“Power in the Background: How Policy Shapes Grassroots Change”
By Debby Karemera (UNC MSW ’26)
Summer 2025 AFE Blog Post Series
Throughout my professional career, most of my work has revolved around behind-the-scenes roles such as coordinating youth programs, organizing events, and providing psychosocial support. One of the roles that shaped my journey as a Rotary Peace Fellow and passion for policy work was serving as a co-facilitator for diverse healing spaces in my home country, Rwanda. In this role I got to understand how laws and policies shape the sustainability of grassroots work. On the other hand, my journey as a social worker has been characterized by learning more about how social issues can be addressed through organizational management, policy advocacy, and community development.
In a time when civic engagement feels urgent, policy internships like Democracy NC’s offer more than professional experience; they offer a front-row seat to how real change begins, evolves, and is sustained. For my Applied Field Experience this summer, I joined Democracy NC as a policy intern, warmly known as a Friendtern. From collecting and interpreting data on voting rights and inclusive governance to strategizing how research can be disseminated in an accessible and user-friendly format, my internship has shown me that real policy change is twofold: it begins long before a bill is introduced and also requires ongoing monitoring of legislation once it’s in motion.
Debby with the policy team at orientation, where they won the Marshmallow Challenge team-building activity
Lessons from a Week of Advocacy and Reflection
One experience that significantly influenced my learning was midpoint week. A week dedicated to advocacy and lobbying, reflection, and learning. On advocacy day, some of the Democracy Summer Friendterns hosted an in-person press conference at the North Carolina Legislative Building (LB) Assembly Area, where they got to deliver moving speeches on student voting access. This was preceded by meetings with regional lawmakers where I got to meet with representatives of Orange County. The meetings offered meaningful insights into how early engagement builds lifelong voters, strengthens the voice of youth in democratic processes, invests in civic literacy as a form of empowerment, and creates synergies between community advocates and local government. The reflection and learning component highlighted several critical takeaways around the importance of showing up in spaces where decisions are made but also revealed the value of civic education, research, and coalition building. Through these reflections, I gained a deeper appreciation of how civic engagement shapes outcomes across all sectors and the importance of inviting community members and youth from all walks of life to have a say in decision-making processes.
Civic Action Across Cultures
Beyond shaping my perspective, the Democracy Summer internship program has provided me with practical skills that are foundational in the development world, including outreach and communication, fundraising, and civic literacy. A key opportunity to apply these skills came through a mini-grant project and campaign designed for all interns. I developed a project plan centered on civic engagement across diverse democracies. The implementation phase will entail organizing a cross-cultural exchange among graduate students. Participants will get to learn and exchange on forms of civic engagement, which will enrich their local and global perspectives and enable them to reflect on their individual roles and contributions beyond voting. Throughout the project design and fundraising, I learned the importance of networking, social media presence, adaptability, and consistency. These practical skills have laid a strong foundation that will continue to guide my academic and professional journey.
Debby pictured with the development team along with other Friendterns
The Power of Presence
A defining takeaway for me is that meaningful change often begins with the smallest interactions. From day one, I wasn’t just seen as an extra pair of hands, but as a valued contributor to the amazing work Democracy NC has been doing. As I reflect on the final weeks of my internship, I’m deeply grateful for the capacity-building opportunities I have been exposed to and the space to identify areas I was interested in exploring. The policy team has been intentionally fostering a culture of innovation, which encouraged me to not only exchange and apply knowledge across contexts, but also to embrace self-driven planning. I have expanded my understanding of policy work and affirmed the importance of shaping systems rather than responding to them while advocating for inclusive laws that continue to engage youth in civic literacy. I believe that real change is a gradual process that happens when youth, advocates, organizers, and community members consistently show up for their communities and at the ballot box.