Waking up on election day, I sat with a familiar fear and let it wash over me, knowing that both political factions have dug their trenches deeper than they had eight years ago. And now, with the election coming and going and Inauguration Day right around the corner, there is time to reflect during this limbo.
I’ve been an unfortunate spectator to both sides vilifying the other side’s actions, pointing fingers and directing blame, and boiling their platform down to, “hey, at least I'm not the other guy”. While political pundits will have a field day throughout these next four years delving into how we’ve reached this level of political polarization, my experiences and background leads me to instead pivot and look at the field a little closer to home.
Caught between the crosshairs of political parties, my neighbors and community at large face a separate set of challenges than those in Washington D.C. who are concerned with national and international politics. My hometown of Las Vegas faces routine budget shortfalls in schools, a high poverty rate, and rising rents. These on the ground issues require a community care approach.
While it is true that political polarization has been on the rise based on committed members of political parties, these sentiments are not clear cut for the majority of Americans. Many studies show that the median voter holds a center-of-the-line opinion on the majority of issues, with around 41% of Americans identifying as independents, the coveted middle ground that both parties vie for to gain electoral victory. This group is also exhausted from all the political squabbling and wants to meet in the middle and compromise. Fostering connection through a civic engagement lens can help cut through this hyper-partisan rhetoric.
Civic engagement is often brought up around the height of political cycles, as the driving force for electoral canvassing or volunteering as a poll worker. However, civic engagement is defined as working to improve the quality of life within communities, through both political and non-political processes. While engaging in the electoral and voting sphere is critical for a healthy democracy, incorporating advocacy, civic learning and community service can help address day-to-day concerns and promote the well-being of your community.
I was introduced to civic engagement during my undergraduate studies at Tufts University. I became a Tisch Scholar, which is a leadership development program that combines academic coursework, fieldwork in local communities, skill-building, and critical reflection. I was initially drawn to this program due to the opportunity to gain experience in community health; I worked with the Cambridge Health Alliance as a Community Health Improvement Intern and was tasked with promoting mental health in the local Somerville/Medford area. While my mission had a focus, through working with community partners, I would begin to see the residents of these cities and my university in a new light. It was jarring to see how much influence my school, and by extension myself as a student, had on the surrounding communities. Issues such as affordable housing and gentrification were caused by the university’s slow expansion, despite the expansion being lauded in our campus bubble. I also gained a new perspective on mental health work, realizing there are various intersections relating to race, socioeconomic status, and migrant status. Through civic engagement, I was introduced to grassroots organizations that showed me local problems through their various initiatives and held space for me to be a part of positive change. It is through similar organizations, in communities all over our country, that I feel so much excitement and hope for the future.
There exist many vehicles through which to grow and practice your civic engagement, particularly in multi-faith organizations. Religious congregations have long served as vital and vibrant hubs of communal life and it’s through these bonds that civic life can be strengthened. To learn more, I welcome you to explore the various tenets of civic life below and how select faith-based organizations are defining its fusion with faith:
Ultimately, while the next four years will be a whirlwind of emotions, there lies the opportunity in fostering new connections, understanding, and community with your neighbors. Agency can be transferred into your own hands instead of waiting for the political elite to swoop in and save the day (or more realistically, make small incremental changes). I’ve been able to foster meaningful connections and, in addressing the real, pressing matters affecting day-to-day people, have found joy and meaning working collaboratively to promote health and well-being regardless of partisan politics.
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