It seems impossible, really. You want to make a change, to let your voice be heard– but let’s face it, your Facebook statuses and tweets aren’t cutting it. In the grand scheme of things, there’s no easy way to make a big impact in federal or state government. (Which isn’t to say you shouldn’t try or make an effort!)

Thankfully, there are simple and effective ways to invoke change in our community. Local government is important in determining everything from our city’s water supply to our educational methods.

So don’t beat yourself up for not getting your bill on the Congress floor. Try some of these steps to become a voice and force of change in Macon.

1.) Go to Meetings

The County Board of Commission meets at the Government Center (700 Poplar St.) on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of every month at 6 p.m. They also conduct committee meetings on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of every month in the Large Conference Room at 9 a.m.

The Macon-Bibb County Board of Education meets at the Central Office (484 Mulberry St.) on the 3rd Thursday of the month at 6:30 p.m. If you want to speak to the Board, be sure to show up 10 minutes early to fill out a form.

The Macon Water Authority Board meets on the 1st Thursday of the month at 4:30 p.m. at the Authority headquarters (790 2nd St.)

2.)  Stay Informed.

Sign up for “The Hub”, Macon-Bibb County’s newsletter. Subscribe to “The Macon Telegraph”, and listen to Macon’s local radio stations. Know what’s going on in the city, and when they ask for feedback, give it to them!

3.) Attend Local Events 

Utilize sites like maconbibb.us and ovations365.com to find out what events you can go to. For example, coming up on March 11th, there will be a “March on Macon: Standing Together Against Discrimination” on Coleman Hill aimed at enacting anti-discrimination laws.

Go! Be seen! Make a difference!