On Nov. 5, many integral elections will be occurring at both the local and national level, marking an important day in the nation’s history.
Among the hotly contested races is the one between two Democrats, Sam Liccardo and Evan Low, to represent California’s 16th Congressional District and replace retiring longtime Congresswoman Anna Eshoo. The area encompasses Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties, and several high school and college students have been volunteering for the campaigns.
One of those volunteers is junior Nila Venkataratnam, who secured an internship to help with Low’s social media outreach efforts.
“I was looking to get into the political world. I was OK interested in doing a political internship and I knew about a Congress race, so I researched both the candidates and found myself aligning with Evan Low more,” Venkataratnam said.
In order to connect with the younger generation, she manages and uploads TikTok videos and Instagram posts, coming up with ideas that she believes will garner the most attention.
Every Monday, the leads for every intern group including social media, recruitment and fundraising discuss topics for the upcoming meetings on Zoom. Every Wednesday, Venkataratnam attends the general intern meeting and the social media specific intern meeting on Zoom. In these meetings, interns work together to come up with video ideas they think will effectively promote the campaign.
One of Venkataratnam’s reels talks about the endorsements from Evan Low’s colleagues in the state legislature and seeks to debunk some of Liccardo’s claims during a debate on Oct. 11. Liccardo is the former mayor of San Jose and is considered the favorite in the race.
Another TikTok video posted a month ago displays Low’s policies by using a popular trend on TikTok.
Along with being a social media intern, Venkataratnam also spends her time canvassing, or going door-to-door and handing out flyers. Venkataratnam noted that even though this strategy is more “old-school,” canvassing is still a great way to interact with people and get to know potential voters who may have otherwise forgotten to vote.
Throughout the internship, Venkataratnam found herself getting more involved in learning about different policies, ideas and their effects. For her, one of the main voting points that she supports is abortion.
“While Liccardo is also an advocate for abortion rights, I felt that Low being endorsed by Planned Parenthood made him a stronger candidate,” Venkataratnam said. “He’s also a huge advocate for the younger generation and is aiming for giving proper education to everyone and proper funding for schools and homes nearby.”
As the election race approaches, Venkataratnam and her fellow interns remain actively engaged in advocating for Low and his campaign, aiming to connect with voters.
On Oct. 21, Venkataratnam hosted a Saratoga meet and greet at her house to increase South Asian support for Low. With a turnout of around 70 people, attendees were able to have one on one conversations with Low to help understand what his policies will do to help them in regards to issues that matter to them the most.
“As the hosts, my dad and I also said a few words about Low and why we are supporting [his campaign and policies],” Venkataratnam said.
At an event hosted at Venkataratnam’s house, Evan Low and her fellow interns celebrate a successful campaign party.
Two former mayors of Saratoga, Tina Walia and Aileen Kao, were also present at the event along with current mayor Yan Zhao.
“I think having the mayor present helped with an increase in support towards Evan Low and gave him more recognition,” Venkataratnam said.
At the event, Low delivered a 15-minute speech about his impact on the state legislature and his plans for what he will continue to do in the House of Representatives if he is elected to represent California District 16.
“I feel like I’ve learned so much from [interning] including things about Low and just everything he stands for,” Venkataratnam said. “The experience has also been invaluable, giving me lots of leadership skills.”
