Intern at the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, House of Representatives, Washington, D.C.
Grant interned at the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission in the House of Representatives during the Summer of 2019. The Commission’s directive is “to promote, defend and advocate internationally recognized human rights norms in a nonpartisan manner, both within and outside of Congress, as enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.” He organized Congressional hearings on international human rights issues, reviewed and edited memos and legislation, and attended Commission meetings with Hill staffers and foreign dignitaries.
"This internship gave me a granular view of Congress and introduced me to the complex process of governance. I learned that far from an all-knowing entity, the government is composed of an assemblage of hardworking and fallible individuals and that I wanted to be a part of that crowd. It was fascinating to watch staffers work on their small legislative slices, such as East African aid appropriations or European human rights issues, and it was rewarding to set up hearings where those experts could testify towards the best solutions."