Llogan was involved with her Indivisible chapter in Columbus, Ohio when it was forming and had a positive experience. She wanted to stay engaged when she moved to North Carolina – so she became a FLIP NC volunteer!
She has now canvassed with us about six times and says that on the days she knocks doors, she literally sleeps better knowing she did her part to make a small difference.
Read on to learn more about Llogan and her thoughts on the upcoming election. And click here to sign up for our Dec. 8 super canvass so you can join Llogan in the fight to bring a blue wave to North Carolina in 2020.
What has surprised you most about canvassing?
How easy it is to talk to people! It isn't always easy, but (some) people are really interested in having conversations about where North Carolina is headed and how they factor in.
Do you like to recruit a friend or relative to sign up to canvass with you, or do you prefer to be paired with a stranger to add to the fun?
I go with a stranger each time. I like to help people who are new at canvassing get into the swing of things – it keeps my mind off of how nervous I am.
If you've participated in other canvasses, how are FLIP NC canvasses different?
Since the other canvasses I've done were for candidates, I think people are a little more ... receptive, let's say, with FLIP's message.
Have a funny story or touching moment to share?
My partner and I once walked up to a townhouse and spoke with a young woman who seemed kind of distracted. After a moment, she looked at us apologetically and said she was sorry, but she was afraid her cats would run out if she stood in the doorway. I don't remember who suggested it anymore or if it was just kind of an in-the-moment thing, but the next thing we all just sat down in the doorway together, her inside and us on the front stoop, and talked politics. It was our last house that day, I think, and it was a great way to end the day.
Llogan enjoying FLIP NC's post-canvass tradition of an adult beverage and some pizza while we debrief
What's your top canvassing tip?
Do your best to keep the important stuff first. If you front-load your pitch, then you can build out the conversation knowing that even if they really don't want to talk, you got the basic point through and can exit gracefully before you get kicked off the porch.
How are you feeling about the 2020 election? Optimistic?
Not until we get there. Until then, the grind is on!
Tell us a little bit about your background.
I was supposed to be a veterinarian – I spent a lot of my childhood outdoors, with animals and mud, and some of it inside, with books and music. I ended up becoming a lawyer instead, about a year before the 2016 election. After that, my goals took a huge turn – it was definitely my political awakening. I still read, I still listen to music, and I spend time outside. I also cook (healthy food, to my great disgust) and hang out with my dog, Copernicus.
Other than politics, what’s a passion of yours?
Right now, I'm really working to put together my new house. It's old and was neglected for a while before I bought it, but it's amazing to watch it coming together space by space. I never know which project is next until I just walk into a room and start ripping down wallpaper or go outside and start digging holes.
What would you say to someone who is feeling totally dejected by our current state of politics? And how do you stay in the fight?
I would tell them it's perfectly understandable, that dejection is a completely logical reaction to the things they are seeing. And the best way to fight that feeling is with action! Even just showing up once in a while does a ton to combat those feelings of hopelessness.
Who do you admire in politics? Why?
The newbies. The ones who got through 2016 and 2017 and decided, since the rulebook was out the window, they might as well get in the game. I really respect that, on every level from local to federal. I have watched people do it, and it’s inspiring.
Tell us about a political moment that inspired you, whether it was a personal conversation, a speech given by a president, or a recent "blue wave" moment.
It is definitely not recent, but I try to live my life according to, I believe, a quote mentioned by Barack Obama in a long-ago interview. "Follow the work, and there will always be a path forward." It's crazy – I cannot find this quote anywhere, but it has always struck such a strong chord with me that I base almost every major decision on it. I may not always know what is right for me personally, but if I keep my focus on where I'm needed, a decision always finds its way to me.