On Thursday, November 6th, the APEX Hub Civic Spark hosted a discussion with Ursinus alumnus and PA House Representative Steve Malagari ’06 and Dr. Kara Derstine from the Office of Disability and Access. The conversation centered on the impacts of advocacy and the differences that individuals can have in their communities and society at large.
The talk started with what motivated the two participants’ journeys into public advocacy. One of Derstine’s focuses is lead advocacy, which brings attention to lead exposure, especially in children. Her advocacy stems from an accident in which her child got lead poisoning and initially doctors shrugged off her concerns that the illness was lead-related. She now advocates for programs such as increased lead exposure testing for children under the age of two. Malagari got involved out of a desire to give back to his community. He started by simply looking into different borough positions and what actually happens in his community. He eventually found himself on the ballot after a late night phone call asking him to run.
An important point underscored by both was the idea of change coming from communication and relationships. Malagari focused on the importance of building change from the ground up, and getting to know one’s community, stating how people are more likely to respond positively to your proposal when people feel you understand them. Derstine spoke about the importance of being able to work with people you don’t completely agree with, as well as the idea that perfection shouldn’t be the enemy of the good. To both, an important part of advocacy is treating everyone with respect, as the best way to improve a community is to treat everyone as equals.
The talk concluded with a Q&A session in which students could ask further questions about advocacy strategies and getting involved in the community. When asked about challenges they faced reaching their current positions today, Malagari spoke about how as an elected official, it can be difficult communicating your message in a way people can get behind and understand. Derstine talked about uncertainty she had before getting involved and the fear that comes alongside that unknown. When asked about how to turn ideas for advocacy into action, Derstine spoke on the importance of doing research and just getting out there and making connections with organizations that align with your goals.
Dr. Annie Karreth, a politics professor and the Chair of Civic Spark, commented “I think [Derstine] and [Malagari]’s perspectives on advocacy—a citizen and an elected official–complimented each other well. Their advice on generating policy change was a valuable mix of pragmatism and idealism.” A student, Morgan McKinney ‘27, said “I really enjoyed the talk with PA House Rep. Steve Malagari and I thought it was very beneficial for those who are interested in running for public office one day.” This talk provided a valuable forum for discussion and understanding how to become a more active member in one’s community.