Testimony About Kutztown
November 19, 2021 To Whom It May Concern: My name is Hannah Williams and I am a sophomore at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania. I have studied, worked, and lived in the Kutztown area for over a year, and I have lived in the state of Pennsylvania for 19 years. I am also a Democracy Fellow with Fair Elections Center’s Campus Vote Project, an organization that is empowering college students to make their voices heard as part of their state’s redistricting process. I am advocating for my community, Kutztown, to be kept together as a Community of Interest. The area surrounding Kutztown University is home to many who have a shared interest in keeping the area rural and allowing small businesses to survive. There has been an ongoing protest by the people of the community to prevent a massive warehouse from being built in the community and creating more traffic and pollution. Currently, my community is situated in Congressional District 9, State House District 187, and State Senate District 11. This community is currently maintained in the same district at all levels. This is incredibly important for many reasons, the biggest one being that we are a small community that is constantly fighting to maintain some level of authenticity and individuality. Communities of Interest must be considered as part of Pennsylvania’s redistricting process. College students have shared interests and policy concerns that should not be fractured among multiple districts. College students must have the opportunity to elect representatives who will understand and advocate for their unique concerns. Thank you for your time, consideration, and service to the state of Pennsylvania. Sincerely, Hannah Williams