The Heartbeat of Progress

To the quiet blue dots in red towns,

Last night, I went to my first Hardin County Democratic Party meeting.

And honestly? It felt like home.

We weren’t just Democrats.

We were a room full of stories.

Some were raised blue.

Some were lifelong conservatives who slowly, quietly shifted over time.

Some were minorities who were forced to be politically active since they children simply because of their existence.

And some? They whispered things like,

“This administration is coconuts…”

and realized maybe, just maybe,

they weren’t alone.

Every decade from our 30s to our 70s was represented.

We laughed.

We listened.

We saw each other.

And we left reminded of something powerful:

People can and do change.

If you’ve ever felt alone in your values…

If you’re questioning what you were taught to believe…

If you’ve whispered your politics instead of saying them out loud…

I want you to know, I see you.

I know how hard it is to go against the grain.

You’re not just questioning political ideology.

You’re often untangling years of religion, family, and identity that have been wrapped around it.

It can feel scary to ask,

“Why do I believe this?”

But nothing will make you stand ten toes down like finding the real answers behind the curtain of your belief system.

And when you finally ask,

“How can I support this?”

That is when change begins.

You deserve a place to grow and be grounded in your own truth.

You deserve community.

This is the stethoscope.

This is where you get to listen to the heartbeat of progress in your own backyard.

And you might just find it at your next county Democratic meeting.

If you’re local to Hardin County, our next meeting is August 26th.