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| Cool Careers: Program Organizer by: Sarah Cushing Chrystal Hutchison’s job is all about making a real and visible difference in the world. Pretty cool, right? As a Program Organizer with the Florida Consumer Action Network, Chrystal works to help remedy social problems. This month, Chrystal tells AMG about her important work and how young people can get involved in the game of solving the world’s problems. Q: Can you tell me about what you do in your work as a Program Organizer with the Florida Consumer Action Network (FCAN)? |
| A: As a Program Organizer, I develop solution focused issue campaigns to fix a problem in society. There are many types of issue campaigns: environmental, social, economic and racial justice, just to name a few. I bring together organizations and individuals who have the same goals, and we all work together to make a better world. I plan politically engaging events like rallies, protests, letter writing campaigns and petition drives as steps to winning a campaign. Q: What is the FCAN and what do they do? A: FCAN is the largest and oldest consumer rights |
| group in Florida. We work to empower citizens to become leaders in their communities, and change the policies in government that negatively affect their lives. FCAN works to bring a voice to the underrepresented and make democracy work for the people. Q: What are some recent issues or campaigns that FCAN has worked on? A: One of our most recent campaigns was working to expand health insurance to millions of children across the United States by investing more money into the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). We sent a local family to Washington DC whose daughter’s life was saved because of the program. Millions of children remain without health insurance, and it is the duty of government to make sure these children can see a doctor when they need to. The family went to Washington, knowing the importance of the program and urged Congress to place more funds into SCHIP. The children of today will be the leaders of tomorrow and they need to be invested in. Q: Can you tell me about your typical work day? A: There is no such thing as a typical day! There are so many aspects of my job: updating our members, reaching out to new groups who will get involved in our campaign, blogging, planning events and writing letters to politicians that I rarely do the same thing twice in a month! Q: When and how did you get interested in this profession? A: Growing up, I knew nothing about politics except maybe who was president. I always wanted to be a Marine Biologist and study dolphins and whales. In my senior year in high school during my American Government class this all changed. I realized how important politics were, and how they affected every aspect of a person’s life - - from the roads we drive on to the parks we enjoy, from taxes to education - - every aspect of our lives is influenced by our elected officials and I knew that I needed to work in politics. I changed my life goals that year! Q: What does your educational background look like? A: I have a BA in Political Science and International Affairs, and am currently going to school full time (and still working full time!) to get a Masters in Public Administration. Q: What is your favorite and least favorite part about your job? A: The best part about my job is how fulfilling it is to do this kind of work. I make a real difference in people’s lives, and as a result of the work that I - and others like myself – do, people become a part of the democratic process and make the world a better place. On the flip side, I have to be very flexible and be prepared to take the bad with the good. We don’t always win our campaigns, but the problem that made a campaign arise never goes away if we don’t win. We have to be able to accept the loss, and start looking ahead to figure out what will make it be successful next time. Q: What advice would you give someone looking to get into your field? A: Get involved right now! You do not need a high school or college degree to start this work today! Join a club that cleans up rivers, or volunteer in the local animal shelter. Once you start giving back to the community you will have made a difference! If you like what you see, check out majors in college like Political Science, Sociology, International Relations or Women’s Studies. There is a place in activism for any issue that interests you! |
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