This snapshot was gathered in conjunction with the Museum on Main Street program at the Smithsonian Institution and its "Stories from Main Street" initiative. The project is intended to capture Americans' impressions and stories about their small-town and rural neighborhoods, waterways, personal memories, cultural traditions, work histories, and thoughts about American democracy. This story is from a group of narratives inspired by the Smithsonian traveling exhibition, "Voices and Votes: Democracy in America."

Cody Wyatt (00:00): So I think being a good citizen is, first, making sure you show up to the polls when it comes time to vote, but it also goes so far beyond that. It means when you have problems in your community, showing up to city council meetings, telling your elected officials who represent you and who you put in there what the problems are, how you think they could fix them. And if they can't fix them, then you go higher than that. You talk to the mayor. You figure out everything that you can do to solve this problem, but if you just sit around and you complain about the problem and you don't try to get help from these elected officials who are there to help you, it's never going to go away. It will only get worse.

(00:39): And so I also think that being a good citizen is cleaning up the trash in your yard and in the park when you go to the park. It's pulling in your neighbor's trash can when she's elderly. It's things like that that just make the world a more beautiful place and loving where you are. I believe that if you love what you have, the world will be better. It just will.

(01:03): And I think someone in my town who really exemplifies that is my mayor. He is such a leader, and he always puts the needs of every citizen in our town first. He's actually our first black mayor in Blytheville, and he gets a lot of hate for that, to be honest, and he just keeps pushing anyways. He has made so many strides to make Blytheville better and to treat everyone equally and not cheat the system like it has been cheated in the past. And I believe that's why he's still in his position three times in a row. He's served the citizens of Blytheville, and I really admire him for that and I look up to him, and one day I want to be him in his position. And so he's a good role model for me.

Asset ID: 2023.02.04.f

Cody Wyatt: On Being A Good Citizen, Arkansas

Yall heard the og track, check out this dope remix, its hard, word is bond

Like That Remix ft RZI Rue

I Raise Kids, I Craft, I Plug into the Matrix, I Work, I Live... Mostly in, but not necessarily always, in that order.. whether that's interesting or not is entirely based on perspective. Truth be told, it is what is. I'm not outside, I cometh when called upon.

Find me on X @samedawg

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on YouTube look for DevanteBennett, Yuk Mowd, RZI, RZI RUE, Rezzie The Rue, and ReZurection if u tryna peep me further than a decade back..

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probably on soundclick somewhere

I drive trucks for a living, u gotta pay for me to make time for you #100

I'm down to fly out but I'm always mobile..

I'll make a discord eventually if pace picks up fan wise 2024

The "Be Here" storytelling project, in conjunction with the Peale, Baltimore's Community Museum, and the Smithsonian's Stories from Main Street initiative, is an effort to gather and distribute stories about community life and places across the United States. The first version of this project began in 2011 with the Stories from Main Street storytelling initiative,  the brainchild of the Smithsonian's Museum on Main Street (MoMS) team. Today, the Peale is partnering with Museum on Main Street to continue the storytelling campaign, often connected thematically to MoMS' traveling exhibitions about topics like work history, waterways, food culture, traditional music, hometown sports, etc. Anyone with an interest in life in America’s towns and communities can add their own experiences to the archive.

The "Be Here" program is an effort to diversify the voices of American cultural stories, stories especially about places that are important to people. To leave a story, download the "Be Here Stories" app on the App Store. Learn more at https://www.thepealecenter.org/bherebmore/

New tracks tagged #BLYTHEVILLE