Annie Levy on Finding Her Political Voice

As I have gotten to know Galloway sophomore Annie Levy over the last few months, one thing has become obvious to me: she is passionate about many things. Whether it be as a student, a dancer, or a self-proclaimed applesauce enthusiast, Annie puts her all into everything. But it only takes a few seconds of talking with her (or browsing this very website) to know that her love of politics and journalism defines her the most.

Coming from a very politically engaged family, Annie’s interest in current events has played a significant role in her life since childhood. However, it wasn’t until making the transition to Galloway for high school that she truly felt inspired to write about it. “I’ve always been aware of what I believe politically,” she explained to me confidently. “But coming from a big public school in the suburbs, [I spent] a lot of time surrounded by very ignorant people. It felt like I had to prove [them] wrong all the time…. When I came to Galloway, though, everyone was much more aware of social issues, and I finally felt like my voice was being heard.” The ongoing political discussion amongst Galloway students was immediately refreshing for her, and upon taking journalism class her freshman year, The Elliott became the perfect outlet for her to channel her newfound political inspiration.

Outside of her journalistic work, Annie is always looking for ways to integrate political activism into her daily life, whether it be through organized marches and protests or something as ordinary as checking the New York Times for updates on breaking news. Of these efforts, she finds the most personal gratification from simply talking about politics with friends and family. “There [are] obviously lots of situations where bringing up politics isn’t a great idea,” she jokingly remarked. “But if something comes up in conversation, I’ll try to make it meaningful, and there are [certain] friends that usually end up talking about politics with me anyway…. It doesn’t matter how big or small the conversation is; it’s super important to educate people when you can, [and] the stuff you can learn from talking to other people is amazing.” At this point in the interview, I was beginning to feel quite motivated myself.

When I asked her what her biggest piece of advice would be for someone looking to become more engaged with politics, her answer was very straightforward: read more about what’s going on around you. Do some research. As she put it herself, “spending five minutes a day reading about current events is so easy and makes such a big difference.” I couldn’t agree more, and for those looking for some articles to start with, Annie’s got you covered.