After unsuccessfully running for Congress in 2020 and 2022, Dallas-native Shenita Cleveland is taking her community activism to the streets... literally.
Cleveland has become a pothole watchdog, bringing awareness to infrastructure issues through her social media page.
She joined NTX Now's Miranda Suarez and Ron Corning to discuss how her on-the-ground activism has caused positive change in North Texas.
These interview highlights have been edited for length and clarity. To hear to this conversation in its entirety, click the 'listen' button above.
The inspiration to post street conditions on social media
Cleveland said the citizens of New York inspired her to make a change in her own city.
"I saw out of New York, how residents pulled out their phone, started filming their potholes and how fast the government responded," she said. "I'm like, you know what? We have so many pothole in Dallas. If we're going to get the attention of the leaders in the city about our problems with these streets. So, let's see what Dallas can do."
Her videos have received responses from the city manager.
"The city manager actually responded to me from the Martin Luther King video the very next morning," she said. "He called me and said, 'Hey, we saw your video and we're about to get it fixed today.'"
Public response
Following the success of her videos, Cleveland says she now gets direct messages from others requesting she comes to a pothole, makes a video, with hopes it could get fixed quicker.
"They're sending me pictures, they're telling me the stories about this pothole has been here for 10 years, and when they send me those, it just, it drives me because you realize that you're giving people a voice to be heard," she said.
Cleveland hopes her videos inspire others to make a change in their community.
"That's what it's all about, getting people involved in government," she said. "So, if I can make you laugh by showing up at your local pothole, even though it's much bigger than that, if I could find a way to have people become more involved in their city government, we will definitely have a better Dallas together."
Miranda Suarez and Ron Corning are the hosts of KERA's NTX Now. Got a tip? Email Miranda at msuarez@kera.org or Ron at rcorning@kera.org.
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