‘Get your voice heard’

Last Tuesday, first-year student Noran Al Saedi spoke with Dearborn residents at a maize-and-blue decorated table at Henry Ford Centennial Public Library in Dearborn. On the table were “Hail to the Voter” buttons, a large “Your Vote is Your Voice” sign and red, white and blue pens. While some students spent their spring break on ski slopes or beaches, Al Saedi and nine other UM-Dearborn students spent the week registering Michigan residents to vote, while also learning more about civil rights, democracy and voting rights themselves. 

The Roots of Democracy: The People's Work program, which took place last week, was one of three Alternative Spring Break programs offered by the university this year. It was developed, in part, by students themselves.

The idea came about when Civic Engagement Coordinator JaNai’ James took members of the UM-Dearborn chapter of Turn Up Turnout — a tri-campus civic engagement student organization — to the National Student Vote Conference in Washington, D.C. in November. “As they’ve been learning more about the political process and its importance themselves, they wanted to reach out to people in our community. They want people to know that big changes start locally," James said. “I’m proud of the work they put into making this happen and for putting themselves out there to help connect people to nonpartisan voter education resources.” Computer and Information Science graduate student Fnu Nidhi, a TUT member who attended the conference, learned what university students around the country were doing to raise political awareness in nonpartisan ways. She tailored that knowledge to community needs. “I know there is a need for voter registration and education,” she said. “When Turn Up Turnout had a voter registration booth on campus in September, more than 100 students signed up.”

At the library, the students talked to patrons about the importance of voting — there is a gubernatorial election in November, after all — and helped those who were not yet registered sign up. Other residents asked questions and took information. They needed more time to think about it.

First-year biological Sciences major Al Saedi understands why people may hesitate. “I have seen how passionate people can get about candidates and voting. It can feel a bit scary and overwhelming,” said the Warren resident, whose family is from Iraq. “In my house, we try to avoid the news and politics because there seems to be so much division and anger that comes with it. I signed up to volunteer for the week to help educate both others and myself. I want to be more comfortable with civic involvement. I’m trying to decide if I should register.”

Over the course of the week, the students also toured the Michigan State Capitol in Lansing, observed a "Honk For Democracy" demonstration in West Bloomfield, and attended a Michigan House of Representatives meeting.

“We want students to be comfortable in spaces that are accessible to us and are open for us to share our voices,” James said. “These meetings are public and decisions that have big impacts on our community happen there. We wanted to go into spaces like this together so that our students will be more confident doing it in the future.”

Industrial and Systems Engineering graduate student Muskan Jain, a program volunteer, said government-level decisions affect all aspects of our lives and she wants to do her part in getting citizens more civically engaged. Jain worked full time at DTE Energy as a business and planning analyst before pursuing her master’s degree. “I’m an engineer. No matter how much science and technology we learn and discover, it’s not truly helpful until we put it into use in the real world — and those advances and their impacts are often influenced by government decisions and policies,” Jain said.

In addition to the Roots of Democracy ASB there were two other UM-Dearborn student groups volunteering for service projects during the university’s Spring Break — one group traveled to Chicago and the other spent the week in Detroit.

In Chicago, 10 students worked with Urban Growers Collective on the south side of the city. They filled raised garden beds with nutrient-rich dirt to bypass the land’s contaminated soil. Students also tended to farm animals and worked in mobile produce pantries. In Detroit, eight students spent their week working with Camp Restore on the east side of the city. They helped clean debris in neighborhoods, assisted residents in fixing their homes and cleared land of brush and small trees to make room for a new park.

James said students who volunteer more than 50 hours over the course of earning their degree earn blue- and green-colored cords to wear at graduation. “But outside of that, they are doing this solely to make a difference,” she added.

James says it's important to offer nearby ASB opportunities for UM-Dearborn students because many have obligations outside of school, like caregiving for children and parents and full-time jobs. Spring break also happens during Ramadan. Traditionally, college ASB programs are overnight experiences — but UM-Dearborn gives options so that volunteers can choose what’s best for their schedules. “We know people need to work. We know family things come up. And, during Ramadan, some students can’t stay late or overnight because they want to be home to break their fast,” she explained. “Our students still want to serve even if they can't commit to a full week away and we are happy to accommodate their schedules. I applaud their dedication to volunteering even with other responsibilities they are juggling.”

At Centennial Library, Assistant Director of Programs and Services Rebecca Hermen stopped by the ASB student table. “There are a lot of people out there who are apathetic because they feel their vote doesn’t count. These impressive young folks are out here getting the word out that it does matter,” she said. “No matter where people fall on the political spectrum, the UM-Dearborn students are giving people information they can use to educate themselves. Citizens have a right to our opinions and we have a right to be heard. Education is essential when making these decisions and feeling comfortable while making them.”

Al Saeedi agreed that the educational piece of their work does make a difference — and she knows from personal experience. At the end of the week, she registered to vote. “I don’t consider myself the political type. But I do care about my family and friends. I volunteer at a children’s hospital and I care about the kids. I care about my neighbors and my community,” she said. “Voting affects us all. It’s important to do what you can to get your voice heard.”

Story by Sarah Tuxbury. Photos by Matthew Stephens