Why I'm for Barack Obama.

• Author: Shah, Henry

When I was a young child, my Indian grandfather drilled three axioms into my head: "Help other people, make a difference, and make money."

It was with the first two principles in mind that I applied to be a summer organizer for the Obama campaign in May 2011. I didn't know much about community organizing. I didn't know much about the 2008 election--when Obama's team revolutionized politics by creating a neighbor-to-neighbor, bottom-up campaign that included young, old, rich, poor, and every demographic in between. I did know that I fully supported Obama's policies.

Because of the president's Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare), my diabetic grandfather received the coverage he needed and was able to stop working two jobs while officially "retired." Because of Obama's "Pay As You Earn" student loan program, I don't worry that my college financial aid will cripple me with loan payments when I graduate. For my family, the president's policies haven't been just abstract pieces of legislation--they've made real improvements in our lives.

My work with the campaign began with i a 12-hour training session in the summer : of 2011. I was uncertain about what job would await me but I was eager to get going. For the next 10 weeks, my chief duty was to organize neighborhood volunteers. I identified, recruited, and trained leaders from my area of northwest Philadelphia. We then created teams to knock on doors, make calls, and register voters.

I was surprised--and thrilled--to learn that it didn't matter to the campaign whether I was young or had braces or was "just in high school." What mattered was my dedication, and my ability to organize my neighborhood. At the end of the summer, I won a contest among summer organizers nationwide based on...