The Mission:

Greetings reader! 

I’m Eli: founder, author, editor-in-chief, and web developer for Overheard in the Capitol. I attended a public Bay Area high school and now attend UC Berkeley (Class of 2028), where I'm studying political economy and public policy on a pre-law track.

I’ve been publishing research on contemporary political and legal phenomena for two years now, with my initial focus being on the First Amendment’s role in digital media. My journey began amidst the 2020 election when headlines warning against misinformation flooded my notifications and piqued my curiosity. I followed my inquiries to UCSB’s Summer Research Academy, where I participated in the 2022 cohort, ultimately co-authoring and presenting a 15-page research paper entitled “‘Alternative Facts’: The Origins of Fake News and its Implications’ at the capstone seminar. My colleagues and I later published our paper in the Journal of Student Research, an accredited national journal. 

I found the research and writing process deeply engaging, and gained a powerful framework by which to dissect and interpret current events. My eyes were now open, and I wanted to keep going. In March 2023, I founded Overheard in the Capitol, a platform to self-publish my research into current controversies and to become a better-engaged citizen. I hope that by sharing my work, others—especially other young people—will follow suit.

Overheard in the Capitol serves a dual purpose—one personal, the other community-oriented.

Through pages upon pages of recreational reading, I came to recognize writing both as a delicate art, as well as a powerful tool for change and mass mobilization. I yearn to similarly develop my perspective, voice, and world view through writing; Overheard in the Capitol medium of choice. 

Furthermore, politics is complex, and often intimidating to dive into. I’ve always sympathized with claims that civic engagement and informed political participation are crucial in sustaining our democracy, but mainstream political issues like gerrymandering, the federal deficit, or immigration policy can seem esoteric, or alien, to the majority of the everyday people. Citizens need not strive for punditry—our elected officials theoretically carry out this responsibility on our behalves—but basic comprehension is a just and achievable goal for any voting American. 

Moreover, while habitual reading undoubtedly advances one’s skills and knowledge, actively engaging others’ ideas with corroboration or refutation begets a higher echelon of understanding. I treat each topic I tackle as an open-ended discussion in which my publications are my interpretations of what I’ve absorbed from others. Each article develops my personal identity issue-by-issue, ensuring the views I hold are nuanced and well-informed. This process ensures my political participation is responsible, coming from a place of humility and a desire to engage critically.

However, Overheard in the Capitol’s principal purpose transcends my enrichment. 

As many who are passionate about learning affirm, one’s knowledge is best used for purposes beyond themselves. I recognize political apathy amongst my generation—which stems from confusion and pessimism—as a threat to the future of our system of government. Democracy without widespread, responsible participation amounts to minority rule, after all. I'm seeking to “popularize politics” to ensure the continued viability of American democracy.  

Overheard in the Capitol is an intentionally approachable and accepting domain for the politically curious, lost, apathetic, and everyone in between. I seek to foster political engagement, critical thinking, and identity formation for every reader by revealing the more covert aspects of today’s complex and contentious discourse; I aim to pull back the curtains and explain the nuance behind the headlines. I also strive to equip readers with the knowledge and analytical skills to engage topics in an inquisitive, skeptical, open-minded manner. Overheard in the Capitol instills the fundamentals of civic engagement and political responsibility in its readers, encouraging thinking beyond the headlines.    

However, my interpretations should constitute just one component of a reader’s journey. I am well-read in the topics I analyze; I observe conversations thoroughly before interjecting into the dialogue. My work is comprehensive and meticulous. But I am still a beginner, a learner, and by no means an expert. I’m inquisitive, and motivated, as are many of my peers. My opinion is merely that—an opinion—in which there is no such thing as right or wrong. I encourage readers to follow up their reading of an Overheard in the Capitol publication by consuming alternative scholarship, using my input as a stepping stone in reaching their own conclusions. 

I’ll end with this: the future of American democracy is today’s citizens’ responsibility, so let’s not take it lightly. We must equip ourselves to navigate the political climate using not emotion and reaction but intuition and analysis, which can only be achieved through diligent political education. I am confident that if you're reading these words, success in this regard is well within your reach.   

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Remember: “Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today” — Malcolm X.