We just got back from our meeting with the New York representitives. As soon as I got back, I took of my shoes. Well I had a lot of fun, even though every once and a while we would be told to stay quiet. First we went to meet Gillian Youngblood, she was really cool. She broke down the way funding for small non profits get money from the government and she seemed to be good hearted. After, we went to meet up with some women who worked in different commitiees in the office, they still belong to the same group. After we meet up with Schumer’s people, well the women who work for him. They described him as a “take it as it is ” guy which means a guy who likes to hear it whether in the end he will like it or not. He is also always running around trying to be everywhere or as Jenny would say, that he has clones. Well from what they said of him, I like him because he is a hard working guy who tries to influnce all of New York. Soon after we left and went to take a visit to Hillary Clinton’s “people,” Walker talked about how Hillary inspired her to join her party because she loved what she did. The building were beautiful and when we were going down the hall we saw that it started to snow. It was the prettiest thing so far. This trip has been great. I can’t wait till we go to the resturant (Busboys & Poets). I heard it was great.

We took a van to Washington DC. We messed around in the van a lot and then we made a pitstop in Delaware. We ate fries, biscuits and drank all of Renée’s soft drink. I fell asleep in the van so I don’t recall much of the scenery, except house after house after house. Well,when we got to Washington DC, we saw the Capital, woohooo. When we got to the CODE PINK house, I thought, OMG, this is frigging awesome! As soon as we entered we felt so welcomed like a meal in a tummy. They were very sweet and they got us pizza. I think they know us too well. After that, we were lead to the basement and asked to make shirts. Of course, we jumped into action as usual. I made a shirt that represents when Desirée painted her hands red and placed her hands mere inches from Condoleezza Rice’s face. I thought that I would honor that so I decided to mark my hands on my shirt. So yeah thats what I did. Can’t wait until sleep time so I can bother HOLLIEWOODE…………=D

Maria is Representative and Junior Senator of Washington. She was born in Indianapolis, Indiana on October 13, 1958. She attended public schools in Indianapolis. She also graduated from University of Ohio 1980. Maria took a course at the Miami University European Center, Luxembourg for public relations consultant. She was Washington State representative 1987-1993. Maria was a Democrat to the 103rd Congress (January 3, 1993-January 3, 1995). But she lost for re-election to the 104th Congress. She then ran for Democrat to the U.S. Senate on November 7, 2000 and won. She was re-elected in 2006 for the term ending January 3, 2013.

Maria was the first of her family to graduate college. She is working to create affordable opportunity for buyers, businesses, and families, to make our country more secure today, to make change for tomorrow, and to help parents as they educate and care for their children. She fought against attempts by the Bush Administration to raise local electricity rates. Her mission is to lower taxes for middle classes workers. Maria successfully led the fight to stop drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and is he leader of efforts in the Senate to make America more energy safe. She is always encouraging to better education. She is always trying to lower the cost of health care and education for Washington. She said her father believed in “standing up for the little guy”. This to me is exactly what she is doing.

There have been 35 women in the United States Senate since the start in 1789. So it is an honor alone being a senate. In 1992 the 103^rd congress elections were up. In this election 5 women won for senates because of the so called high amount of woman running they called it the “year of women”.Today there are 16 women in congress.

Maria was first intrigued when she moved to Seattle, Washington in 1983 to campaign for Alan Cranston in his unsuccessful bid for the 1984 Democratic Presidential nomination.She has been a great movement from the start since she went against the abortion bill to the end of drilling in Antarctica.

To me Maria is an all around great person. She stands up for what is right and she works hard till she completes it which is what people need in there government.

This is my interview with T. Renée Laster.

Mood: Happy

Song of the day: Hey Jude-Beatles

Quote: Total absence of humor renders life impossible-Colette (1873 - 1954), Chance Acquaintances, 1952

How long have u worked at the Lower Eastside Girls Club?
I have been at the girls club since I was 14 and I became a full time staff member in September of 2007.

How did u start working here? Tell me about you career path.
I talked my way into a program that was for the 8th graders. HEHE I’m bad!!!! =]

What is your position at the girls club?
I am the Girls On Air! Station Manager and also the technology & media program associate.

What are your main responsibilities?
I have to keep the podcast website updated and also Geo Girls and the Girlville blog. And several times a week, I teach classes with Lou Dembrow.

What is a typical workday like for you?
Well most days are fun, and I stay in a “box,” editing and having excessive brain farts & brain sneezes.

What do you like best about your job?
Besides hanging with the girls, I am basically creating media from scratch, instead of using other people’s stuff.

What is the most challenging part of your job?
I have to deal with a lot of modern technology, which sometimes doesn’t run properly.

What advice do you have for young women who are thinking about their future careers? What can we do now to prepare for the work world?
Always have a clear idea of what you want to do and find a place that supports it. Always, always, find the smallest thing that makes you happy that you can enjoy every single day.

What is the best professional advice that you ever received?
Don’t be afraid of what you want to do and always get it done.

Are there anyway that Cascading Leadership members can help you with your work?
It would be great if the girls knew exactly what it is that I do, like audio engineering or just understanding what it takes to produce the material I create.