Adjoa Evonlah details her experience as the 2019 Councilwoman for the Day and offers tips for those looking to apply.
Hi, I’m Adjo Evonlah, a senior at Northwest High School, and your 2019 Councilwoman for a day. Here is a detailed account of what the day entails, as well as my thoughts on the experience and tips for anyone looking to apply.
Expectations:
I’m not gonna lie, I wasn’t expecting much. A little birdie told me it’d be pretty boring, but at least you get free food! And I believed them, because when I think about politics, I unfortunately prime an association to monotonous discussions held by a congregation that lacks diversity yet expects to create policies for groups they don’t necessarily represent or relate to. But boy, were they WRONG! If this day has taught me anything, it’s that politics can be fun. I had the chance to voice my opinion on issues I am passionate about and be HEARD by people who can actually do something about it. And that’s just what I did.
MY Application Process:
In my application, I wrote a 500 word essay about the rising vape epidemic, as did many other entrants. You can read my essay here. At the Town Hall Meeting where they announced the winner, Councilmember Rice mentioned that the overwhelming number of entrants who mentioned the vape epidemic in their works had contributed to the legislation they passed on vape access. In other words, we were HEARD. We made actual change! – which is another reason I wanted this experience in the first place. I am interested in studying law, so this provided very valuable insight into policymaking at the local level.
Speaking of policies, some that we discussed throughout the day that piqued my interest were as follows:
- Bill 6-20, Solid Waste (Trash) – Release of Balloons – Prohibited: Balloon releases are practiced at memorials, funerals, and the like to commemorate the loss of a loved one. But what people don’t realize is how detrimental this can be to the environment. These balloon fragments can travel across the country! In our region specifically, the pieces end up in the Chesapeake Bay where they harm seabirds, turtles, and fish! During this discussion, I mentioned how Pouchful is doing their part to preserve the environment one lunch bag at a time. This student-run social enterprise sells stylish, insulated, reusable lunch bags made of eco-friendly materials to combat paper waste and raise awareness for a myriad of environmental issues! What’s more is they donate 10% of their proceeds to an environmentally-focused charity. It was so refreshing to witness strides being taken in the right direction.
- Bill 24-19, Landlord Tenant Relations – Obligations of Landlord – Air Conditioning: this bill intends to make air conditioning systems a requirement in every rental unit in the county. Have you ever gone a summer without AC or a winter without heat? These are some of the trials and tribulations that some landlords are putting MoCo residents through, and the council is saying enough is enough!
- Briefing – 2020 Census: The census aims to count all residents of Montgomery County so that we can receive an accurate amount of funding from the federal government. So quite literally, “Everyone Counts!” They discussed their strategy for counting every resident and provided resources for how to go about it. I even got to shoot a PSA with them! It was super fun! The census is currently scheduled to take place on April 1st, 2020. They are currently looking for ambassadors to spread the word! To find out more or to get involved, click here.
You can check here for the official agenda of the day.
Some of my favorite parts of the day:
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above.” James 1:17 KJV
They say when God does something for you, you’ll know because He’ll include himself in it. So imagine my surprise when Councilmember Rice and Councilmember Jawando were casually quoting the Bible in a discussion about basic human rights! My heart swelled with joy and I agreed with them 110%. Once again, I was pleased to have my expectations of government operations disproved. I found that the council tends to take a pretty liberal stance on most items and that the majority of them are democrats.
I was encouraged to speak in the discussions of various items on the agenda as they went down the list, and there were so many papers! Each item had its own packet to flip through so that you could understand what was going on and develop a position on the issue. I found it lovely that I was able to develop a position and vote on most issues because our vote is our voice!
As I explained in an interview with Refinery29, “I feel that it is a privileged thing to sit back because the way the country is governed does not directly affect you. I see the hand of the government in my daily life. So my goal in this election is to brush up on how the process works and get involved, because I refuse to stand for nothing.” To be honest, I was a bit shy at first, but when I finally did speak, it was so empowering. The whole council leaned in to hear what I had to say! I commented on a few issues throughout the day and each time I felt like my opinion was valued.
