Hayden Hayes sat down with Jessie Luévano (she/her/hers), President of a new student organization called “Ignite.” Ignite is a new org on campus for and developed by women with an interest in politics and a passion for investing themselves in the current political happenings.  “It’s a political sisterhood,” Luévano said “We [the executive board for the club] wanted there to be a way for women to find other women who share a common interest in politics of all kinds.” Ignite is a political org that focuses on all levels of politics; federal, local, state and etc. 

Luévano discussed how they are still getting off the ground, though they are already thriving with 15 members. Luévano and her team have loads of ideas on hand for this upcoming election season. The board wants to organize a “Walking People to Polls” event to help anyone who needs some guidance on how to get to the proper place to vote and how the whole process works.

For students, especially freshmen, who know the importance of voting and sharing their voice, the support is exciting and appreciated. Luévano explained that this is why freshmen should really use this opportunity to their advantage.

It is to get you excited about this student organization that features women in politics to come and share their experiences. “We want women with interests in politics to be able to see other women in positions they dream of,” Luévano said. “We want to inspire and show them what’s possible.” 

Another event to watch out for is a voter information session. The organization wants to help new and experienced voters get a better understanding of the voting process and help students develop their voting plans. The main goal of these sessions will be motivating people to vote and get their voices heard. 

When asked about what to expect at an Ignite meeting,  Luévano explained that it’ll be open for discussion and that they want to establish that it will be a safe place for women to talk about their current political views and issues in the world of politics. The org is non-partisan, meaning that it isn’t affiliated with any political party, so everyone is welcome. They have a desire for a foundation of neutrality and open-mindedness for the org. Everyone is entitled to their opinion and views, and Ignite is supposed to be a safe environment to share them in.

The org is also a house-chartered and a chapter of a much larger organization. That is yet another one of Luévano’s goals: to connect Hamline students with the head Ignite group in order for students and staff with an admiration for politics to know that they have endless opportunities to get more involved in a topic they are passionate about.

The main idea that Luévano wants students to takeaway is that,”it is so important to get politically involved as a young woman or woman-identifying person, in order to get your voice out there and heard.” It is so easy to be told in society that as a woman your voice doesn’t matter or must remain quiet, but Ignite is here to shout from rooftops that women are here and they are going to make a difference. Make sure to check out Ignite’s Instagram page, @IgniteHamline, and register to get information and updates about this group of powerful women.