Meredith Days
University of MichiganMeredith is a junior at the University of Michigan majoring in Public Policy with a concentration in Democratic Access, and minoring in Community Action and Social Change. She cares deeply about issues of public policy and social justice that affect marginalized communities, especially those relating to voting rights. As a Team Lead for the Andrew Goodman Foundation, she collaborates with the democratic engagement team at U-M’s Ginsberg Center to create and deliver educational materials around recent changes to Michigan’s voting laws, organize voter engagement and registration events, and plan for Michigan’s presidential primary in March 2020, with a focus on messaging and marketing surrounding to the Big Ten Voting Challenge. She is involved in communications and operations for the Michigan Active Citizens-Alternative Spring Break program (MAC-ASB), and values this organization’s commitment to community engagement and social justice. Meredith is also a co-president of the Roosevelt Institute, where she has written policy pieces about expanding voting rights for students at the University of Michigan, and creating a universal pre-k program for the state of Michigan, and participates in advocacy efforts in Lansing and Ann Arbor.
Personal Statement
Growing up, my parents taught me to value and uplift the communities around me, especially through direct service. As a freshman in college, however, my focus began to shift from just serving the community at a surface level to understanding what causes systemic inequalities and what I can do to make a difference. I joined MAC-ASB as a freshman because of the focus on education, direct service, and reflection. I love MAC-ASB for the opportunities I’ve had to explore service beyond my own communities, challenge my expectations and privileges, and discover the extent to which social justice issues play into social inequality, as well help other students experience this program. My experience with MAC-ASB led me to explore breaking down systemic inequalities through my academic and organizing work on campus. I’m deeply passionate about democratic access, especially voting rights of young people and people of color, who are often disenfranchised by voting laws and rules. Through the Roosevelt Institute, I’ve written policy about expanding the voting rights of students, but I also spend time working towards providing better access to voter registration for students on campus through my work with the Andrew Goodman Foundation and the Big Ten Voting Challenge.