Woman 2 Woman with Wanda Carter: Political Education 4: What Is An Alderman?

The person who has the most influence on our daily lives is the person who we elect to represent us in the City Council, in some cities called the Alderman. Whether you live in a city, a suburb of the city, or a township, the local governing body has elected representatives that make laws and policies that affect your daily lives - such as how often your garbage is picked up, whether there is a stop sign at the end of your street, is your alley paved, can a person open a liquor store on the corner of the block where you live, will the neighborhood elementary school close down?  An organized block of residents is powerful, an unorganized block of residents is powerless. An elected official responds to organized residents with specific requests, residents who know how to collectively vote a candidate into office or out of office if that person does not respond to their needs. What is an Alderman? What can they do? Do you know who YOUR Alderman is, and what they have done for your neighborhood?