Camille and Candice Holt Union League Essay
My background shaped my journey toward embodying patriotism, limited government, and free enterprise. My immersion into free enterprise started with Pennsylvania Free Enterprise Week (PFEW) following my 9th-grade year at Abington Senior High. Guided by a teacher’s recommendation, my twin sister and I delved into PFEW. In this Penn Tech College program, entrepreneurial minds imparted knowledge about stocks and enterprise to youth. Learning about the advantages of free enterprise ignited my desire to delve deeper into software start-ups and real estate. This curiosity led me to participate in Mobile App competitions, leading to my career at Microsoft.
My first-hand experience with the U.S. government started when Judge Doris Ribner invited me to the White House Leadership Development and Policy Hackathon in June 2015. Discussing technology and education with fellow students and government officials unveiled the imperative of maintaining an equilibrium between government oversight and business autonomy.
As a Bonner Scholar at Spelman College, I volunteered with the Center for Working Families in Atlanta from August 2016 to May 2017. Through collaborations with Atlanta veterans’ organizations, the center facilitated tax preparation services, financial literacy workshops, employment certifications, and digital literacy courses. My contributions encompassed computer literacy sessions and scheduling tax services. This engagement, juxtaposed with my familial connection to my grandfather’s military service, catalyzed a profound love of the U.S.
As I appreciated the Union League Legacy Foundations Civil War exhibit artifacts donated by many families’ collections, it reminded me of Holt & Son’s Venture’s (residential rental company) contributions to the Promise Land Historical Society. My grandmother, Sylvia Holt, reverence for American history and legacy is showcased in her recent attainment of historic landmark status for our ancestral land. From generations of gospel music tradition to our commitment to preserving familial artifacts and contributing to historical societies, the significance of safeguarding heritage resonates deeply with me.
– Camille Holt
My love of country, appreciation of free enterprise, and limited government stems from my family and life experience. John Nesbitt, my great-great-great-great-grandfather, fought in the Civil War. As a veteran in the U.S Colored Troops of the Union Army he used his pension to buy land, build a house, and contribute to the formation of Promise Land in Dickson County Tennessee. My grandmother grew up on that land and inherited it. She ensured to pass along the rich history and contributions my ancestors made to this country. As a retired VA nurse she taught me to love and honor my country. I plan to uphold my family’s legacy by helping my grandmother preserve the land and contribute to the Promise Land School Museum. Like the Union League, I too am proud and dedicated to the preservation of American history and culture.
I witnessed my grandmother expand her one story single family home into 8 bedroom townhomes. She now operates and maintains a multifamily rental business. Her financial mobility is allotted because the U.S. promotes free enterprise. Her success in the rental property business illuminated the power of free enterprise and financial mobility and has inspired me to follow in her footsteps.
In high school I actively volunteered with H2O For Life, a non profit that addresses the global water crisis. I lobbied for the Paul Simon Water for the World Act of 2014 in Washington D.C. I met Madeline Dean and other Congress members. I came into the trip doubtful and nervous, but left feeling inspired that I can positively impact my country. It is reassuring to know that America’s limited government allows individuals to contribute and influence resource allocation to keep us free.
– Candice Holt