Following the Bernie Sanders campaign since day one has been an eye-opening experience. I remember ever since the rumors were circulating about a potential Sanders run, I was immediately enthralled with the idea that there would be another candidate to choose from other than the Clinton machine.

Before entering college, I stumped for Obama’s reelection bid in 2012 as I became more and more interested in politics. At the time I was just a young 17 year old who despised the likes of Republicans who were anti-gay, anti-women, and deniers of climate change. I didn’t know a lot about President Obama, but I knew that Romney would only take us backwards. I knocked on doors and I made hundreds of calls for Obama mainly because of my strong opinions on these selective issues. I had little understanding of the economy, foreign policy, and other more complicated subjects. After Obama had beat Romney, I felt a sense of fulfillment that translated to my decision to major in political science as I entered my first year of college.

I began taking a variety of political science classes that interested me. However, something happened. As I began to uncover fundamental issues about how our government operates, I no longer identified with Democrats or Republicans. Sure, my views on social issues more aligned with Democrats, but neither party had addressed my newfound disgust. Every political science class I took made me more and more disillusioned with the fact that our government, Republicans and Democrats, represented the rich and powerful rather than those who need political representation the most. It became clear to me that although these social issues were important, they ultimately distract us from the fundamental issue of our time: legalized political corruption.

I decided for the time being to explore my more artistic side. I found that taking Film and English courses functioned as a sort of escape from the harsh realities of a political system that I once felt passionate about. My interest in politics started to subside as I explored other interests that I found more fulfilling. However, that all changed when Bernie Sanders made his announcement to run for president. I immediately gave his campaign a modest five bucks and got on social media to promote the ideas of someone who was truly and radically different than any other politician. At the time, my friends around me scoffed at the idea of a candidate who could possibly stand a chance against the well known Hillary Clinton. I exposed my friends to what Bernie stood for and they caught on quick.

Over the summer my newfound obsession was with the Bernie Sanders campaign. Everyday I read as much as I could about how his campaign was doing and how people were responding. It seemed like with everyday that went by more and more people started to take notice. Bernie climbed up the polls fast as the summer came to an end and I was never more invigorated. I watched all his youtube videos, his stump speeches, and every one of his media appearances. When Bernie speaks about the issues that often get tossed aside, it gives me hope that our country will slowly but surely evolve.

What many people don’t realize about America’s economy is that it is controlled and exploited by those who influence our politicians with campaign contributions. This corruption has created an oligarchy where we have the highest level of income inequality than any other developed nation. Instead of helping the most vulnerable in our society, our bought and paid for politicians fight for the moneyed interests that control them. This isn’t about Hillary Clinton or Bernie Sanders. It’s about a fundamental change in how our government operates. Bernie Sanders happens to be the only candidate that understands this. He refuses to accept any money from large corporations and instead has raised millions of dollars from people. Nothing can get done until we rid our government of the powerful interests that seek to serve themselves.

Bernie Sanders has restored the energy that I once felt during my time with the Obama campaign. He has spoken to the very problems that caused my disillusionment. He is the voice that I didn’t think could even exist in such a corrupt institution. To me, Clinton is a name of the past. She’s obviously very capable of leading our country, however, she represents small change in the shadow of a more progressive option. Clinton would be better than every Republican running for president, but she would continue to allow corporate interests to come first just like every other establishment politician. This is not about being anti-Clinton or anti-Republican. It’s about uniting everyone against the true culprit behind most of the issues we face in America: the immense political power of large corporations, banks, and billionaire families. Until we recognize this issue head on, real change will never come.