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Staff Snapshots | Shoshana Silver

December 23, 2022

Shoshana Silver

Hometown: Tallahassee, Fla.

Role: Attorney, House Democratic Office, Florida Legislature. “I brief Democratic representatives on policy issues and legal analysis in connection with legislation related to commerce, energy, utilities, infrastructure, public integrity and elections.”

Years of legislative service: Three

NCSL connection: Silver is a graduate of the 2020 Legislative Staff Certificate Program.

The skill or talent she’s most proud of: “I am most proud of my ability to use the facts at hand to craft a persuasive argument. … I’m also a pretty decent singer, but I tend to save that for myself and my shower.”

Why did you choose to work at the Legislature?

After working as an attorney for several years, I realized that I wanted to address problems with the laws that I was applying in daily practice. Working for the Legislature presented an opportunity to advocate for underlying policies that can have a positive impact on my community and the lives of all Floridians. It has been extremely rewarding to tackle issues on such a broad scale without the same type of stress that comes from handling individual cases.

What’s the best advice you were ever given?

My best advice has always come from my parents. Between “Worse things happen at sea” and “It is what it is,” I’m reminded to try my best. While the words themselves are meant to convey that you need to accept a situation or that things aren’t as bad as they seem, what they really tell me is that even when things are rough and it feels like nothing will change, what we do matters and there’s always hope for something better.

Who or what inspires you?

My co-workers and the representatives I work with inspire me every day. Working in politics can be very challenging, but the people around me constantly show me that you can’t let it beat you down. They help me find strength, creativity and humor in all situations … which is especially useful when faced with those massive, last-minute, strike-all amendments that tend to show up in the last few days of session!

What’s one thing you love about your state?

The natural beauty. Florida is an undeniably gorgeous state, from the canopy roads in Tallahassee to the crystal-clear waters of the Florida Keys.

What are you currently reading/listening to/watching?

In my free time, I tend to read books or watch shows that are escapist or geared toward personal growth. I just finished reading TJ Klune’s “Under the Whispering Door” and have started Michael Singer’s “The Untethered Soul.” You can currently find me binge-watching “American Horror Story” on Hulu.

These email responses have been lightly edited for length and clarity.

For its “Staff Snapshots” series, State Legislatures News is asking legislative staff about their role in the legislature. If you’d like to suggest a staffer for this series, please email Holly South at NCSL.

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