Four years ago there were no millennials on the Prince George’s County Council in Maryland. Today, five of the 11 seats on the council are filled by millennials.
This change was pointed out by Council member Tom Dernoga, during the swearing in of Council member Shayla Adams-Stafford earlier this week.
“I think that’s to the benefit of the county because we have a younger population,” Dernoga said Tuesday. “I think it’s better that we reflect the population than with older folks like me, and I’ll be retiring soon so I’ll be replaced by someone younger and we’ll be skewing even younger.”
For at-large councilman Calvin Hawkins, it means the top-down style of politics in the county is on the way out, in favor of grassroots coalitions.
“They are very supported by the community as a result of their touching the constituency,” Hawkins said. “They are young, energetic, and they are getting their message out.”
Some of the millennials on the council, including Adams-Stafford and council chair Ed Burroughs, the youngest to ever hold that position, said the leadership changes spring from a frustration among younger voters who feel they haven’t been listened to. And they argue, you’ll notice a difference in how they lead compared to past generations.
Click here to read the rest of the article written by John Domen over at WTOP
