what a privilege it is to live in a free country that allows citizens to voice their own opinions and beliefs and lobby for change, whether it’s through protests, journalism, or simply voting.
Click here to view all of the 2020 ECS blogs.
