Discourse for Democracy: Local Politics & Democracy
November 17, 2021
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm
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Showcasing the importance of young political leaders for democracy, Polis welcomed Anjali Boyd, Bettina Umstead, and Nida Allam to speak on the importance of youth in Democracy. Anjali Boyd was elected to be the Durham Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor while still studying at Duke. Bettina Umstead is one of the chairs of the Durham Public School Board. Nida Allam is the first Muslim American Woman elected to office in North Carolina. between the three of them, this panel has the expertise and experience to testify how important young leaders are in our democracy.
“A lot of it is trying to meet new people, understand what their needs are in their county, and how we can be of assistance to them and how they can be of assistance to us.”
– Anjali Boyd
“I would repeat again to not listen to anyone who tells you to wait your turn [to run for office]”
– Nida Allam
“If kids are spending kindergarten through the 12th grade in a public school, they should leave ready to change the world… Their lives depend on it, their family’s lives depend on it.”
– Bettina Umstead
Following the event, Umstead and Boyd joined PEP fellows and Duke students for an informal discussion on pathways to academic success and public service.
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