When Our Voices Go Unheard: Why Local Action Matters More Than Ever
- indivisiblechicote
- May 30
- 6 min read
Recently, Indivisible Chico co-hosted a powerful town hall, bringing together inspiring local leaders to discuss a critical issue facing our community: the lack of representation from our elected representative for California's District 1, and how his decisions are impacting the very people who elected him.
It's a frustrating situation that many communities are experiencing. When elected officials seem to turn their backs on their constituents, it leaves a void, and that's where the "Empty Chair" town hall format comes in.
Our forum featured five dynamic women, each deeply invested in the well-being of our community:
Debra Lucero - Former Butte County Supervisor
Gayle Olsen - Current Chico Unified School District Board member
Katie Hawley - Chico City Council member representing District 5
Tami Ritter - Butte County Supervisor
Heidi Hall - Candidate for District 3 (and former challenger to our District 1 representative)
Here's what we learned, and why it's so important for all of us to get involved.
The Foundation of Democracy: Listening and Learning
Debra Lucero kicked off the discussion by highlighting a worrying trend over the last decade: a growing sense of "othering" and division in our country. She reminded us that the challenges we face today didn't just appear out of nowhere; they are a direct result of a social climate fueled by anger and fear. True love for our country, Debra emphasized, is something you see and experience – it doesn't come from hate.
She made a powerful point: democracy is a skill, one that needs to be practiced, learned, and dedicated to. To keep our democracy healthy and strong, we must listen, learn, and study. Debra even mentioned that Harvard offers free online classes on democracy for American citizens, a valuable resource for anyone wanting to deepen their understanding of why so much of what is happening seems so wrong at times today.
And crucially, she reminded us that every election, every vote counts.
Protecting Our Schools and Our Future
Gayle Olsen, a former teacher of over 30 years and now on the school board, brought concrete facts and numbers to the table. While her opinions were her own, the data she shared was stark.
Due to new tax bills, significant funding could be removed from Butte County and Chico school districts. Our district, CA District 1, receives a substantial $231.6 million in federal funding, with over $67.7 million dedicated to school meals to feed our children. Programs like special education and Title 1, which are vital for supporting a variety of at-risk students, are also facing the loss of a combined total of $105.5 million dollars in funding.
As Gayle put it, "The money has to come from somewhere" to run these essential academic programs. If the money isn't there, programs will be cut, and the quality of education will suffer. Schools should be safe havens for all children, from immigrants to LGBTQ+ students, and even that safety is endangered.
How can we help? Gayle urged us to:
Protest the tax bill and similar programs that threaten our economy.
Keep an eye on the school board agenda and look for hot-button topics to support. These will draw a large, vocal, extremist crowd. Make a point to attend those meetings to support reasonable, progressive goals that provide our children safe spaces to grow and learn.
Email questions or concerns to the school board.
Tell 10 friends to get involved.
Encourage younger people (under age 39 wherever possible) to care about and get involved with politics, as it directly impacts their lives.
Doing "Brave Things" for Our Community
Katie Hawley, one of the youngest members of the Chico City Council, represents the downtown Chico area. As a CSUC student who started on environmental committees, she knows that working for climate issues in particular "always leads to politics."
Katie's message was clear: "Do brave things." When one person is brave, it provides cover and encouragement for others to follow. We need more brave people to stand up for what's right and elevate the activism of others.
Katie explained that only 20% of Chico's infrastructure money for roads and other programs comes from the city itself; the rest relies on state and federal grants. Cuts to these programs mean that improvements in Chico will grind to a halt. The city is already feeling the impact, with grant-funded positions like urban forest staff being cut.
She also stressed the importance of fighting against the privatization of public utility services, as private industry often lacks the creativity needed to solve complex local problems, especially in areas heavily impacted by climate change. Butte County, sadly, has a high poverty rate and, after the Camp Fire, one of the highest numbers of climate refugees in the nation.
Despite these challenges, Katie believes in Chico's strong community spirit. In a divided government, respectful community engagement is the best way to get things done. You can learn more about attending city council meetings on the Chico City Council’s webpage.
The Power of Local Engagement
Tami Ritter, a Butte County Supervisor representing Butte District 3, faces a 4-1 conservative majority on her board. She emphasized how the federal budget directly impacts county budgets. We're looking at a potential 26% reduction in county funding. She also noted that, tragically, programs that save lives at the local level are often not prioritized federally, making them more vulnerable to disastrous cuts.
Tami urged us not to buy into the narrative that all local government is bad. Our local officials are working hard to accomplish good things for social programs, and Butte County is as well-positioned as possible for coming changes thanks to their efforts.
A major hurdle, Tami noted, is voter apathy. She highlighted that Butte County is "completely red," with declining Democratic registration and involvement in every district. Without the visible support of voters, it can feel like "screaming into the void" for elected officials trying to do good.
We need to "engage the unengaged" and focus our energy on winnable races, especially since local elections can be lost by even as few as 40 votes. Finding and bringing out voters, and voting down-ballot (for local offices), are absolutely crucial. We need to build foundations now, not next year, by providing targeted information and bringing in people who will protect our community's interests. We can learn more about the Board of Supervisors meetings on their page.
The Urgent Need for Action
Heidi Hall, a candidate for District 3 who has previously run against our District 1 representative, posed the question: "Where is LaMalfa?" She pointed out that he isn't protecting the VA, federal grants for rural counties, or Medicaid, and isn't making things better for District 1. "He's telling District 1 that you don't matter," she said.
The upcoming cuts to California under the new tax bill are dire, with an estimated $10 billion in annual cuts. Heidi warned that "People will die," as emergency rooms will be overwhelmed and hospitals and clinics will close. This is not what we elected them to do. She urged everyone to continue the important work on the ground to "flip the House in 2026."
Heidi also brought up the concept of "hypernormalisation," a term coined towards the end of the Soviet Union. It describes the dissonance we feel when we know something is wrong, when corruption happens in plain sight, but no alternatives are presented, so it becomes "normal."
We are all experiencing a similar feeling today. The antidote, she explained, is to recognize that everything is political, and it all impacts our lives. We must take action, show up, and be involved.
Together, within our shared community, we can persist and resist. Heidi's final, powerful reminder, which received a standing ovation, was that 3.5% of the population involved in public protest can hold back authoritarian movements. It’s not a fast solution, but it can be a vital one.
Your Voice Matters. Your Actions Count.
Unfortunately, our public forum was cut short by the constraints of the venue and the stubborn limitations of time. We will open up the mic at the general meeting on June 1st for more public questions and commentary, and we will start collecting these questions to forward them on to our local representatives to ask for more answers. Be patient with us as we get the system set up, but we are working on trying to help elevate our community’s voices.
The message from this town hall was clear: our current situation is serious, but we are not powerless. Indivisible Chico is here to help you understand these issues and provide pathways for action.
Whether it's attending a city council or a school district meeting, sending an email to our supervisors or council members, talking to your friends, or simply staying informed, every step each of us can take makes a difference.
Protecting our rights as Americans starts right here, in our community, with our collective voices and actions. Let's work together to ensure our representatives truly represent us.
