Tuesday night, U.S. Representative Nikema Williams hosted a town hall at the Teamsters Union Hall at the Polar Rock neighborhood in southeast Atlanta. The town hall went as you would expect in this climent: citizens voiced their frustrations about the proposed cuts to Medicare. Attendees while sharply criticized President Donald Trump and Elon Musk. They also voiced concern about the possibility of free and fair elections going forward. And of course, what can the Democrats do about all of it right now?
One of the attendees, his name was Robert, let Representative Williams know he makes too much money to qualify for Medicare.
“I’m tired, I’m very tired,” Robert explained. “My medicine costs $1,000, and my second prescription is over $300. I don’t have that type of money.” Expressing frustration with the government, he added, “I don’t trust the government anymore. And with all due respect, ‘Why should I?'”
It was at this moment, and throughout the gathering, Williams was empathetic. She provided solace while offering solutions. She instructed her office to open a case and investigate Robert’s dilemma.
“I know this is personal for you at this point,” Williams said. “I’m not going to tell you that you should trust our government with everything that is happening right now.”
Currently, Georgia has PeachCare, its version of Medicaid. Half of the children in Georgia are covered under this program. On the state level, Democrats have been pounding the drum for expanded Medicaid.
“Georgia is one of the 11 states that never expanded Medicaid,” Williams said. “We have leaders in this country, leaders in the Republican Party, who refuse to expand Medicaid and now are putting even more people’s benefits on the chopping block.”
Some Democrats are failing to read the room
It’s no secret: The Democratic Party in Congress is currently experiencing a monumental crisis. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer failed to back his contemporaries in the House during budget negotiations. As a result, ten Democrats backed President Donald Trump’s budget proposals. Additionally, the Democratic base is accusing their prominent members of consistently failing to read the room.
Currently, some Democratic House members are hosting town halls in Republican districts due to House Speaker Mike Johnson’s edict pausing such gatherings. Although Williams encourages the public to attend Saturday’s rally hosted by Senators Jon Ossoff and Reverend Raphael Warnock, Williams will fight to secure the funds that were appropriated to projects located in Georgia’s Fifth Congressional District.
“My husband reminds me all the time that the Congress is Article One, Section One, and we have to control that power of the purse,” Williams said. “That is what a lot of my Republican colleagues are getting upset about, because I have a chart up here with all of the community project grants that we were able to secure just for this district. Each member of Congress had the opportunity to get community project grants to fund things in our district. Not democratic members. Not independent members, Democrats, Republicans and independents, every member of Congress.”
Williams wants more citizens to get involved
She repeatedly instructed the attendees to send letters, call the office in Atlanta and share their concerns and fears. She also offers methods for increased community involvement.
Williams says she’s created a youth advisory council (called “Generation Good Trouble”). She says it will create engagement opportunities for Generation Alpha and Generation Z. Williams has also created a seniors advisory council and a veterans advisory council.
“Because you will hear about things before I hear about them, because they impact you,” Williams explained. “And so we need you to sign up for these advisory councils as we’re planning what the next steps are and what the next policy is. It lets us know what letters we need to write and send to agencies, and where we need to show up. We’re hearing it from the people that are directly impacted right here in the district.”
Williams’s overall message is that community involvement happens at multiple levels – from personal conversations with neighbors to formal advisory councils. The Congresswoman emphasized that everyone has a role to play in creating change. And grassroots organizing starts with individual engagement and spreading information within the immediate communities.
As one activist bluntly said, “put your boots on the ground and your feet to the streets. Let them see who you are.”
“You have people in our government fighting for you because everybody does not feel the way that Elon Musk and Donald Trump feels,” Williams said. “I will never stop fighting on your behalf in the United States Congress.”
