Porta jumps into the political arena even with speaking anxiety
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Public speaking is to politics as the Bookcliffs are to Mesa County.
For Jamie Porta, who has struggled with speaking anxiety throughout her life, campaigning for votes wasnt the only challenge she faced during her political debut.
If its just me up there, and everyone is watching me, I get so nervous, Porta said. My face turns red, I sweat, I stutter, I hyperventilate. My speaking anxiety can be really bad.
Porta was a political newcomer when she announced that she was running for a seat in this years Grand Junction City Council election.
Ultimately, she didnt win the race. Cody Kennedy, secured the District A spot on City Council with 10,146 votes. Porta finished with 3,564 votes, slightly more than Sandra Weckerlys 3,522 votes.
Through medication and preparation, Porta said she has managed to tame the beast of public speaking angst, especially with regards to politics. Still, she doesnt feel she fared too well during certain stops throughout the race, like the Arts and Culture Forum, where she and other candidates were not given questions in advance.
Ive managed to deal with my anxiety when Im able to prepare, Porta said. Before a debate, Id practice what I was going to say like crazy. Id write it down, record myself, listen to how I sounded and go over what I was going to say. When we werent given the questions in advance, I found myself struggling.
Porta admitted that despite having a grasp of my basic ideas, she still struggled while on stage, froze up and felt she didnt always present herself as well as she wished she would have.
Before her political debut, Porta described her struggle with speaking angst as a social inhibitor. She sang in choir and acted in theater during her high school years, finding her angst more manageable when sharing the stage with others. Her fear surrounding public speaking increased as she got older. Eventually she said she began to flub job interviews, simply because her anxiety was so crippling.
Tired of struggling, Porta went to her doctor where she was given a medication to keep her anxiety at bay. Porta said the medication served as a turning point.
I avoided public speaking like the plague before my prescription, Porta said. I do like talking to people. I love talking to people. The medication has really helped me get past this fear of mine in a lot of ways.
Practice, preparation and prescriptions helped Porta overcome the seemingly insurmountable. Eventually, with her anxiety in a more manageable state, and irritated by certain local political issues in Grand Junction, Porta announced her candidacy for City Council.
I got into politics because I was motivated to see change, she said. I was still a bit scared, but I sucked it up and jumped in, to deal with my phobias and try and enact the change I wanted to see.
Although the election didnt result in the way Porta hoped, she remains positive. She credits this prevailing optimism to the people who encouraged her throughout the campaign and the possibilities the future holds.
Porta said shed love to run for City Council again when the opportunity arises. She also said shes excited about the new incarnation of Grand Junction City Council.
I hope that the City Council finds teamwork and common ground, Porta said. I really think they will. Im so very excited about this new council. I think there are a lot of people who are open to dialogue and willing to work together and compromise. Im hopeful because it seems like it will be a unified council in a really positive way that will work together to get things done.
She plans to keep her eyes open for future possibilities with the city or maybe other boards or committees. In the meantime, shell be finishing her apprenticeship with Xcel Energy, spending time with her dog, Mortise, and paying attention to the new City Council.
Porta isnt too disheartened by the loss. Overall, she is proud of doing something that forced herself to confront her fears head on for a worthwhile cause.
I had to do this, Porta said. If something is worth suffering through then youll make whatever personal changes you need in order to get involved, because some issues are bigger than ourselves and our own fears.
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Saturday, April 8, 2023 at 6:15 am