For a lot of Americans nowadays, our attention is often caught up in news headlines on the national (so whatever Trump happens to be doing) or foreign scale (so whatever Trump happens to be doing outside of America). I myself am, admittedly, a foreign affairs “junkie.” A majority of the news I read often involves something to do with the world outside of the United States. I wager that most Americans are the same.

Of course, national and foreign affairs are important matters to be up to date on. Contrary to isolationist politicians, what happens on the other side of the world does very much affect Americans at home. Not only is America dependent on the global economy, but certain American adversaries are intent on not leaving us, or our allies, alone. It is vital for America’s leadership and citizenry to be made more aware of what goes on beyond the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

But we should not lose sight of what is happening in our backyards. Each of the 50 states in our Union are filled with different populations, issues and interests. Mainstream news, unless it involves an “important” state (like California, New York, Texas, etc.), often does not report on local or state-level affairs. This is unfortunate, because it leads us to constantly think about the world, when there’s an entire world just beyond our backyards that needs to be taken care of. We think about entire populations on the other side of the world, but forget that we have neighbors living in the same block as us. Many of us agonize about people suffering abroad when there are people suffering in streets and homes just a few minutes away. 

Many of us are unable to do anything to bring peace to some foreign conflict or change a national policy, but we can do many things to effect change in our local spheres of politics. Your vote for your city and state officials do matter, unlike national elections, where your vote gets overshadowed by the electoral college system. You can advocate and vote for laws that pertain specifically to places near your home. You can organize with neighbors to help one another and solve issues that specifically challenge your community. You can be informed on all these matters (bills, elections, policies) through reading local or state newspapers. For example, in my home state of California, there is an excellent non-partisan news source called CalMatters that has influenced the state government to pass bills over issues plaguing the state.

In recent years, I’ve been trying to pay more attention when there is a local or state election, or a vote concerning a proposition or a bill. While it is not as eye-catching or well-reported in national media, these state politics still affect my neighbors and I. Last week, I, along with many Californians, received an official voter’s guide for the upcoming June 2 state primary. It lists information about how to vote as well as statements from candidates appealing for Californians to vote for them. California is not perfect, and perhaps does not consume most of my attention on a daily basis. But it is my home. And for the sake of my home and for the neighbors that live with me, I will spend my time reading the guide, researching the candidates, tuning into debates about Californian issues and do my best, alongside many other Californians, to make an informed decision later this fall.