Political activism is in the air. The left may have lost badly in the election, but millions are taking to the street to protest nationalistic hyper-conservatism.
This activism is refreshing and most certainly positive for the larger public sphere, but when people take to the streets it is often over federal or state issues. Of course, national or state issues affect more people, so it is much easier to garner attention to a movement, but we all know local government has a greater impact on our day-to-day lives than any other body.
We here in the Chapel Hill/Carrboro area are lucky to have town leaders who are willing to engage with the community. We collectively should do more to engage with our town politics.
First, it is important to know which body represents you. If you live on campus or have a Chapel Hill address, you fall under the jurisdiction of the Chapel Hill Town Council and Mayor Pam Hemminger. If you live in Carrboro you are under the Carrboro Board of Aldermen and Mayor Lydia Lavelle. You can find more information about both governments by visiting their respective websites or by following local media outlets.
Participating in town politics may seem intuitive for long-time members of the community, but for students it may be harder to see how advocacy translates to policy in the town. Our local governments exist to serve all of us — both the Carrboro homeowner and the first-year living in Hinton James.
The beauty of local politics is it is the closest thing in our federalist system to direct democracy. Yes, you still have elected representatives, but given the relatively small constituent sizes, you can personally relay your preferences to your representative in a way you couldn’t on a state or federal level.
While the University is tasked with dealing with most student issues, a fair amount is handled by the city. Biking lanes, street lights, zoning laws and so much more all affect students. Don’t like that you cannot have more than four unrelated people living in one house? Advocate to the town to change it. Wish a bike lane went down the road you live on? Ask your representative on Town Council or the Board of Aldermen.
Just because you may only be in Chapel Hill for four years does not mean you can abdicate your civil responsibility to engage in all levels of politics. Just like in class, chances are that if you have a problem, someone else has it too. Let your local government know what you think can be done better.
