The Democratic National Convention was held August 19-22 in Chicago, and three American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA) members were there to watch history unfold as Vice President Kamala Harris accepted her party’s nomination for president.
Jennifer Banek, MSN, CRNA; Evan Koch, MSN, CRNA; and Ashley Fedan, MS, CRNA, ARNP, all described themselves as passionate about politics, as well as grateful for the opportunity to attend the convention and represent the nurse anesthesiology profession. Banek obtained tickets to the convention through her political connections as Lake County (Illinois) Coroner, and Koch and Fedan served as delegates from their respective states.
“I felt really connected to this historic moment — a moment in time that could change history forever,” said Banek, an AANA member since 2009, who is the treasurer on the AANA Board of Directors. “The feeling of connectedness was palpable among the crowd. It was cool to be a part of that.”
“It was extremely joyful. I get choked up just thinking about it. There were tens of thousands of people from all over the country, from all races and all socioeconomic levels. There was a great sense of excitement and hope,” said Koch, who was a delegate from Idaho. He has been an AANA member since 1998 and served on the AANA board in fiscal years 2004 and 2005.
Fedan, who was a Washington state delegate, said the convention was “unifying.” She received national media attention from outlets such as NPR, The Washington Post, CNN, and USA Today for her convention fashion, which included American flag-themed scrubs and a stuffed cat purse she named Gina. The cat purse was photographed with several elected officials, went viral, and has been submitted to the Smithsonian archives. She also networked with several state legislators and Washington Gov. Jay Inslee and his wife, Trudi.
“The energy at the convention was wonderful, especially the networking and the people you get to interact with,” said Fedan, an AANA member since 2007. “It was a transformational experience.”
Banek also made connections with elected officials. While she said the tone of the convention is “lighter” and attendees aren’t as focused on doing business, the opportunities to get in front of legislators are still invaluable.
“Being in elected office and being an advocate for our profession, we’re always looking for opportunities to demonstrate to stakeholders what the value of CRNAs is,” she said. As an Army reservist, she served on the planning committee for an event hosted by the organization Vote Vets. At the event, she met Senator Tammy Duckworth, Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, and Eugene Vindman, a veteran who is running to serve Virginia’s 7th Congressional District.
“Sometimes at these events, you’re able to make a brief plug for our state or national association. Then when we head out for Mid-Year Assembly, there’s another opportunity to foray into a conversation about CRNAs and what we do,” Banek said.
None of these experiences would have been possible if Banek, Koch, and Fedan hadn’t taken the leap years ago to engage with their local political leaders. All three Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) said entering the world of politics is relatively easy and accessible, and encouraged other CRNAs to get involved.
Koch said he’s always been politically involved but decided to become more engaged in 2016. Living in a state with a Republican majority, he said he was able to climb the ranks within the Democratic Party in his state rather quickly. He serves as Vice Chair of the Idaho Democratic Party, which accorded him a vote on the Democratic National Committee and delegate status.
“If you want to get involved, you need only contact your precinct captain,” Koch said. “The precinct captain is the entry-level elected official in the party. There’s one for every precinct throughout the country, and if you call them and say you’d like to become involved, they’ll welcome you with open arms.”
Banek stressed the importance of starting on the local level for anyone who wants to get involved in politics. “Once you choose your political party, you need to start attending local meetings. If you begin investing the sweat labor and canvassing for local candidates, that’s when you really start developing relationships with folks in the party.”
Fedan said starting small is key, and there are many ways to get involved politically. She serves as the chair of Washington’s 28th Legislative District Democrats and began her political journey by doing CRNA advocacy work in her state. She was the Washington Association of Nurse Anesthetists’ Federal Political Director for over a decade. As she became more involved locally, her profile rose to the point she was elected as a delegate.
“Anyone can be a delegate,” she said. “You just have to take the steps to get there.”