Edwin Madrid details internship with LGBTQ+ Victory Institute in Washington, D.C.
By Alexandra Gregorio
Last fall, fourth-year political science student Edwin Madrid interned with the LBGTQ+ Victory Institute as part of the fall 2022 Victory Congressional Internship cohort. Madrid was one of eight students selected for the 10-week program, working with a member of the LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus or an LGBTQ-friendly member of the U.S. Congress to experience the federal legislative process firsthand.
The first half of the program included a variety of developmental workshops.
“Each Friday was different. One day we were learning about queer history, going to a Smithsonian Museum and learning about the intersectionality of identities. The next, we were listening to and asking panelists questions about their careers, with speakers ranging from campaign managers to White House staffers,” Madrid said.
For the second half of the internship, students applied to work for a member of Congress directly. Congresswoman Diana DeGette of Colorado’s 1st Congressional District, based in Denver, hired Madrid.
“Some of the things I was tasked with were writing constituent response letters regarding issues, answering phones, attending briefings, getting coffee for the congresswoman at times, helping reintroduce and take over bills from retiring members of Congress and more. I had a lot of flexibility to work on issues that I was interested in such as immigration, gun reform and food insecurity,” Madrid said.
Madrid appreciated finding an internship that not only related to his major, but also provided space and community for his queer identity. He was interested in this program because he “wanted a D.C. experience that had a tie to the LGBTQ+ community rather than a regular D.C. internship that simply places you in an office.”