Cory Booker: New Media Politician

SXSW is a huge event. There are events/panels/films/shows going on constantly, which means that you often have to pick and choose the thing you want to most if a couple of things happen to overlap in your schedule. Being the ridiculously indecisive person that I am, this is often quite difficult for me. I love all of the opportunities that SXSW presents, but at the same time, I don't want to miss a thing. I picked Mayor Cory Booker's event over seeing Rachel Maddow.




I try to go to panels that either

1. Challenge me as a person
2. Feature inspiring people that I can look up to or learn from
3. Give me the chance to meet someone famous

In this case, I had a hard time deciding between Rachel Maddow, a female anchor on MSNBC, and Cory Booker, the 3rd African-American mayor of Newark, NJ. I chose Booker because I admire his willingness to connect with each individual that wants to connect with him. I admire his strength in helping out literally anyone that asks for his help in his city to the best of his ability. I admire his use of social media for a better cause.

This interview did not disappoint.

Cory Booker is one of the most eloquent speakers I've ever had the pleasure of listening to. He cares so much about the wellbeing of his city and this country. He is the first politician I've heard that spoke more about inclusiveness than divisiveness. I am a hardcore Democrat and I am very set in my ways, but Cory Booker's admonition about each side calling the other the evil group and all of this mutual hate we spew towards each other made me really think. I have definitely been a perpetrator of aforementioned hate in the political sphere. While I'm nowhere near a politician, it can definitely be said that I am close-minded towards those who don't think the way I do. Mayor Booker's words resonated with me and, despite being a very candid setting, this was one of the most powerful speeches I have ever heard.

My favorite quote of his on speaking about reaching across the aisle was this : "If you wanna go fast, go alone. If you wanna go far, go together"

How simple is that? He made such good points and it really made me want to try harder and better myself in this realm that I try to be so very active in.

Cory Booker: The New Media Politician SXSW 2013
© Cheyenne Matthews-Hoffman