This speaker took on gerrymandering in her state — and won! #TEDTalks

Before going to work, Before going to work, just kind of out of frustration, I made just kind of out of frustration, I made just kind of out of frustration, I made a post on Facebook. And it said, "Hey, I a post on Facebook. And it said, "Hey, I a post on Facebook. And it said, "Hey, I want to take on gerrymandering in want to take on gerrymandering in want to take on gerrymandering in Michigan. If you want to help, let me Michigan. If you want to help, let me Michigan. If you want to help, let me know. Smiley face." And I didn't think know. Smiley face." And I didn't think know. Smiley face." And I didn't think that this would actually do much of that this would actually do much of that this would actually do much of anything. I certainly didn't think that anything. I certainly didn't think that anything. I certainly didn't think that it would lead to a political movement of it would lead to a political movement of it would lead to a political movement of over 10,000 people, that it would lead over 10,000 people, that it would lead over 10,000 people, that it would lead to amending our state constitution, or to amending our state constitution, or to amending our state constitution, or actually restoring faith in democracy in actually restoring faith in democracy in actually restoring faith in democracy in our state in general. And we broke it our state in general. And we broke it our state in general. And we broke it down into three different steps. One, we down into three different steps. One, we down into three different steps. One, we had to write constitutional language. had to write constitutional language. had to write constitutional language. Didn't know how to do that. Didn't know how to do that. Didn't know how to do that. Two, we had to gather a lot of Two, we had to gather a lot of Two, we had to gather a lot of signatures, and we didn't know [snorts] signatures, and we didn't know [snorts] signatures, and we didn't know [snorts] how to do that either. how to do that either. how to do that either. Three, we had to get about half of our Three, we had to get about half of our Three, we had to get about half of our state to vote yes on wanting to amend state to vote yes on wanting to amend state to vote yes on wanting to amend the constitution to end gerrymandering. the constitution to end gerrymandering. the constitution to end gerrymandering. And guess what? We didn't know how to do And guess what? We didn't know how to do And guess what? We didn't know how to do that either. that either. that either. But, we had this Facebook group, and we But, we had this Facebook group, and we But, we had this Facebook group, and we started seeing all these people coming started seeing all these people coming started seeing all these people coming in who were absolutely amazing. A lot of in who were absolutely amazing. A lot of in who were absolutely amazing. A lot of them were just like me. They voted them were just like me. They voted them were just like me. They voted consistently. They cared about the consistently. They cared about the consistently. They cared about the world's problems, but they weren't world's problems, but they weren't world's problems, but they weren't really interested in volunteering for a really interested in volunteering for a really interested in volunteering for a political campaign or one party or the political campaign or one party or the political campaign or one party or the other.

other. other. But, these people are amazing. I mean, But, these people are amazing. I mean, But, these people are amazing. I mean, we had veterinarians, doctors, birthing we had veterinarians, doctors, birthing we had veterinarians, doctors, birthing doulas. We had butchers and veterans, doulas. We had butchers and veterans, doulas. We had butchers and veterans, and even 16-year-old kids who couldn't and even 16-year-old kids who couldn't and even 16-year-old kids who couldn't vote yet, but wanted to be a part of vote yet, but wanted to be a part of vote yet, but wanted to be a part of creating a change so that by the time creating a change so that by the time creating a change so that by the time they could vote, it would actually be they could vote, it would actually be they could vote, it would actually be legit. legit. legit. And that was one of the first moments And that was one of the first moments And that was one of the first moments when I started to realize that like us when I started to realize that like us when I started to realize that like us not doing politics as our day job was not doing politics as our day job was not doing politics as our day job was actually our strength. actually our strength. actually our strength. We were looking at democracy as how we We were looking at democracy as how we We were looking at democracy as how we hoped it would be instead of the hoped it would be instead of the hoped it would be instead of the brokenness that it already was. And so, brokenness that it already was. And so, brokenness that it already was. And so, when we were looking at writing the when we were looking at writing the when we were looking at writing the constitutional language, we wanted to constitutional language, we wanted to constitutional language, we wanted to take that spirit and apply it. Shortly take that spirit and apply it. Shortly take that spirit and apply it. Shortly after that, we got to see did this after that, we got to see did this after that, we got to see did this constitutional law written by a bunch of constitutional law written by a bunch of constitutional law written by a bunch of strangers actually work? strangers actually work? strangers actually work? >> [laughter] >> [laughter] >> [laughter] >> And so, our commission started to come >> And so, our commission started to come >> And so, our commission started to come together. 13 strangers were selected. together. 13 strangers were selected. together. 13 strangers were selected. Four Democrats, four Republicans, and Four Democrats, four Republicans, and Four Democrats, four Republicans, and five independent voters. They couldn't five independent voters. They couldn't five independent voters. They couldn't be politicians, they couldn't be be politicians, they couldn't be be politicians, they couldn't be lobbyists, they just had to be regular lobbyists, they just had to be regular lobbyists, they just had to be regular people. people. people. >> [gasps] >> [gasps] >> [gasps] >> Those people were then invited to >> Those people were then invited to >> Those people were then invited to represent the state. In 2022, how people represent the state. In 2022, how people represent the state. In 2022, how people voted was an exact match for how elected voted was an exact match for how elected voted was an exact match for how elected representatives were elected. This is my representatives were elected. This is my representatives were elected. This is my personal district in the before and personal district in the before and personal district in the before and after picture.

after picture. after picture. Because we actually changed the Because we actually changed the Because we actually changed the constitution, it means that future constitution, it means that future constitution, it means that future voters will be guaranteed to have fair voters will be guaranteed to have fair voters will be guaranteed to have fair elections from here on out. I'm sure elections from here on out. I'm sure elections from here on out. I'm sure that each of you guys have something that each of you guys have something that each of you guys have something that keeps you up at night, that makes that keeps you up at night, that makes that keeps you up at night, that makes you feel like, "Man, I really wish you feel like, "Man, I really wish you feel like, "Man, I really wish somebody would do something about this." somebody would do something about this." somebody would do something about this." And maybe you feel like you aren't And maybe you feel like you aren't And maybe you feel like you aren't qualified to be the one to do something, qualified to be the one to do something, qualified to be the one to do something, or maybe you feel like nobody's or maybe you feel like nobody's or maybe you feel like nobody's listening or cares about this issue. And listening or cares about this issue. And listening or cares about this issue. And I used to feel that way. I hope all of I used to feel that way. I hope all of I used to feel that way. I hope all of you remember that when it comes to you remember that when it comes to you remember that when it comes to democracy, all political power is democracy, all political power is democracy, all political power is inherent in the people. We all are those inherent in the people. We all are those inherent in the people. We all are those people, and this is our power. I hope people, and this is our power. I hope people, and this is our power. I hope you don't forget that, and you remain you don't forget that, and you remain you don't forget that, and you remain unafraid to create the world you want to unafraid to create the world you want to unafraid to create the world you want to live in.