A Millennial Making a Difference For a Brighter Future
Erin Schrode, 26, has developed eco-education and action platforms to inspire, educate and mobilize millions of people from all over the world. The internationally renowned millennial was recognized by the White House in 2011 as “a dynamic, passionate and ambitious young woman committed to creating big change everywhere she goes.” She’s a writer and speaker who ran an impressive campaign in 2016 for U.S. Congress in California’s District 2. Though she lost her bid for office, she does plan to run again at some point and remains in service to the global community. Currently, she is in Puerto Rico aiding victims of Hurricane Maria as the COO of World Central Kitchen, the largest feeding operation on the island. The non-profit organization serves over 120,000 meals a day to those who need it most, well over 1.2 million to date.
1) Why has it been so important to you to find ways to make a difference, and why choose this route to go about it?
I am an activist. I feel I was put on this earth to serve – my community, my people, my country, my world. My mom raised me with the quote, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world.” I have never been able to stand idly by in the face of injustice, of wrongdoing, of pain points. We may not be able to do everything, but each of us can do something, and these times call upon us to do more, to be more, to give more, to serve more.
2) Why did you decide to run for political office?
The most talented, capable people I know won’t touch politics with a ten-foot pole. They are changing the world through disruptive startups, shifting the culture of massive corporations, taking non-profits to new heights, using media in ways we’ve never before seen, delving into the depths of science, research, education. But where is this same, innovative, entrepreneurial approach in the political arena? When too many of us are forgotten, ignored, excluded, marginalized or discriminated against, we must insert ourselves into the equation, into a political system that is actually by, for and of the people.
Environmental and public health, learning and the future of work, human rights, and tech innovation are key pillars for me. The first is where it all began for me–with Turning Green, because if we don’t have our health and that of our planet, where does one even begin? Education and jobs are pivotal, and we have people making decisions about our education system who graduated from university decades and decades ago at a time when we feel the impact of skillsets and industries shifting. Human rights is a wide-ranging umbrella but an absolute imperative that relates to gender, race, immigration, ability, dignity, all. And technology is an incomparable tool in identifying, implementing and scaling solutions for maximum impact across the board.
4) Why is it important to have a millennial in office?
The decisions being made today will disproportionately affect my generation, yet we have no seat at the decision-making table. This is about representation, about redefining civic engagement, reinvigorating a culture of public service, redefining what it means to be a politician. People cannot be what they cannot see, and I want driven, committed citizens of all ages to see politics as a viable path toward positive change and tangible impact.
5) What are your views on the current state of our political system?
I believe in the promise of America. I am proud to be a citizen of the United States. I fight for its ideals. I defend the values I hold dear. And because I love my country, I will continue to work tirelessly toward a more perfect union, for a healthier democracy, for our Constitutionally guaranteed rights. Right now, our government is not fulfilling its most basic responsibilities to its own people, let alone as a global leader and beacon of hope for the worldwide population. We are seeing the dismantling of the very systems that allow us as citizens to hold our elected officials and government agencies accountable, which will have devastating effects for decades to come. We cannot merely “resist,” respond or fight; we must create new paradigms which render that which does not serve irrelevant and recommit to ACTION.
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