Michael Dukakis, former Massachusetts governor and 1988 presidential candidate, and his wife Kitty, a Boston University alumna, talked about the importance of political involvement and grassroots activism in Metcalf Hall.
The discussion on Monday evening, which had over 300 BU community members in attendance, was part of the Reflections on Public Service series hosted by the Howard Thurman Center for Common Ground.
Michael Dukakis began by saying some degree of political involvement is crucial, even for disenchanted voters.
“You can sit around gnashing your teeth and complaining, or you can get involved,” Michael Dukakis said, “and if you’re an independent, pick the candidates that you like, whether they’re Republicans or Democrats, and get involved and go work for them. It’ll be good for you and good for the system.”
On a similar note, Michael Dukakis also talked about how to fight voter apathy and ignorance. He said the best antidote for voters who don’t care, is door-to-door campaigning and grassroots campaigns.
The former governor went on to address the current turbulent political climate and emphasized the importance of taking action to change it.
“I will be surprised if there aren’t significant [political] changes, both next year and through 2020 but they won’t happen if people sit around and expect that they’re going to happen,” he said.
Pedro Falci, the director of the HTC, wrote before the discussion that he was inspired to start the Reflections on Public Service series when he noticed an increased interest in political and civic involvement on BU’s campus.
“I came up with the idea for the series this summer after witnessing so many conversations on campus relating to the state of our government and civic life and I thought inviting speakers to campus who currently work in government or have devoted their lives to public service could be insightful for all of us,” Falci wrote in an email.
The Dukakis’ accomplishments in the field of public service could provide useful insight for students interested in following in their footsteps, Falci wrote.
“Governor Dukakis and Kitty Dukakis have devoted their entire lives to public service,” Falci wrote, “and both have achieved a tremendous amount in their lives.”
The discussion was moderated by advertising professor Tobe Berkovitz, who has years of experience as a political media consultant.
Berkovitz said before the discussion that Michael and Kitty Dukakis’ commitment to public and political engagement aligns with BU’s mission to foster a civic-minded community.
“BU has a real dedication to activism and engagement with citizens, students and people on the campus and Mike and Kitty Dukakis both are emblems of people who have dedicated their lives to public service, doing the right thing and keeping a great attitude about it,” Berkovitz said.
Several audience members said they found the couple friendly and their message inspirational.
Dancho Ivanov, a junior in the College of Engineering, said he was surprised at how genuine and friendly Michael Dukakis was.
“I found his ambition and his passion for talking to the people and helping them out particularly interesting,” Ivanov said. “I wasn’t expecting him to be such a down-to-earth guy.”
Eleni Constantinou, a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences, said she left the discussion inspired and driven to work hard in life.
“I feel more motivated to work hard, and he really drove home the message that you don’t need to be this super rich person with all of these connections,” Constantinou said. “You build everything up by yourself. You earn what you deserve. You have to work for it. No one’s going to just hand it to you.”
Catharine Haker, a first-year graduate student in the School of Public Health, said the Dukakis’ words instilled in her an appreciation for the necessity of grassroots activism.
“There were a lot of themes that came up throughout the event, particularly being involved in local politics and getting involved at the grassroots level,” Haker said. “I think that was something not only that was repeated a lot, but [it also] drove home my understanding of public service and the best ways to enact change.”
Jennifer Small is a junior in the Boston University College of Communication, majoring in journalism and minoring in media science. She is one of the Co-Campus News Editors for Spring 2023.
