On Tuesday, Feb. 18, Lawrence University first-year Adrian Stancil-Martin won the most votes of any candidate for Appleton’s Common Council Seat 11 in the Appleton city council primary election. This win sets him up for a possible spot on the Common Council if he wins the next general election on Tuesday, April 1.
Stancil-Martin has a community-oriented background. Originally from New York City, Stancil-Martin has experience interning for immigration lawyers, where he assisted with paperwork and helped with translations for immigrants primarily from South American countries. He has also spent time working with and providing music therapy for Alzheimer’s patients in New York City nursing homes.
Stancil-Martin said he has been interested in politics and the news from an early age. In high school, he attempted to start a political club to pursue these interests. However, Stancil-Martin felt that he did not have a proper outlet for his political passion until he arrived at Lawrence.
“As soon as I got to Lawrence, I joined the LU Dems [Lawrence University Democrats], which was the group that I was looking for all throughout high school,” Stancil-Martin said. “I did a lot of door-knocking, phone banking and canvassing, which is talking to voters in the broader city and here on campus about the importance of voting.”
When canvassing and discussing the results of the 2024 U.S. presidential election with community members and fellow Lawrentians, Stancil-Martin said he noticed that a lot of Lawrence students felt that their voices and opinions were not being properly taken into account even at a local level.
“I was talking to some friends about how we feel that politics is disconnected from our voices, and we thought about some solutions for that,” Stancil-Martin said. “One solution that popped up was a student running for the Appleton Common Council seat that is open right now. So, I put my name forth and we have been working really hard since November on this campaign, and I am incredibly proud of what we’ve done so far.”
One of Stancil-Martin’s goals if elected, he said, is to ensure that there is a clearer stream of communication between the local government and Appleton residents. He said he wants to hold town hall meetings where community members and Lawrence students can address him directly and feel like they are being considered in local government decisions.
Stancil-Martin also said he wants to work towards improving Appleton’s public transportation system. He claimed that Appleton’s public transportation system is currently understaffed and needs more attention.
He discussed how there are not enough operators to drive the buses more than they’re already being utilized. Stancil-Martin asserted that if he is elected, he will work towards expanding the operating hours for busing. He said he is also interested in making public transit easier to access, especially for working people.
Furthermore, Stancil-Martin argued that Appleton has its own part to play in the global environmental movement and that Appleton should try to shift away from fossil fuel dependence. He claimed that a way Appleton can start doing this is by promoting bicycle usage, which is something he wants to work on if elected. Stancil-Martin said that, if elected, he wants to work towards reinforcing and investing in bicycle infrastructure. Additionally, he wants to make bicyclists feel like using the bike lanes on College Avenue is a safe alternative to driving.
Stancil-Martin spoke about how appreciative he is for the support that he has received from the Lawrence community. He expressed his satisfaction with the primary results that he got from Ward 31, where Lawrence is located.
“When I looked at the results and saw that I ended up with nearly double the votes that the second person did, I was really taken aback,” Stancil-Martin said. “I could not have made it past the primary without Lawrence students. I am immensely grateful for the students who showed up, and I cannot thank students enough.”