PERTH AMBOY – Perth Amboy High School senior, Cesar Romero, and recent high school graduate Ismael Nunez, are hard at work planning a Fall Civic Week to teach more residents about the power they have to become citizen leaders. Cesar and Ismael are both heading Civic Week as Perth Amboy Civic Trustees, a title given to civically-empowered residents that use a No-Blame Problem Solving process to address city related issues.
Supporting Civic Week, Mayor Wilda Diaz stated, “Participating in Civic Week is a great opportunity for the youth of today to become more involved in important social issues impacting their communities. It is a chance to learn, engage with leadership, and garner hands on experience that would help them become the decision makers needed for our nation.”
Civic Trustee Cesar Romero mentioned, “It is our responsibility, as members of the community, to educate ourselves and commit to the environment around us. Civic Week is an opportunity for both young and adult individuals to do just that.”
Ismael Nunez also commented by saying, “A Civic Week in Perth Amboy would serve as a prime opportunity for folks my age and younger to become the voices of our growing city. We’re almost 60,000 strong and one of the youngest cities in the state, yet we are absent when the time comes to make the big decisions.”
Civic Week will be held from October 14-18, taking place in multiple locations throughout the city, including City Hall and the Alexander Jankowski Community Center. Among the planned components are a presentation highlighting the vacancies on the city’s boards and commissions with tips for interested citizens on how to apply, which will be introduced by the Honorable Mayor Wilda Diaz.
Additional elements include a Power Civics Forum that teaches participants the No-Blame Problem Solving Process, a guide that has helped citizens implement over 300 laws in NJ, and a Solutions Contest for high school students to submit evidence-based solutions for a chance to win prizes. For more information on Civic Week or the Perth Amboy Civic Trust, email Civic Trustee Alfonso Faura at thurbanexplorer732@gmail.com
