I've become quite familiar with the drive to Wichita, KS the last few years. I used to be bored of it – all of the rolling hills used to seem repetitive and dull – but now, I love the drive. Its beauty has grown on me and the expansiveness gives me the opportunity to focus on my upcoming assignment while en route, and to decompress and reflect on my way home.
I needed a lot of time to process what I had taken in on my latest trip to "The Air Capital of the World," where I spent the late morning and early afternoon following rising political star Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Senator Bernie Sanders as they campaigned for local congressional hopeful, democrat James Thompson. The energy was palpable in the arena, as over 3,000 people gathered on a weekday afternoon to hear the trio speak about the future of the Democratic party and the country. I was privy to some quiet moments that were very special, and was hopefully able to convey that in the photos I made, a few of which I'll post here:
Read the accompanying piece by Sarah Smarsh HERE.
