Making connections with government and elected officials will improve Kansas for everyone

I must be living in a bubble. Someone recently asked me, “What’s your jam?” and I wasn’t sure what they meant.

According to The Free Dictionary, that phrase is slang for “something one particularly prefers, desires, enjoys, or cares about.” And even though I had never heard it before a month ago, suddenly it is everywhere. I say that because my dear sweet sister used it with me this weekend, so I know it must be mainstream if my sister is using it!

Her job as a middle school teacher allows her to be in close proximity with tweens, so maybe it is just popular with the younger crowd. However it has come about, I love it.

What’s your jam? We are a people of purpose. What are you into? What do you care about so much that it enthuses and excites you?

I love the fall season. For me, it signifies not only an ending but a beginning. Each October, I purchase a new planner. Ever disciplined, I set it aside and resist the urge to leaf through its crisp, clean pages. I eagerly await December, when I can take some time off work and curl up with my thoughts.

I start with reflection. What have I accomplished this year? What will I get to do in the coming year to move my purpose forward?

Our lawmakers are eagerly anticipating the upcoming legislative session. It is an opportunity for them to reflect and reimagine what they can do to move Kansans forward. They hold the power to shape our future. We need to be engaged with them as they begin this work. They will better understand what we value when we take time to listen and have a dialogue with them, build a relationship with them.

If there is one thing I’ve learned from the past three years, it’s that in-person conversations are best for building relationships. As Steven M.R. Covey so aptly recognized and taught us: Everything moves faster with trust.

The first step for building trust? Taking the risk to care enough to connect with another.

You have that opportunity, right now. Today. Each one of us can connect with others to make the future work better for us all. Voting is a start. Engaging with elected officials will further allow you to shape how we work, play, and live together. What are your priorities? What do you care deeply about? Consider following that issue this year during the legislative session. See how the process works.

Don’t know how? Reach out to your local League of Women Voters. We are your neighbors. We are volunteers who want to help all Kansans, regardless of political party affiliation or status. When everyone cares, when everyone contributes, we’re all better off.

You are never too old to learn more.

This year, I learned, perhaps relearned, that women fought for the right to vote for 72 years in this country before realizing it nationwide. That milestone is just over 100 years ago now. The struggle for voting rights seems like it is over, but the more I learn, the more I realize we must be on constant vigil to maintain those rights and keep them from being further eroded.

Democracy is just like marriage; it is a living, breathing relationship with others that must be nurtured and cared for to grow and benefit us all. When you love something, you defend it. We must be brave. Our democracy may not be perfect, but it is worth the time and effort.

It’s my jam. I hope it’s yours, too.

Susan Quinn is an engineer in northeast Kansas. Through its opinion section, Kansas Reflector works to amplify the voices of people who are affected by public policies or excluded from public debate. Find information, including how to submit your own commentary, here.