Last month's Policy and Governance newsletter explored local civic disengagement. This month we shift the focus to systemic gaps in state-level governance, and how representation shapes the systems we all rely on.
Through research on communities excluded from decision-making, alongside insights from Dr. David Connelly of UVU’s Herbert Institute for Public Policy and an immersive experience with Comunidades Unidas, this newsletter examines what happens when certain voices are left out, and the strategies emerging to build a more representative, resilient system.
The focus isn't whether inclusion matters. It's whether we can afford to govern without it.
This section shares insights from a community partner interview, connecting their perspective to the Pathway theme.
To understand how inclusive governance works in practice, I spoke with Dr. David Connelly, Research Director at UVU's Herbert Institute for Public Policy. Formerly Associate Provost, faculty senate president, and chair of UVU's History and Political Science Department, Dr. Connelly brings decades of experience in higher education leadership and public administration. Throughout our conversation, his focus remained clear: practical, student-centered solutions that remove barriers so everyone has the opportunity to succeed.
Dr. Connelly began by highlighting the power of consistent participation. "Sometimes just showing up is half the battle," he said, emphasizing that "consistent involvement, even by a small group, can drive meaningful change." Yet he also acknowledged that for many underrepresented communities facing systemic barriers, simply showing up isn't as straightforward.
This led to a deeper question: can those already at the table adequately represent the experiences of those who aren't? Dr. Connelly reframed it: "Can we walk a mile in someone else's shoes?" He offered two possibilities. "If the answer is yes, then perhaps diverse voices are less critical on committees, because people could adequately represent each other's interests. However, if the answer is no — which I believe — representation becomes essential, because no one can fully understand experiences they haven't lived."
He described social capital as the bridge between underrepresentation to effective policy. Social capital consists of the networks, trust, and shared understanding that emerge when people engage across communities. Listening sessions, community forums, collaborative projects, and sustained engagement allow individuals to share experiences that might otherwise remain invisible in decision-making spaces.
"You're going to meet new people, you're going to hear new experiences, and as a result of that, you are going to think about the world differently," he explained. "In some cases, it might make you feel more negative towards a subject or frustrated. But ideally, as social capital develops, it sparks greater curiosity, empathy, and engagement."
This concept later became tangible when I observed social capital being built from the ground up at Comunidades Unidas, demonstrating how meaningful connections across communities can strengthen both participation and policy outcomes.
This section summarizes readings and research related to a relevant topic within the student’s Pathway and connects them to larger patterns or themes.
Everyday systems are impacted by the lack of inclusive government, including who can afford housing, who fills critical positions, and who gets quality treatment. This month's research looked at three areas where underrepresentation results in systemic gaps: housing, labor, and healthcare.
According to research by the Utah Legislature (2025) nearly half of Utah renters are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of their income on housing. Furthermore, 20% face a severe cost burden, spending over 50% of their income on rent (Benway, 2024). A systemic shortage of affordable housing drives this crisis, and low-income families, as well as first-time homebuyers, feel the pressure most acutely.
But the strain doesn’t stop there. When most of a household’s income goes to rent, there’s less left to save, spend, or build stability. Family finances weaken, local businesses lose customers, and schools see students come and go as families move in search of affordability (Moon, 2025).
The takeaway: Housing policy sets the foundation for economic and social stability. When it fails to protect those most at risk of displacement, stability erodes, opportunity fades, and community weakens.
According to USA Facts (2023), immigrants make up approximately 11% of Utah's labor force and participate at high rates in some of the state's fastest-growing sectors. Yet systemic barriers such as deportation enforcement and licensing restrictions prevent full economic participation, creating gaps that affect far more than immigrant communities alone.
For example, Utah aims to develop 35,000 starter homes by 2028; as of late 2024, just about 5,000 of them had been completed. According to Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, 2024), this can be directly linked to stricter immigration enforcement, which results in labor shortages since immigrants make up 30% of Utah's construction workforce, causing slow residential growth. According to Steve Waldrip, the governor's senior advisor for housing strategy: "I do think that there's a concern that if we lose that segment of our labor force in housing construction, that we will feel that the pricing that's already too high.
The takeaway: Excluding immigrant workers doesn’t just affect the individuals directly impacted, it slows housing development, drives up costs, and strains services that communities rely on.
