Power Shift 2011: Reflection

Just today I feel to be back on a normal sleep schedule, even though I got back from Washington D.C. tuesday morning.  However, the days that seemed to blend right into one another were ones I'd never give up.

Power Shift 2011 Conference
The conference itself was an expirence I'll never forgot.  Since I have become aware of our environmental issues I have felt like people who shared my values were low in numbers. (Although I will admit, since becoming more involved in my ENVS major and seeking information this thought was changing.) Attending Power Shift completely shattered all of those lingering thoughts, and replaced them with hope and a will.  It was the largest grassroots gathering, over 10,000 youth, geared in movement building, training, and action efforts.  For me it felt awesome, and very uplifting to be surrounded with so many who share a same vision, the same sustainable future.
Being able to see Bill Mckibben, Al Gore, Tim DeChristopher, and many more speak was incredible.
We also had separate "State Breakout" meetings, where individual states met and developed customized plans to bring back and employ.

Car Ride & Housing
Students for a Sustainable Earth (SSE) organized this Power Shift trip.  I never had been to a SSE meeting so all the kids I was car-pooling with were new faces.  I wasn't discouraged however, because I knew if these kids were going to Washington DC for the same cause as me, it wouldn't take much to talk.  Surprisingly enough (sarcasm) after a 12 hour car ride everyone packed into the seven-person minivan were pretty well acquainted.
I knew before we left that we would be shacked up in a 4-room apartment.  What I did not know was that 28 other kids from across the country would be as well. The awesome part was that I wouldn't have had it any other way.  I met kids form Ohio, Texas, and New York who I was able to talk to as if they were my close friends.  Our host Collin, was involved in training classes in Power Shift and was someone I saw as a leader.

Washington D.C.
I had never been to the city before, and as an understatement there was a lot to do.  First off, it was more beautiful then I had expected.  The buildings gave a prestigious atmosphere, the streets had no garbage, and all the fountains, memorials, parks, etc. were amazing.  The day I got to walk the city I visited the Smithsonian Natural Histories museum.  There was so much to do in Washington D.C. I could have easily stayed four more days.