By Kyree Walker
The Democrats at Grand Rapids Community College hosted State Senator Winnie Brinks (D-Grand Rapids) in a general meeting discussing opportunities for students, building the party, and the upcoming presidential election, on Monday, March 25.
Brinks currently holds the seat for Michigan’s 29th House District, which covers Kentwood, Wyoming, Grandville, the southern part of Grand Rapids and East Grand Rapids.
Before running for office, Brinks worked as a caseworker at The Source, helping businesses improve their workplaces and gain new employment.
Before that, she worked in schools and participated in PTA meetings, being named PTA Member of the Year and saying that the work was ‘fulfilling’.
This passion for aiding the public followed her into her politics, as she discussed her fight for union workers and her thoughts on student opportunities in political spaces. When asked in the meeting where an aspiring student looking to get into politics should start, Brinks said a great place to start is at GRCC or Kentdems.com.
The meeting stressed the importance of student involvement in the upcoming election, “We’ve got a big fight in front of us,” Brinks said, adding she believes that the power for change can lie within the students.
Brinks also briefly addressed the misinformation that she believes is affecting the Democratic party, saying “People don’t know the great things we’ve done.”
Those in attendance primarily represented younger voters and student voters.
The next meeting will be held Monday, April 8 at 3 p.m. in Raleigh J. Finkelstein Hall Room 215 with guest speaker State Rep. Carol Glanville.
