Bad News Bears

Electrical engineer Seth Braun didn’t end up becoming a genetic scientist like his 8 year-old, Pokémon loving self thought he would. Even breaking into the field wasn’t quite what he expected, as the start-up company he worked for had him fulfilling several different tasks and his role has only become more specialized after recently taking a new job at a larger company-Analog Devices. Outside of work, he discovered another interest just as compelling: local politics.

Inspired by Bernie Sanders as a college student at Georgia Tech, Seth took a true interest in the political process for the first time. Shortly after relocating to Massachusetts from Maine — where he’d unsuccessfully run for city council, Seth stepped up to fill a seat on his local housing board because no one was running for the position. He ended up getting over a hundred write-in votes, even though the election was only a few days away.

As he explained on the show, local politics can make a true difference in people’s lives. Now, part of Seth’s official responsibilities involves helping to provide affordable housing. Still not convinced that running for office matters? You don’t even have to take Seth’s word for it. Click here to read about bears overrunning a New Hampshire town due to local policies. It might inspire you to step up to run for an office in your own community one day — unless you really like bears, that is.