As part of the Jackson Leadership Fellows program, every Fellow is required to do an independent project. The project can be any number of things, such as hosting a forum, doing a volunteer project for an organization, analyzing legislation, or writing an essay on an important policy issue. The purpose of the project is to provide an opportunity for the Fellow to learn and to benefit a larger community.
For Kristine Reeves, the Fellows project was a way to explore what constitutes meaningful public service. She read biographies about Senator Jackson, interviewed those who knew him, and reflected on her personal experience, which she captured in this essay: The Measure of Service.
Through this paper, Kristine explores, through engagement with Scoop Jackson’s legacy and self-reflection, the enduring questions: What is the measure of service, and who truly belongs?
“When I applied to the Henry M. Jackson Leadership Fellows Program, I sought more than mentorship – I wanted to see how someone from Everett could make place, power, and principle cohere…I asked what Scoop’s leadership might teach me about whether I belonged in politics.”
It’s a thoughtful and inspiring analysis. We urge you to read it!
