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“It’s a great opportunity to be able to represent an underrepresented group,” Garza said. “It’s a big change for city and local government and a step in a more positive direction.”

Garza currently is pursuing an undergraduate degree in public administration at ÿ�մ��� and believes the relationships he developed on campus helped him get further involved in local politics.

The election wasn’t an easy process. Garza estimates he knocked on more than 15,000 doors. Many people questioned his age—at the time he was just 19 years old—but Garza pushed forward.

“If I believe in something very much, I’ll continue to believe in it, even if it means standing alone,” he said.

This isn’t Garza’s first experience with politics. His interest began in his early teens, when he started attending Taylor City Council meetings to get a better picture of how local government functioned. He later completed an internship in his state representative’s office and worked as a campaign coordinator and legislative aide on the Detroit City Council.

Six years later, Garza ran against 25 others for a city council seat and won.

Garza now has been in office for about a year. He has worked to change city ordinances for mortgage foreclosures and voter registration. But for Garza, the most rewarding experiences are ones that allow him to directly interact with his residents.

“It’s the little things that make the life of the residents easier, taking care of their problems and giving back to them,” he said. “You always have to remember why you’re there, who put you there, and is what you’re doing effective?”