February is Black History Month, which we celebrated on the dais by honoring Brigadier General Charles E. McGee, the oldest living Tuskeege Airman, with a proclamation. He’s been everywhere lately! From being honored at President Trump’s State of the Union Address to presenting the coin for the coin toss at the Super Bowl, this has really been his year! It was an honor to meet such an esteemed individual. After posing for a picture (as seen above), he told me never to let anyone make me feel like I can’t do something. And that is something I will never forget.
We also made history that day. I had the pleasure of being present for the appointment of the first racial equity and social justice officer Tiffany Ward. She is responsible for implementing Councilmember Navarro’s proposals in the Racial Equity and Social Justice Act. In Councilmember Navarro’s words, “this is the beginning of an important, transformative process for our county.” Ward strives to normalize conversations about racial equity in corporate settings, a cause that I am passionate about myself. In my school we have Study Circles, an extension of the countywide Be Well 365 initiative in which students and teachers engage in discourse that helps us learn about each other’s experiences and recognize the impact of race and culture on learning, teaching, and the school environment. I am excited to see Ms.Ward take on ventures like these throughout the duration of her career and I am so proud to have witnessed its “birth”. It was so inspiring and refreshing to see someone who looked like me fill this position, someone who, like myself, is hungry for change and passionately bringing it about.
To add on to the historical significance of the day, I learned that I was the first African-American student to become Council Member for a Day! What an honor!
February is also Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month, so the council honored the coordinators of Choose Respect Montgomery PSA Video Contest and the annual RespectFest where students make their own PSA videos and have the chance to win prizes! You can find out more about them here. I learned that 1 in 3 girls, 1 in 7 boys, and 1 in 10 teens total will be a victim of teen dating violence in their lifetime according to the Choose Respect board. Supporters wore orange to show their support, and many resources can be found on their site.
To watch how my day went, click here!
All in all, I really enjoyed being Council Member for a Day and I encourage you to apply. Why?
- As I mentioned earlier, it’s a great opportunity to have your voice heard!
- You can learn how your local government works
- Make some valuable connections
- It looks really good on resumes
So, how do you apply?
The competition is open to students in grades 8-11. The deadline is April 3rd, 2020 and the prompt is as follows:
Submit a two-minute video or less in any format (e.g. TikTok,Instagram, YouTube, etc.) or a written essay (500 words or less) describing the public policy issue you are most passionate about and what local government can do to help.
The council really wants to hear what you the student has to say, so don’t be discouraged if the topic you want to address is not a current event. As long as you can explain it well it’s fair game! Also, as my mentor from ESSENCE Magazine, Ms.Cori Murray told me, “Don’t be afraid to bleed on the page.” In other words, don’t be afraid to share personal experiences or open up a bit. For me personally, I was afflicted by the vaping epidemic because we really could have been the generation that stopped smoking. The dangers of cigarettes are widespread and well known at this point and many are repulsed by the sheer thought of smoking. Yet the main active ingredient (nicotine) is rebranded to look fun and tasty and suddenly everyone takes the bait? As I mentioned during the presentation of my proclamation, this doesn’t mean it’s too late, and it doesn’t mean we can’t still fight. In addition to fighting vape through being an honorary councilmember, I worked with the Gandhi Brigade to create a documentary on youth vaping, which you can watch here.
After the judging period concludes, finalists are notified and invited to a Town Hall. There are 10 finalists, which were announced in no particular order, and from those 10, the top three are awarded the following prizes:
- 3rd Place: $100 and a certificate
- 2nd Place: $250 and a certificate
- 1st Place: $500, a glass award, a certificate, and a chance to shadow Councilmember Rice and be honored with a proclamation!
Apply here: https://mcgmd.wufoo.com/forms/x13u3pck118q39l/
Article and Image by Adjoa Evonlah