I joined the Chestnut Hill Local Board when I was 29. The board had issued a call for interested applicants — and a second call for a separate council made up of young professionals early in their careers. The latter made me laugh. While I understood their intent, which was to pull up the next generation of neighbors and mold us into leaders, I couldn't help but think, "Ah, another kids' table." I wondered where they'd put me as I applied for the posting.

That was in the winter of 2023. The young professionals' council never came to fruition: not enough applicants. 

Still, despite feeling like I was sometimes asking stupid questions, I'm grateful to be part of a board that was (and is) as hands-on and "working" as is the Chestnut Hill Local's. 

There's no better way to learn than by jumping into the deep end. So I joined the paper’s joint fundraising committee with its parent organization, the Chestnut Hill Community Association (CHCA); absorbed the business of the newspaper, learned from leaders like then-Publisher John Derr and then-Presidents Ellen Badger and Joel Barras, as well as CHCA counterparts including Kathi Clayton and Laura Lucas.

Each member of the CHL and CHCA boards brings more than a unique set of skills to contribute to the paper's success, they're bringing a wholly different perspective based on their own lived experience – which contributes to proactive dialogue and creative problem-solving. Working with The Local and getting involved with the community at large has taught me, more than anything else, that "age" is a state of mind. Some of the most driven, ambitious, and energized people I've met through this work are decades older than me.

We, not just The Local but all of our institutions, need a variety of perspectives in order to thrive. Diversity in background, race, education, family life and aspirations all make up a thriving community, and we need to see those differences at the decision-making table. 

If you don’t like the way things are, it’s too easy to blame "the powers that be." What's harder is making time to get involved, taking responsibility and holding ourselves accountable for shaping the future of a community.

But it's so worth it.

I say this to my peers in Chestnut Hill, Mt. Airy and Germantown: If we aren't involved, the places and spaces around us won't represent us. Learn from and follow the example of the people who are leading our community now and bring your experience and perspective to the table. It's valuable! This community should reflect the heterogeneous voices of the people who live here.

The Local wanted younger people not because they are young, but because they bring that diversity of thought and experience. The paper wants – indeed it needs – for us to step into molding our collective future. How wrong I was to chuckle at the "kids' table."

Want to get involved? Start by voting in the upcoming CHCA election for its new board of directors. If you aren’t already a member, go to chestnuthill.org to sign up. And if you’re not already a subscriber, consider picking up a copy of The Local – or come check it out at chestnuthilllocal.com. You won’t be sorry.

Jane Hughes

CHL Board President