Antonio DeLesline

The future looks bright to Antonio, but only if people can continue to get involved. Antonio believes that young people need to get on board, and that in order to reach the younger generation, better, more relevant communication is needed: email, text, digital in general. I'd like to see more people getting involved in making change especially the youth.

What advice would you give to others who want to start getting involved? 

“Jump in with both feet,” Antonio says. ” You are the community. You need to participate in things that involve your life and your community. If you don’t care about your community, nobody else will. Learn how to advocate. Eventually you’ll get the bug. Once you see you can make a difference, you get hooked. It’s not just for my community but advocating for myself as well. It hits home. There is strength in numbers; many voices are like a chorus that can’t be ignored. There are many opportunities. Volunteering is the easiest.” 

Why is it important to be involved?

Antonio believes that the why is evident: look at what isn’t getting done. He believes you have to be present, to let elected officials know what’s important. Being proactive versus reactive is key.

How do you stay involved in advocating even when life is already full of challenges?

Antonio, who considers himself an activist, is a Resident Advocate for Way Finders and a Chairman for Ward 4. His father is E. Henry Twiggs, a longtime political activist and City Council member in Springfield. This taught him as a youngster that politics is in everything. Antonio believes that he has to be involved in the community because it’s in his DNA. He says that, “if you don’t participate in the process, you’re on the sidelines. Somehow I have to make the time for it. Others make time for it and oftentimes means they're involvement includes making decisions that will directly affect me so I have to make the time too. I want to play a part in decisions being made about me and my life."