The city of Fullerton was founded in 1887. It’s first City Council traces back to February 1904.

Without a local government Fullerton would not be the city it is today.

Council Member Jesus J. Silva said, “ City Council is the closest connection to government…If anyone wants to advocate their ideas city council is the best way to have your voice heard.”

Jesus J. Silva is a part-time council member. He is a teacher in the Fullerton School District at Nicolas Junior High School for 18 years and is married to Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk-Silva. Before getting elected Silva served as Commissioner of the Fullerton City Parks and Recreation Commission. He helps his city by advocating for safe cities and partners with different nonprofits to bring after school programs to schools.

Drew Zavala, business major, admits to having no idea how many council members the city currently has. And this is the reality for most college students. Zavala said, “ learning about who governs the city would be cool because it will help me know who I could go to for certain ideas or problems concerning my city.

Most of the time young people don’t get much exposure about their local city council and are unaware of what their city is doing. This can also answer why many young people don’t vote and have little to no voice in city decisions.The city makes decisions that affects students all the time but students never hear about them until it has actually affected them. The young adults don’t participate in decision making as much as the older adults.

“By knowing who your council members are it makes you more aware of where to go and who to approach when you want to petition for events and advocate for yourself,” said Jesus J. Silva

“College level students have the capability to take action and make a change if they get involved in their cities local politics.”

Zavala, said “ I feel like many of us [college students] are very opinionated and want to be heard all the time but we just don’t know where to start so nothing ever gets changed.”

Students can start learning about their city council on their city website. All cities have a city council website where one can find information on city council meetings, events, demographics, services etc. The site also tells you who your council members are, a little about who they are, and how to contact them.

Students can also participate in campaigns. Campaigns allow you to become aware of certain problems and allow you to build your opinion on certain policies. It gives you the chance to meet others with the same views as yours and also meet great leaders who will be willing to help you. Volunteering in a campaign also allows you to become passionate about your political views. It gives you the chance to realize you have a voice and are capable of influencing change in your city.

The Fullerton City Council meets on the first and third Tuesday of the month.