Longtime Farmington resident believes in the power of voting in all elections, big and small.
FARMINGTON, MI—The late US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s words echo true for Farmington City Councilwoman Maria Taylor, who lives and serves by them.
“…If you want to be a true professional, you will do something outside yourself, something to repair tears in your community, something to make life a little better for people less fortunate than you.”
Taylor, who is engaged and committed to Farmington, uses her passions to leave the city—of about 10,000 residents—in better shape than when the denizen started living there in 1999.
“Some people choose to leave the world a better place through their children, some through charitable giving, some through activism. This is my way,” Taylor said.
When asked why does she vote, her answer was simple: “I honestly can’t imagine not voting,” she said.
“My parents took me and my sisters to the polls every election since I was a little kid. My mom instilled in me that if you don’t vote, you can’t complain,” she said. “She also told me about my great-grandma telling her of the very first time she was able to vote.”
Taylor said that her grandmother told her growing up that her family worked too hard for them to not vote and take “this opportunity” for granted.
“I believe that when you have a voice or a platform by which you can bring about change for the better, you are morally obliged to speak up, so when our vote is our voice, the same holds true,” she said.
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A Vote For Maria
Taylor gets to vote on a regular basis at Farmington City Council meetings, which she takes very seriously.
“I think of the people who I have spoken to about that issue and how it will affect their lives and livelihoods,” Taylor said. “I think about the trust they’ve placed in me, and I try to vote the way I’d want my own councilmember to vote, even if I’m not in the majority.”
Taylor added that regardless of the election, let your voice be heard every time.
“I vote in every election, whether it’s the school board or for president, she said, adding that she votes with her community in mind, too. “It is so important to vote in the local elections, because that councilmember, that school board member will more than likely go on to be the next state representative, the next senator — maybe even the next governor.”
She added that it is also important to run.
“You don’t have to be as polished as President Barack Obama,” she said. “You don’t need to know the ins and outs of a city budget, and you don’t have to be in it for a political career—I’m not! You just have to have a desire to serve your community, do the legwork to get elected, and then keep doing the legwork once elected to make good decisions on behalf of your neighbors.”
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Sherri Kolade a metro Detroit mom, is passionate about storytelling that gets to the essence of an issue beyond the typical. When she's not working and wrangling her kids you can find get in quirky coffee shops and eclectic stores searching for the best deals.
