On Sept. 30, the Muhlenberg College Democrats, known as BergDems, welcomed congressional candidate Bob Brooks to campus to headline a fall canvassing launch. By bringing the campaign directly to the campus community, the event gave students an opportunity to hear directly from the Democratic candidate for Pennsylvania’s Seventh Congressional District before heading onto the streets of Allentown to speak with voters.
Brooks’ policy priorities align closely with the core mission of BergDems which center economic relief for the working class, universal healthcare and affordable housing. BergDems President Skylyn Ellison ‘27 and Secretary Elana Brown ‘29 organized the event in hopes of connecting the Muhlenberg community with broader regional and national issues.
Ellison and Brown both serve as fellows in the Campus Organizing Fellowship, a program sponsored by Swing Left and the College Democrats of America. Through the fellowship, they were trained in recruitment, event planning and organizing tactics, which were skills they put to work for the launch. Preparation for the visit began in August through John Wrigley, the Organizing Director for the Brooks’ campaign, who has connected with BergDems in the past. “Communicating with the Brooks campaign was probably the easiest part of coordinating the whole event,” said Brown.
Ellison and Brown spent the weeks leading up to the canvass tabling across campus, handing out information and inviting students at nearby colleges to participate. They also coordinated with community partners, including the Young Democrats of Lehigh Valley, local college Democrat chapters and the musical activist group, Singing Resistance. To prepare first-time volunteers, the organizers printed canvas scripts and prepared a brief training presentation that explained the fundamentals of voter outreach.
The gathering kicked off with a live performance by Singing Resistance, followed by remarks from Brooks. Through his speech, attendees gained a stronger understanding of his legislative policies, personal motivation for running and stances on key issues. Afterwards, volunteers participated in guided canvassing across Allentown’s residential neighborhoods. Participants knocked on doors to discuss local issues and share information about Brooks’ campaign.
Volunteers shared that they enjoyed speaking with members of the diverse Allentown population and helping them create voting plans. For some volunteers, this portion of the afternoon acted as an entry point into political engagement. “As a freshman, I’d love to participate more in the local politics of the Lehigh Valley, since my entire family is from here. It’s a working class region, and I’m happy to see someone like Bob Brooks running to represent our interests instead of the interests of the ultra-wealthy,” shared AJ Lechman ‘30, who participated in canvassing. “It was really nice to meet people in the community and hear all of the different perspectives and opinions.”
For out-of-state students, the canvassing was an opportunity to learn more about the local community. Volunteer Alec Burstein ‘30 discussed his motivation for getting involved: “I’m from New York and since moving here, I wanted to get to know the local politicians. I knew about Bob Brooks because I had done research about his candidacy after I committed to the school.”
Ellison noted that although outreach can seem intimidating, canvassing can be a fulfilling experience for those who choose to participate. She stated, “A lot of the people who ended up canvassing expressed being nervous at first, but [after] actually doing it, [said] it was a really good and rewarding experience. I hope that this brings more students to canvass with us in the future.”
BergDems was pleased with the outcome of the event. While they hope to continue increasing engagement at future events, they were successful in meeting their recruitment goals for the fall launch. “Our event directly aligns with BergDems’ goals of driving student political engagement, registering voters and educating our campus community on the upcoming election,” said Brown. “Canvassing also gave students a chance to connect with the local Allentown community and hear directly from PA-07 voters about the issues that affect their daily lives. We’re incredibly grateful to everyone who came to hear Bob speak, and especially to the dedicated students who canvassed.”
