Rodgers' Candidacy Marks a First

(from the September 20, 2004 Daily Illini)

Susan Rodgers works the local farmer's market almost every Saturday
morning. But she's not there to peddle fresh flowers or peruse the
grounds for the best produce - she's campaigning.

Rodgers, sophomore in LAS, has been campaigning for a seat on the
Champaign County Board as a Green Party candidate since March.

She said her decision to run has given her the distinction of being
the Eighth District's first-ever Green Party candidate and its first
female student to run in the last decade. She said she was fueled
mostly by her involvement with the Campus Greens, a Green Party
student organization.

"Early in the year, when I found out the Greens were looking for
someone to run, I took it on and I don't regret it," Rodgers said. "I
think it is important for students to get involved politically."

Tom Abram, treasurer of the Campus Greens, said he quickly saw
Rodgers as a strong leader.

"She has such a strong dedication toward changing things," Abram
said. "She joined our group as a freshman and dove right in. We ended
up making her the (Campus Greens') president because of her drive."

Rodgers said she had to collect about 315 signatures last semester to
secure her place on November's ballot for County Board, while the
Republican and Democratic candidates needed fewer than 20 signatures
each.

She said that through rigorous petition drives and hard work, she
obtained 400 signatures.

Rodgers said she found out about the Green Party when she was 14, and
was instantly attracted to its values and goals, such as ecological
wisdom, equal opportunity, nonviolence and respect for diversity. She
began volunteering for the party's campaigns and events the following
year, and has been heavily involved ever since.

She attributes much of her drive and dedication to her ever-changing
family life.

"My father has been involved in the military for 30 years, so for the
first 10 years of my life we were always moving," she said. "I think
this really helped me become more social and unafraid of new people
and experiences because I had so much direct exposure to them."

She also said that because of her father, she gained a strong respect
for the military.

"While I might not agree with the way the military is used in the
country today, I definitely respect people in the service, those who
dedicate their lives to protecting the country," she said.
When she is not busy "working tables" and recruiting at Campus Greens
events or trying to secure votes for the County Board, Rodgers said
she enjoys reading, writing, cooking and hosting dinner parties for
friends.

"I'm an English and rhetoric major, so I love to read and write. It's
one thing that has been consistent in my life," she said.

After her career as an undergraduate, Rodgers said she plans to go to
graduate school, work toward her master's and Ph.D., and eventually
become a professor.

"I want to be very involved in the community, to be in touch with
people, and that would give me the opportunity to do so," she said.

Jen Walling, Rodgers' campaign manager, said Rodgers' passion for all
aspects of her life have played a major part in dealing with and
overcoming difficulties that have risen during the campaign.

Walling, a graduate student in law, said local Democrats challenged
Rodgers' candidacy over the summer, attempting to remove her from the
ballot for loss of residency in the county.

"Susan left the state for about six weeks over the summer to visit
her parents, so they were saying she was no longer eligible to run,"
Walling said.

Rodgers said she was allowed to stay in the race because there was no
state statute that stated she was not allowed to visit home.

"I also received a threatening letter from the head of the Democratic
Committee in Champaign, trying to get me to drop out," Rodgers
said. "It's very disappointing that these people would try to keep
democracy from happening."

But Walling said Rodgers has remained dedicated and hopeful.

"She has been continuously optimistic," Walling said. "I haven't seen
her shaken or overwhelmed yet."

She said that if Rodgers was elected, not only would she would be the
first Green Party candidate on the board, but also the only Latina
woman.

"I'm very hopeful she'll be able to do this," Walling said. "We only
need about 2,500 votes and it is definitely a goal within reach."

While discussing the firsts that she has brought forth by running,
Rodgers made it clear that she has one simple goal in mind - to get
more people, particularly students, involved.

"It's exciting," Rodgers said. "I'd like to think I'm starting a
trend."