For Class of 2022 graduate Maria Hernández, politics has always been personal. Her family migrated from Venezuela to Miami in the 1990s, and she says seeing and hearing Barak Obama, a presidential candidate of color speaking positively about Latinos and immigration, was “special.”
More specifically, her passion for political organizing began her senior year of high school and continued during her freshman year of college. Born and raised in the Coral Springs/Parkland area of Florida, which was directly impacted by the tragedy at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in 2018, Hernández says, “my community will never be the same.”
She is working to change that.
After earning her degree in with a minor in Conflict Analysis and Resolution, Hernández now channels her interest and passion in what she describes as her “dream job” as the executive director of organizing at Blue Future.
A national program run out of the Youth Progressive Action Catalyst and part of the largest political action committee in America, Blue Future works to engage, mobilize, and connect young people to progressive political campaigns and equip them with resources to be effective volunteers, organizers, and community leaders.
Hernández’s job includes leading a candidate training program called Generation Run, hosting training sessions, reviewing applications, and choosing cohort members. She will continue the relationship Blue Future’s founders instilled by handling partnership calls, managing social media, and co-hosting a podcast, Stride: Organizing with Purpose.
Hernández says she will use the skills gained during her time at the Schar School for the rest of her career.
“Taking advantage of those resources, our location, and skills taught by the greatest and most notable political scientists in the field truly prepared me to obtain my postgrad dream job barely one month after I graduated from Mason,” she said.
She describes the Schar School as a competitive and challenging space “that puts you out of your comfort zone over and over again—but in a good way!” Stepping out of that comfort zone, Hernández worked with March for Our Lives, Brady United against gun violence, Students Demand Action, Change the Ref, and other gun violence prevention organizations.
“I will forever be grateful for the Schar School and every single lesson it taught me, the relationships I will cherish for the rest of my life and the location, environment, and opportunity of a lifetime,” she said.