What is power? Power is the ability to make someone do what you desire and, contrary to popular belief, it can be easily defined. The first thing one has to know about power is that it concentrates among societal elites and those elites will stop at nothing to justify this inequity. However, power is also infinite. Anyone can obtain it if he/she knows how to. This is what spurs on activism and civic engagement.

 These are the words (paraphrased) of a brilliant political theorist named Eric Liu. I sought out Eric after the last presidential election, when I stood idly by as things had not gone to my liking; I felt the incontrovertible desire to empower myself so that I would never again be a total bystander regarding what happens in my country. Accordingly, I applied for a position in Eric’s organization, Citizen University, as part of his Youth Collaboratory, which helps educate people on the benefits of getting involved in civic affairs, and I was elated when they accepted me. During the first meeting in Seattle, Eric opened with an interesting statement. He seemed to look me in the eye, saying, “Look, I know some of you may feel lost right now, but all of you sitting here today have the potential to change your surroundings, no matter what the prevailing narrative is.”

The great author Marcel Proust once said: "The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes." Before Eric Liu came into my life, my eyes were just lenses, scanning the world and holding everything at face value. Now my real eyes are open, not the ones on my face, but the ones embedded in my psyche, my soul. I now see my surroundings as a place where Tuhin Chakraborty can make a real, lasting impact. I have been transformed into a different person.

  After the Citizen University conference, during which I was able to attend civic engagement breakout sessions headed by activists freshly returned from Standing Rock and Ferguson, I could only think of one thing on the plane ride home. Where would I start in my quest to spark societal reform? I soon realized that my path will involve a lot of politics.

  Not long after I got back, my AP Government teacher thought it would be a good idea to have us see a town-hall held by our U.S. Congressman Dave Trott. Trott was never one to hold regular town hall meetings so it was a special occasion for me. When I finally got to the town-hall location, the doors were locked without explanation. The advertisements had promised that everyone would be welcome!  The temperature was freezing and I had to sit there shivering and waiting for answers. None came. I went home furious and, remembering what Eric Liu said, vowed to challenge the elitism that allowed wealthy politicians to exclude regular citizens from their meetings.

  Fast forwarding about six months, I am now on the campaign team for Haley Stevens, Dave Trott’s principal alternative for Michigan’s 11th congressional district. I have helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars in an effort to make sure that Haley has every chance to win in an adversely gerrymandered district. Our work is paying off; Dave Trott recently announced his retirement after his term ends in 2018 citing, among other things, a tough reelection campaign from challengers like Haley Stevens. I am getting closer to achieving the change I originally aspired to, and my determination is all thanks to Eric Liu. We are now good friends and he is proud to know that he inspired me to become a civic operative.  I will always be a defender of the interests of the middle and working classes, and I will accomplish this by drawing from the infinite sources of power all around me.