And just like that… I am on the road.
Greetings from Lansing, Michigan! I arrived late last night after an unintentional bout in Chicago rush hour traffic, and after a good night sleep, I set out this morning to orient myself in the first capital city of the trip. Today, that meant a trip to the grocery store for snacks and then — two fantastic coffee shops to test equipment and get some website work done before I find six people to interview.
First, though, I wanted to take a moment to say hello and introduce myself, in case you’re new around here. I’m Emily — and yesterday, I set out on a 16 month road trip that will take me to all 50 states to interview 2,500 people across the USA. It’s all built on the premise that we’re more alike than we are different (and that’s something I really, really believe!).
Following We the Voters
You’ll be able to follow along with my progress across the country in a few ways:
- I’ll be posting full length interviews here on the site and over on YouTube
- Behind the scenes content and observations will be posted right here on this blog
- Short clips and behind the scenes peeks will be posted across social media: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
- I’ll be capturing each stop in an interactive map, which you can see here in real time
- You can subscribe and download to the We the Voters podcast, which is posted weekly and will give you a snippet of what I’ve learned — and what I’ve been up to on the road (link coming soon!)
And since it’s one of the most frequent questions I receive about the project — let me fill you in on the long-term plan. Someday, once the project is complete and the 2020 election has happened, you’ll be able to take a look at the journey as a whole through a book and/or full-length documentary. Final format, TBD.
If you’re curious to know more about the project premise and details, click here. And if you want to know a little bit more about the person behind the camera (that’s me!), keep scrolling.
A Peek Behind the Camera
Hi! As I mentioned, I’m Emily. I grew up in a suburb called Brookfield in Wisconsin and graduated from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee with a degree in Journalism and Media Studies in 2015. Before launching We the Voters, I worked in newsrooms in Wisconsin, a press room in DC, and a PR agency in DC and Chicago. All of these experiences led me to this journey, an open road that’ll take me all around the USA.
A few fun facts (because who doesn’t love those?):
- I started my first business when I was eight: The Helper’s Club. (A spin off the Babysitter’s Club books, if you remember those!) We worked as mother’s helpers, served at parties, and did assorted other tasks for friends and family.
- I’ve lived in five places in the past eight years: Missouri, Florida, Wisconsin, DC and Illinois.
- I was in Catholic schools from K4 through 12th grade, and the six friends I made my freshman year of high school are still my best friends today.
- My guilty pleasure is watching weird — yet hilarious — videos on YouTube.
- On my road trip bucket list: camp under the stars, visit a brewery in every state, and shop local as much as possible.
And now — your turn! Introduce yourself in the comments below and let me know a fun fact about YOU! I want this project to be a two way conversation as much as possible.
Until next time.
