Denis Pimenov
As part of the Legislative Education and Practice Program (LEAP), Future Leaders Exchange Program (FLEX) Russian Federation alumnus Denis Pimenov had an internship in the Kentucky state legislature.  The exchange took place in December 2007 in program that was designed for ten FLEX alumni from Georgia, the Russian Federation, and Ukraine in an effort to expand young leaders’ knowledge of the day-to-day work of U.S. legislative bodies and the legislative process. Mr. Pimenov is currently the director of Slavonic World, LLC and teaches IT at Voronezh State Technical University.

 

How would you describe your LEAP exchange?   What kind of issues and legislation did you work on as a LEAP Fellow?

LEAP exchange program was really important for me, because I had a chance to observe many things in US legislature. I didn't work on any particular issue or legislation, but I was aware of all bills and resolutions, and some of it were really interesting, for example bill on ATVs, that prevented children under 16 from using it. I worked on constituency letters, kept track of new bills, contacted different medias.

Since you were already a FLEX alumnus /alumna when you became a LEAP Fellow, were there any things that surprised you about America and its people upon your return to this country?   If so, what?

Nothing really surprised me, but many things were different. It was much easer to make friends in a high school. Professionals that worked in legislature were much older than me, they had their own views, many of them had children and families, so they didn't have a lot of free time to spend with me. There are many issues that appear at this stage (internship). I got a second chance to think about different things, chance to compare the memories from the high school, with the real life and make conclusions. High school experience is rather different from the internship, and it's not about something particular, this is so in general. It's a chance to realize some global questions, that you didn't think about before, chance to open your mind.

What parts of the democratic political process did you observe during your LEAP fellowship?   If you had the opportunity to observe a U.S. national, state, or local election during your fellowship, what were your impressions of the election process?

The great thing that I realized - is that democracy in US has absolutely nothing to do with what we call "democracy" in Russia. It's based on trust, there is almost no "black technologies" that are so popular nowadays in Russia. I participated in a political campaign, went from door to door, talked to people, put yard-signs. People really care about who they choose, they know the views of the candidates, their info. Political parties do not cheat, or at least you don't really show it. The person that I worked for during the campaign was a teacher, and she didn't have a lot of money for her campaign, party was spending money on her, because they saw potential in that person. But if we take a look at Russia - it's different and nobody even trying to pretend that they are not "buying" the seat in a senate. Elections in Russia always go along with dirt, money and corruption and it's almost impossible to change it right now. More time is needed.

What was the most professionally rewarding part of your LEAP Fellowship?

The whole program was really rewarding. But in particular - I visited different TV-stations, Newspapers, magazines, and compared their style of work to Russian. I got a chance to work with constituencies, talk to them, find out the problems they go to legislators with. Now I can see the difference. I also had a great chance to observe the President of the KY Senate, watch how he works, how he treats people, how he solves problems. This person has a unique life, and I gained a lot from him.

What was the most personally rewarding part?

The president of the Kentucky Senate took me to all basketball games he visited, and once he even invited me to fly to another part of the US on a private jet with his friends, to watch the game. Besides, I got to see the Thunder Over Louisville, and Kentucky Derby. These are the memories for the whole life.

How did your experience as a LEAP Fellow influence the way you view your civic responsibility and see your role as a citizen in your own country?   Are you more involved in the political process than you were before?   If so, in what ways are you involved now?   Have you considered running for political office in your home country?

I worked for the Public Chamber of Voronezh Region, when I became a LEAP fellow. My job was closely connected with politics. But after I got back I realized that it's not the way it is supposed to be, and it's impossible to influence or change something at this stage. I got a better job-offer from one large mining company.

The general director there was a senator at the Voronezh Regional Duma. The same year elections for the independent candidates were canceled in Russia. I don't belong to any political party right now, because I don't share the views of any of them. Right now I work in business sphere, because it's more profitable. But in future I consider running for the office, after something changes or if I find people that share my views.

How have you taken what you have learned during your LEAP fellowship and shared it with your fellow citizens?   For example, did you participate in a Youth Congress?   Have you worked on a political campaign in your home country?

I have many friends and colleagues among state employees, senators and so on. I was involved in many activities after I got back, I was invited to different round table discussions, press-conferences, radio-programs and so on, I gave speeches and presentations even at the Voronezh Institute of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. And everyone was really interested in my experience.

Are you still in touch with your FLEX host family, teachers and friends and your LEAP colleagues from the state legislature?   How have the relationships with these Americans influenced you?   How did you influence these Americans during your FLEX and LEAP exchanges?

Yes, I still stay in touch both with my LEAP and FLEX families. They are like second parents to me. We always share different views, and I even ask them for advices. I also try to stay updated on situation in the states I used to live in. The same with my colleagues. I can't even express how much these relationships influenced me, it still does. I can't give the example, but I am positive that it did influence me greatly. The same thing for them. I can't say that I've changed their lives, but changed some of their positions, especially about Russia and Russian people.