As we gear up for the 2024 presidential election, we often hear this refrain: “Just vote.” But voting is just one way to engage in our democracy.

We wanted to get a sense of how to become more civically engaged on the local level, so we turned to Grace Del Vecchio, the editorial program coordinator for Documenters at City Bureau. They help train Chicagoans to document local government meetings, so they have seen firsthand the countless ways people engage in our city’s democratic process.

In this episode, host Erin Allen has Del Vecchio break down the importance of civic engagement and how to have your voice heard by local elected officials. This conversation is part of our Democracy Solutions Project.