Austin Raymond for Ogden City Council
ABOUT ME
I was born right here in Ogden back in 2002. I grew up in an atypical family for Utah, my family weren't members of the Latter-Day Saint Church, and we were a small family, but the size just made us more tight knit. I was a pretty reclusive kid, preferring to stay inside to play video games or to read, I didn't have many friends due to being shy, but I had barrels of fun with the friends I did have . Eventually due to bullying, I would push to finish school, skipping a Grade in Junior High and starting online school in my Sophomore Year.
Eventually the depression I was battling with would reach a peak in 2017, and at my lowest I would begin searching for answers to lift me up. I began attending church services, and receiving visits from Latter-Day Saint Missionaries. Eventually in September of 2017, at the age of 15 I would be baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. My conversion was an amazing thing, and led to so many of the best and amazing moments of my life, serving in Young Men's leadership, speaking at my Stake Conference, and participating in a Trek have all helped make me who I am. I'm still an active member to this day, with my faith serving as my compass to all that I do, seek to do, or think, it is the keystone of my life, currently I enjoy the great blessing of serving as a Primary Teacher over the 4-5 year olds.
After graduating in 2019, I took time to improve myself before my mission. However with the chaos of 2020 and personal issues, I would not go on a mission after thought and prayer, and found myself adrift. Eventually I settled on attending Weber State University as a major in Economics, and found joy as I always have in learning. During Winter Break that year I'd pick up a job at Rocket Lawyer as customer support, though the job had its issues, it was here I found the joy inherent in helping people, talking to them, and in any small way helping to improve their life story. Even after I left the job, I found myself unsatisfied in school, yearning to do something more than sit in classrooms for years to come. Late that summer of 2021 I would visit my best-friend in Arizona, and see how great it was to truly live in the world, it was here I came to a conclusion to not reroll for another College semester, and begin pursuing my own opportunities.
In February of 2022 I would gain the opportunity to assist and help with the Andrew Badger for Congress campaign, eventually serving as the Campaign Manager for it. This was a great experience, I got to meet and listen to so many wonderful people, see what issues affect them, how wonderful it is to truly be someone to listen and seek to help them. Even if the campaign was not successful, it was still a great experience that has made me wonderful personal connections.
Currently I work on pursuing certain business avenues in media, and serve as a political consultant for Avalanche Politics alongside my former boss Andrew Badger, I also spend time working for DoorDash to make additional money. I'm still ever a homebody, spending much of my time reading or playing video games, and when I go outside I like to spend my time walking or going on hikes, or eating and exploring wonderful restaurants here in northern Utah.