TO NEW BEGINNINGS…
The year 2022 has been a whirlwind to say the least. I never anticipated the position I'd be in today, but hey, they say that's God. At the beginning of this year, I was abandoning preparation to apply for law school, an aspiration I've had for as long as I could remember: that and becoming President of the United States. Now, that's not to say that I won't be revisiting the prospects of law school, however my campaign for presidency is going pretty well. But in all honesty, at the beginning of this year I had no idea as to what my future would hold. I faced a period of transition like no other: graduating college. And like many of my peers know, this is your first real introduction to the idea that, "I'm a full blown adult". No more twiddling my thumbs and no more time for existing lackadaisically. With the constant reminder that time is fleeting, our time has come and we simply have to take advantage of it. Now, this has obviously taken many forms for many people over the last few months, but that is ultimately why I am writing to you today.
Rewinding back to January 2022, I found myself applying for a program aimed at placing kids from different socioeconomic backgrounds, all across the country, in DC for the pursuit of a career on the Hill and in politics. That program was College to Congress. About 6 months prior to applying to College to Congress, I was probably at the lowest point in my life, in a battle with my own mind. I was facing this moment of transition and I had no idea what I wanted to do with what I could do. I had always wanted to study law and rise up in the ranks, mirroring the ascent of my spirit figure Thurgood Marshall. However, knowing the financial, academic and professional commitment of law school and a career in law proved rather daunting. And it killed me. Did I want to make that leap so quickly? Did I want to forego all of my interests and passions for a 6-figure paycheck, saving the 6-figure loans that would be attached to my hip following law school? I had always had a love for law. But my professional loves extended to public service as well. It seemed as if the loves and passions I had developed over my 4 years of growth, and beyond, were to take a backseat to my pursuit of law.
After a few weeks through C2C's review process, I received notification that I was advancing to the second stage of applications. Greater reassurance. For added good measure, I received this news in Cabo, amidst the craziness of Squid Row. That’s simply the perfect transitionary movie sequence, hopefully pointing to the future ascent of the protagonist. Well such a rise certainly arrived, because in the following weeks I would receive news of my acceptance into College to Congress' 4th class of interns. Over the moon, I realized my time had come.
This past summer provided me with an immense amount of growth: externally and internally. Since growing from the timid freshman in high school at Brophy College Preparatory, the Bobby I know today is nearly unrecognizable. The physical transformation was certainly there, losing about 100lbs from the end of my senior year of high school to graduation this past May. The mental transformation was even greater. I've grown more creative, more confident, and more charismatic. But more importantly, I've grown with myself--in mind, body and spirit. In the summer of 2022, I was granted the keys to the world. So, I aimed to work for the world until it began to work for me. Here in DC, I established community and a network that I can lean on. And, such a network has only allowed me to become a greater version of myself. I achieved a greater education while being on the Hill, not only of the policy areas that interest me most, but of the ones that drive others as well. And within the tragedy and mess of politics of the last few months, I've established a greater empathy and ability to listen to others, an asset I consider most valuably when both connecting and understanding the person across from me. Almost like the terrifying ride at your local state fair, I'm glad I made height requirements, because it’s been a damn good ride.
Too often as citizens of society and country, we've taken a backseat in apathy to the current events of our political sphere, or to the negotiations of major corporations in deals that will majorly affect the way in which you live (see Elon Musk). Information has never been more available, yet so underutilized. And, as I mature, I’ve discerned an increasingly pressing need for not only the sharing of information, but of experience as well. Just like the norm in diversity that Generation-Z appreciates, that same norm parallels across their personal experiences, and more specifically their personal outputs. The first digitally native generation in our history is doing more than we could ever imagine. Financially minded, yet consumers to a fault, Gen-Z looks to push the needle as to what is possible for the next generation of creators, changemakers, and citiZens. Content and the creation of anything really–whether that be the memo you drafted yesterday or the TikToks that provide value to your viewers–has contributed to the growth of our society in recent memory. Today, we find ourselves in a time where content and more importantly creation rules Generation Z. Yet, there’s never been a centralized forum for collective and authentic share, specifically aimed at highlighting all the cool shit that those in Gen-Z are doing. So why not create one? Hence, the creation of citiZen by Bobby Baransaka.
Now, I cannot anticipate what this coming year will hold for me, or for citiZen. I look forward to the content I will produce and the greater community I will build. However, I now find myself in another moment of transition, facing the realities of the turnover within the Hill. Nonetheless, 12-year old Bobby would proud. He would be proud of the mistakes, he would be proud of the successes, and ultimately proud of the man I've become today. In the words of the wise, I would simply tell him to “give it time”. And in the words of the divine, he would return the same message. Life is cyclical, and often when we return to these same challenges, we are better equipped to tackle them. However, what we take for granted are the experiences that others have had in sharing such a load. Your life may tell me a lot about my own, and vice versa. What I do know is that humans are the greatest form of capital available to other persons: invest in it, and in them. I experienced this in family, friends, and the freedom that is a result of you breaking out of your nest. Over the coming weeks, months, and years I look forward to continuing to put more stock into the humans around me—specifically those in Generation Z. Our time has come, and it is time we take advantage of it. And the returns, although they may not be immediate, will be grand. I just hope you get in early too.
With Love,
Bobby Baransaka
