Madeline serves as a CWA intern for Field Operations and Legal Studies.

Hi there! My name is Madeline Peltzer. I was born and raised in Arizona and am the oldest of three girls. In May, I graduated from Hillsdale College in Michigan with degrees in politics and journalism. I’m delighted to be Concerned Women for America’s (CWA) Field and Legal intern this summer.

Serving with CWA feels like coming full circle. Following my freshman year of college, I interned with the Center for Arizona Policy, my state’s foremost family-values group. Serving as a legislative intern with an explicitly faith-based organization that focused on policy rather than politics exposed me to a new way of working in the political sphere as a Christian. That experience sparked my interest in public policy and issues-based advocacy, particularly for life, marriage, family, and religious liberty. I was inspired to bring a similar organization to Hillsdale and became a campus ambassador for Young Women for America, CWA’s college program. Now I get to come to the CWA office and champion these issues every day.

What I most admire about CWA is how it bridges the gap between politics and faith. I believe America needs not just conservative principles and political reform but spiritual transformation through the power of the Gospel. CWA recognizes this which is why they place Biblical principles at the center of all they do. My work with CWA has included writing an op-ed on one of their core issues, attending the recent Loudoun County school board meeting on transgender issues, and being present at the Supreme Court when it handed down the Fulton v. City of Philadelphia decision. I have participated in staff meetings, weekly office Bible studies, and worldview seminars taught by members of the CWA team. It has been a blessing to learn from serious Christians who seek the Lord, go to Him in prayer, and remind me to put on the full armor of God.

Since starting my internship, I have become especially passionate about the issue of education. As a homeschool alumna, I have always been an advocate of educational freedom, but the rise of critical race theory (CRT) has reinforced my belief in school choice and parental involvement. CRT uses Marxist techniques to divide Americans by skin color and pit them against one another, framing some as oppressors and others as oppressed. As Americans discover that many K-12 schools incorporate aspects of CRT into their curricula, it’s been exciting to see parents finally pushing back against what’s being taught to their kids. One of the projects I’ve been working on the past few weeks is creating a CRT factsheet that parents, grandparents, and citizens can use to understand, recognize, and fight against CRT in their local school districts. It’s my prayer that citizens will continue to wake up to the propaganda being taught to their children and hold school boards accountable, run for board positions themselves, or take advantage of school choice opportunities in their area.

Following the conclusion of my internship, I hope to stay in Washington, D.C., to pursue journalism, communications, or speechwriting. Regardless of where the Lord takes me, however, I am confident that the experience, lessons, and friendships I have gained at CWA will stay with me long after I leave.