In my sophomore year of high school, I met a student who was very politically active. At that time, I didn’t understand this student’s zeal for political involvement, nor did I understand his social media activism. Now that some years have passed and a little bit of clarity has been poured into my head, his thought process is clear to me. This student truly loved his country. It was a love that bore itself through political action. He expressed his zeal through the means made possible for him by the democratic structures we have in our system.

I thought back to this political action this past weekend after news coverage of the “No Kings” protest circulated. I reflected on my old classmate’s political life and the miasma of American politics these past 10 years. I thought to myself, “I can be a better agent of democracy. I can do more to be involved.” With a general election right around the corner, I have been brainstorming ways to take actionable steps. If you would like to join me in a deeper political engagement, here’s what’s on my to-do list.

1. Reorganize my news feed: Identify my trusted sources, select a handful and read.

2. Pay attention to local politics: These events seem less flashy and do not grab the headlines, but the municipal matters are important, too.

3. Vote in local politics: OK, you’ve been following more closely. Now make that attention count. Vote!

These are the pillars of this political reformation. With the Nov. 4 general elections sharply coming up, this is a perfect opportunity for me to put my ticket where my typing is, or, in other words, begin checking off my to-do list. If these action items speak to you, and frankly, even if they don’t, I urge you to join me in this reformation. Democracy is only as strong as the foundation it stands upon, and we, the people, are that foundation.