August 30, 2021 | Elise Wildman | UC Davis
I am a political science major at UC Davis; this summer, I was an organizer with Un-PAC, a nonpartisan organization dedicated to democracy reform and mobilizing students and young people to get the For the People Act passed. The fight to pass S1, the For the People Act, much-needed structural democracy reform, exemplifies the degree to which corporations are represented in our government, not the people. Our representatives have continued to vote on behalf of their donors, disregarding the plight of students. As students, we are faced with unprecedented amounts of student debt amidst rising costs of living and the bleak future of an uninhabitable planet. We do not feel heard, nor represented, as decision-makers at every level of government are complicit. However, we have the potential to be unstoppable. As students and young people, we have cultivated vast networks of incredibly talented peers with an array of skills and interests. We have the opportunity to transform these networks into vehicles of social change. Through civic engagement, we can mobilize our vast networks of peers to take action.
Civic engagement can take many forms. Voting, especially in local elections, makes an impact. Furthermore, we must extend our civic engagement beyond electoral campaigns. Protesting, forming pressure and divestment campaigns to target local decision-makers, educating others about social justice issues, and listening to the needs of marginalized groups in your community are all ways to build power in your community through civic engagement.
Our level of civic engagement will have visible effects on local, statewide, national, and global levels. I’m extremely passionate about climate justice. The climate emergency affects all of us, especially marginalized communities and indigenous people. Line 3, a tar sands pipeline, is being built on Anishinaabe territory, violating their treaty rights. The construction of Line 3 will, and has already, contributed to the destruction of bodies of water that sustain vital ecosystems. Enbridge, the Canadian corporation behind the destruction in Minnesota, is permitted by the State of Minnesota to use 5 billion gallons of water, endangering wild rice vital to the Anishinaabe people. Water protectors on the frontlines who rightfully protest are met with violent Minnesota police, paid for by Enbridge.
I, like many other students and young people, recognize that this is another instance of corporations, with the aid and protection from the government, destroying the environment. Oil spills have already been reported along the Line 3 construction route. Millions of people depend on the rivers and lakes Line 3 crosses for clean drinking water. Our nation’s water supply is at stake. This is not simply an issue affecting indigenous communities in Minnesota. The water protectors on the frontlines fight with the utmost courage, protecting all of us on the planet who will be ultimately affected by the climate crisis and the destruction caused by multinational corporations.
As an organizer, I have had the honor of meeting and working with so many talented and passionate students and young people. Whether you participate in civic engagement already or are looking to begin, we all have the tools to make fundamental change. Civic engagement is traveling to the frontlines in Minnesota to help on the ground. Civic engagement is educating your friends about Line 3, uplifting indigenous voices, and taking action at stopline3.org. If you’re anxious about starting, remember that we have a right and duty to speak out and take action about the issues that affect all of us. When urging your elected officials to stand with the people, not corporations and their donors, remember two things:
Our elected officials have the obligation to listen to our voices, and we have the power to leverage our support for them.
When we mobilize our own networks of fellow students and young people, what we will accomplish will be revolutionary.
