Hi everyone, I’m Abigail Hansen! I hail from Owatonna, MN, which is a mere 45 minutes from St. Olaf. I’m a junior Harp Performance major at Olaf, but I spent my first year of college at University of Toronto (eh!). I bring a lifetime of musical experience with me to this course, which I hope will aid when we study music throughout our month here. When I don’t have a harp on my shoulder, you can find me teaching piano lessons, strumming a ukulele, or working on a project with my family on our little hobby farm. I’m borderline addicted to caramel macchiatos (or any espresso drink, for that matter).
I’ve had the privilege of coming to Washington, D.C. two other times. The first time was with my family, and we enjoyed learning the history that all the monuments, museums, and sites held. The second time I was a youth delegate for Minnesota Rural Electric Association. During this trip, I had the opportunity to talk with senators, congressmen, and staffers in the Capitol about concerns in rural America.
There’s 10th grade me standing right behind Amy Klobuchar!
These experiences provided me with a good framework for the political workings of Washington, D.C., but I felt like my D.C. knowledge was lacking. I am excited to learn about D.C. as a city with more to offer than being a political hub. I look forward to achieving this through “living and breathing” D.C. this month.
This course combines two of my greatest interests: democracy and arts. While I feel relatively knowledgeable in both areas, I do not know much about their intersection. I am excited to learn about how the two influence each other, and how I can apply what I learn here to life back in Minnesota.
Baby Abigail gleaning musical experience for a future Democracy and the Arts course…