The first time I remember meeting Raj Pannu was a cold January on the steps of the legislature. I’d marched with students from the U of A campus to the legislature to protest tuition increases. - ThreadSky

About ThreadSky

shoffmanab.bsky.social • 26 days ago

The first time I remember meeting Raj Pannu was a cold January on the steps of the legislature. I’d marched with students from the U of A campus to the legislature to protest tuition increases.

1 / 2

Comments

shoffmanab.bsky.social•26 days ago

It was cold. We were chanting, “Freeze the fees.” I didn’t expect to see any MLAs or professors join us. Raj was both and he was on our side.

shoffmanab.bsky.social•26 days ago

A few years later, we were on the same airplane, and we got to sit together. We chatted about politics and education the entire time. He understood what was important to me, and he was fighting for it.

shoffmanab.bsky.social•26 days ago

Later still, when I was working on my Master of Education degree, I really got to know Raj & his wife, Swinder. My professors had been Raj’s students in Educational Policy Studies.

shoffmanab.bsky.social•26 days ago

He still came to our potluck parties and loved talking about public education and how it’s the biggest way to support societal growth.

shoffmanab.bsky.social•26 days ago

I asked both Raj and Swinder for some life advice. I was almost done my thesis and wanted to know what they thought I should do next. Raj said, “get involved in politics”. They said we needed more younger women at the table driving social policy and political change.

shoffmanab.bsky.social•26 days ago

I asked Raj if he would be a reference and then I applied for a job with Alberta’s NDP. I’d been a volunteer but had never considered turning it into a job or even a career.

Posting Rules

Be respectful to others
No spam or self-promotion
Stay on topic
Follow Bluesky's terms of service

Comments

Posting Rules

Reply