In the latest episode of the WGLT/Vidette podcast Democracy’s Future, Illinois State University senior political science and philosophy major Braxton Myers says he embraces the motto "think global, act local."
Myers is an intern with the Democratic Party of Illinois. He's also part of the Student Government Association at ISU, which successfully lobbied the Town of Normal to adopt a 12-hour notice rule for landlord visits.
Myers said many young people aren’t as involved politically because they lack the time to volunteer when many of them to work to pay their bills, but they may also feel their voice won’t have an impact.
“We’re a very issues-based generation,” Myers said. “Because of that, it can make us feel like we have to be in our niche.”
Myers said housing is his primary political issue.
Myers said his political views took shape in southern Missouri where he grew up and saw poverty and vast inequality.
“I had a shift in my views. It made me more empathetic in terms of making sure that people can have access to a lot of those services that it vital to making sure every American is prosperous in their own community,” Myers said.
Deja Sims is a senior graphic design major at ISU from Cook County. She chairs the Young Democratic Socialists of America at Illinois State University.
Sims says a clear distinction between socialists and mainstream Democrats in this election is how they view foreign affairs, particularly the war in Gaza between Israelis and Palestinians.
“A lot of Democrats are not on board with a cease-fire and a lot of leftists hold them in contempt for that, because war of any kind, carnage of any kind, is a loss of human life,” Sims said. “In America, (socialists) don’t get that representation.”
Sims said her goal as a socialist is to bring an end to capitalism. She said one small way for like-minded people to do that is to boycott corporations that she feels do not treat their employees well.
“You don’t have to put your money into these people’s pockets,” Sims said.
Next on Democracy’s Future, you’ll hear from conservative student groups on the ISU campus.
Please give us your feedback on this series and let us know if there are certain issues you'd like us to explore. Email us at news@wglt.org.
Subscribe to Democracy's Future on the NPR App or wherever you get your podcasts.
