Michelle Belser has been block captain of the 100 block E. Colonial Street in Melrose Park Gardens, Philadelphia, for 15 years. (This is longer than many City Council members have held their seats.) The daily effort required to keep a city block clean, organize neighborhood events and keep the residents engaged, Ali Velshi argues, is above and beyond the call of civic duty.
He invited Belser, The Philadelphia Citizen’s Citizen of the Year winner for Block Captain of the Year, to discuss how important her work is in helping residents participate fully in democracy.
Belser leads by example. Her efforts to bring her neighbors together to clean up the block and take part in elections have resulted in her ward having the highest voter turnout in the city. Working at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) for more than 24 years, she also represents CHOP during community events..
“I always wanted to be the change that I wanted to see,” the block captain says. “It doesn’t just start with my block. It starts with me, and everybody in Philadelphia.”
LISTEN: ALI VELSHI INTERVIEWS BLOCK CAPTAIN MICHELLE BELSER
WATCH: VELSHI AND BELSER TALK CIVIC ENGAGEMENT
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