This snapshot was gathered in conjunction with the Museum on Main Street program at the Smithsonian Institution and its "Stories from Main Street" initiative. The project is intended to capture Americans' impressions and stories about their small-town and rural neighborhoods, waterways, personal memories, cultural traditions, work histories, and thoughts about American democracy. This story is from a group of narratives inspired by the Smithsonian traveling exhibition, "Voices and Votes: Democracy in America."
Cody Wyatt (00:00): So I think being a good citizen is, first, making sure you show up to the polls when it comes time to vote, but it also goes so far beyond that. It means when you have problems in your community, showing up to city council meetings, telling your elected officials who represent you and who you put in there what the problems are, how you think they could fix them. And if they can't fix them, then you go higher than that. You talk to the mayor. You figure out everything that you can do to solve this problem, but if you just sit around and you complain about the problem and you don't try to get help from these elected officials who are there to help you, it's never going to go away. It will only get worse.
(00:39): And so I also think that being a good citizen is cleaning up the trash in your yard and in the park when you go to the park. It's pulling in your neighbor's trash can when she's elderly. It's things like that that just make the world a more beautiful place and loving where you are. I believe that if you love what you have, the world will be better. It just will.
(01:03): And I think someone in my town who really exemplifies that is my mayor. He is such a leader, and he always puts the needs of every citizen in our town first. He's actually our first black mayor in Blytheville, and he gets a lot of hate for that, to be honest, and he just keeps pushing anyways. He has made so many strides to make Blytheville better and to treat everyone equally and not cheat the system like it has been cheated in the past. And I believe that's why he's still in his position three times in a row. He's served the citizens of Blytheville, and I really admire him for that and I look up to him, and one day I want to be him in his position. And so he's a good role model for me.
Asset ID: 2023.02.04.f
