My Political Engagement Story!
By Keva Rale
Although I enjoyed learning about government, I grew up largely believing that my voice could have no real impact on the political landscape around me. It was a valid concern. I conceptualized politics on the national scale, and felt entirely hopeless watching school shootings and Trump era policies constantly flash across my news feed. But then something happened to me, and I realized that national politics is not the be all and end all of civic engagement.
In my senior year of high school, my local school board abused their power over my mother, a teacher, by using unjust political tactics that put her privacy, as well as the privacy of my entire family, at risk. In order to right the wrong, I had to make public comment at a board of education meeting and speak in defense of the cause I believed in most of all -- my own family. I remember how nervous I was, how my voice shook when I first addressed the room, but I also remember how proud I felt to be speaking up for something that mattered. And after I did speak up, I watched many community members step up and support me in turn, creating political pressure that eventually led to positive change.
It was then that I understood the power of local government. I understood that local government is THE way to make change that deeply impacts an individual’s daily life, whether that be by reducing traffic, supporting public schools, or creating affordable housing. I remain politically engaged because I know that so long as I remain active in local government I can help create the community that I want to live in. And so when national politics continue to frustrate me, I take solace in local government. When I first moved to Berkeley, I immediately got involved with the City Council and student government to have as much impact as possible on my surrounding environment. Now, I intern for Evolve CA and am part of a grassroots movement seeking to improve education policy in California. At Evolve, I am excited to serve as an advocate for educational equity -- the cause that first introduced me to the power of local politics!