Name: Mark Joseph Stern

Track: “Some Lives Are More Equal Than Others”

Education: Georgetown College 2013, Georgetown Law 2016

Hometown: Tallahassee, Florida

Who is the most ethical person you’ve ever met? Why? My mother, because she is able to balance empathy and pragmatism perfectly, and that balance is essentially the challenge of 21st century American life.

What one-word description would you find most flattering? Exuberant.

In a sentence, slam your writing at Slate: Overwrought, underdeveloped rants that veer schizophrenically between the irksome poles of grating outrage and glib mawkishness.

What potential perception about you would be misguided? That I am filled with rage. (In reality, I almost never get truly angry.)

What’s the best published piece you’ve ever written? Kansas’ Anti-Gay Segregation Bill Is an Abomination

How would you hope to be impressed by your future self? I would hope my future self is more patient when confronting short-term setbacks.

Who is another Calling My Shot contributor whom you admire? Maureen Corrigan

Name: Thomas Christiansen

Track: “Married to Your Morals”

Education: International Political Economy, Georgetown University

Hometown: Littleton, Colorado and Salt Lake City, Utah

Who is the most ethical person you’ve ever met? Why? My father is the most ethical person I have ever met. Like me, he is a flawed, imperfect human being, and he certainly didn’t (doesn’t) know entirely how to raise someone like me, whose flaws are so different from his. But he also raised me full of justice and mercy. He has always held himself to the highest standards of conduct and taught me by example to do the same.

What one-word description would you find most flattering? Loyal.

What potential perception about you would be misguided? Lots of people seem to think that I am a nice guy. Wrong. Caring? Probably. Nice? No.

What is the dumbest myth you’ve heard about Mormonism? That we still practice polygamy.

What do you lie about most often? My skiing ability (I’m awful, okay? I know I’m from Utalorado. I’ve still only been skiing three times in my life. Get at me).

How would you hope to be impressed by your future self? I would be impressed by my future self if he learns to take care of his body better than I do.

Who is another Calling My Shot contributor whom you admire? Lauren Weber (I could say Alex Honjiyo, but I figured that went without saying. Also, I admire Lauren more).