Approximately 27% of Utah adults live with a disability, ranging from mobility impairments to chronic health conditions (US Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2024). The unemployment rate for people with disabilities is approximately twice that of people without disabilities: 7.5% compared to 3.8% nationally in 2024 (Ditkowsky, 2024). Those who are employed often earn lower wages, restricting financial independence and access to supportive resources.
These barriers produce systemic consequences. When a significant portion of the population is underemployed or unable to access adequate care, the state experiences higher reliance on public services, increased healthcare costs, and reduced economic productivity.
The takeaway: When systems fail to accommodate diverse needs, the costs are absorbed by families, employers, and taxpayers, while potential contributions remain unrealized.
Synthesis
In housing, labor, and healthcare, a pattern emerges: when policy design overlooks the realities of underrepresented communities, it not only fails those groups, but also the entire system. Understanding these systemic disparities raises the question: how can inclusive governance be implemented in practice to ensure that underrepresented voices are not only heard, but actively shape policy?
This section highlights helpful tools or guides that support real-world application of the Pathway.
Attend an Event on Campus
Get Involved on Campus: Get involved with UVUSA, either by running for Student Body or attending their weekly open council meeting at SL 114 from 1-3 pm
Join a Community Organizing Meeting: Comunidades Unidas holds regular "Immigrant People's Agenda" meetings in Salt Lake County. These sessions build the social capital this newsletter describes: connecting people across sectors to amplify voices and shape policy.
This section reflects on a firsthand or immersive experience related to the Pathway topic.
To experience community organizing in action, I went to the "Salt Lake County Immigrant People's Agenda" meeting organized by Comunidades Unidas. Comunidades Unidas is a nonprofit organization that advocates for immigrant and Latino communities in Utah through civic engagement, community organizing, and policy advocacy.
When I walked in, the first thing I noticed was that the room itself was small with nothing institutional about it. There were about 20 people, many of whom were Latino, with a few from other communities. What really stood out was how young everyone was, with even the organizers being mostly in their 20s. It quickly became clear that this wasn’t formal or institutionalized organizing; this was work growing from the ground up. These were the people who will live with the long-term impact of the decisions being made and the change being built.
Then the organizer posed the question that framed the purpose of the activity: “How can our voices be heard?” The organizer, Brianna Puga, explained “To build real power, we can’t do it in isolation [...] We must continue to develop deep relationships with one another and across communities. That’s essentially how we will grow, and how we build social power.”
The activity began shortly after, with everyone going around the room and writing down contacts for people and organizations who could help amplify the movement for immigrant and Latino rights. This network-building reflected Dr. Connelly's insight about social capital. Real power doesn't emerge from isolated efforts, it grows when people connect across communities, organizations, and sectors, creating webs of trust and mutual support.
Even with fewer than 20 attendees, participants believed change was possible. There was urgency as these organizers knew that time and momentum matter, but also patience. Watching people stand up, share contacts, and contribute resources to spark collective action was inspiring. It demonstrated the power of community-driven organizing and left me hopeful that, with collaboration and persistence, grassroots efforts can grow into meaningful, inclusive change.
This section offers closing reflections and invites readers to consider how they can apply the insights in their own lives and communities.
Across housing, labor, and healthcare, one pattern holds: exclusion weakens systems for everyone. When communities are left out of decision-making, whether due to language, legal status, disability, or access, housing markets destabilize, essential services face shortages, and healthcare costs rise while access shrinks. Inclusive governance isn't just ethical, it's structural. Systems function best when they reflect the full range of needs and contributions within a community.
Dr. Connelly's reflections on social capital and the organizing work of Comunidades Unidas make clear that inclusion doesn't begin in policy chambers—it begins in relationships. Listening, showing up, and building trust across communities create the conditions that make equitable policy possible. From grassroots meetings to state-level sessions, change follows when connection comes first.
For Utah—and every place where civic life depends on participation—the work now is sustaining that engagement. It requires patience, collaboration, and the willingness to bridge divides of identity, perspective, and experience. Systems are only as strong as the people who believe they can shape them.
If you're ready to take that step, here's how to start this month:
Small, consistent acts of engagement compound into cultural change. Inclusive governance starts with us: with every question we ask, every voice we amplify, and every space we open for dialogue. The future of our systems depends on it.
