Building one Relationship at a Time with the Minneapolis CAT
Aditya Parikh, a co-leader of the Minneapolis Congressional Action Team, answers questions about his first meeting with a Congressional Office.
Give us the basics of your meeting: Who did you meet with?
We met with Mustafa Jumale, a Foreign Affairs aide for Representative Keith Ellison (D-MN). An intern in Congressman Ellison's office also sat in on the meeting. From the Minneapolis Congressional Action Team, Zineb and Huy joined me.
This was your first meeting with a Congressional Office. What stood out for you most about the experience? What surprised you?
It was amazing for me to see how accessible the Offices of our elected officials are. The atmosphere was completely relaxed and it felt nice for me to know that a real relationship can be formed with Representative Ellison's office for the future and that Mustafa is very encouraging of continuing such a connection.
How did you feel after your meeting? Would you do anything differently next time?
More than anything, the experience was rewarding. I left feeling I had helped build a new relationship with a United States Congressional Office. Immediately after leaving the building, Huy, Zineb, and I high-fived!
Pictured above from left to right, Zineb Alfat, Mr. Mustafa Jumale, aide to Representative Keith Ellison, Aditya Parikh and Huy Nguyen.
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There are many ways to make a difference
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