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Local activist encourages community involvement in local government

Jones also highlighted the city's participatory budgeting initiative, hoping to see more people get involved in deciding where the city spends its public funds.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — This was the third straight night of marching in downtown Grand Rapids. The group wants police reform, and one man is encouraging people to make a change at the ballot box.

Deandre Jones wants a seat at the table.

"There's a saying that if you don't have a seat at the table, then you're on the menu," says Jones.

The table of local government.

Jones actively participates in Grand Rapids city commission meetings, public comment sessions. But he realizes many don't know that opportunity exists.

"I didn't know about the city commission until I was told to actually go there when I was working for a local non-profit," says Jones.

And some don't even know their own local politicians.

"I just argued with a man last night who thought Gretchen Whitmer was the mayor of GR," says Jones. "That's a problem. That's a problem, I can't make this up."

So at each gathering, he's used his platform to get more people active in their local elections.

"Its 200,000 people in the city of GR and only, like, 10,000 people voted for the mayor's seat," says Jones. "That's at least 190,000 people that didn't vote, but then we complain about why we're not seeing change."

RELATED: Multiple people walk out of community forum in frustration

Saying it's not just about the president's or the governor's races.

"They don't feel like the lower seats actually matter but those lower seats are the people that affect your every day, direct life," says Jones.

And hoping that at a commission meeting in the future, he'll see some new faces in the crowd.

"We need to come together, we need equity, we need diversity, we need inclusion," says Jones.

Jones also highlighted the city's participatory budgeting initiative, hoping to see more people get involved in deciding where the city spends its public funds.

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