‘He’s Like An Advocacy Machine’: Wolfson Campus Student Serving Community On Transit Alliance Council
As a freshman, Nic Arce woke up at 7 a.m. to ride the Metrorail to Wolfson Campus.
During the 40-minute commute, the Miami Springs resident indulged in the scenic view, visualized choreography for the music he listened to and daydreamed about the future.
But Arce knows everyone’s experience with mass transit isn’t as serene. Friends have recounted to him the challenges they face: cost, time ineffectiveness and the lack of proper bus lanes in Miami-Dade County.
“We all have the responsibility to make the world a better place,” Arce said. “I always ask myself: How can I use my platform and privilege to offer a helping hand?”
Today, the 19-year-old sociology major is using his knowledge to serve as the District 6 (Miami Springs and Hialeah area) representative for the Transit Alliance Miami Riders Council—a group that seeks to make public transportation more efficient.
“He’s like an advocacy machine, a superstar,” said Derrick Holmes, the campaign coordinator at the alliance. “He is very selfless about how he thinks about advocacy.”
Finding His Calling
In August of 2019, Arce started at the Wolfson Campus Honors College as a political science major in hopes of becoming a school principal. But those plans changed after he took a sociology course during his first semester.
Arce realized he wanted to help the community and learn about the issues that affect it. Making changes through policy and advocacy soon became his dream.
He is currently a Civics305 Fellow with the civic organization Engage Miami, where he gives presentations about local government and voter engagement. Arce also serves as a program facilitator for Save LGBT, managing their social media and logistics and designing outreach campaigns.
“Nic is extremely empathetic and invested in other people,” said Alejandro Angee, Arce’s former sociology professor.
The Riders Council
Transit Alliance Miami advocates for better public transit and to improve walking and biking paths. He joined the Riders Council—a 13-member group that represents each district of Miami-Dade County—in August.
The council meets monthly to brainstorm ideas and design execution plans. Arce has participated in outreach campaigns and analyzed feedback to improve the organization’s strategies, as well as drafting emails to Mayor Daniella Levine Cava and other transit-oriented officials.
One of Arce’s main contributions to the organization was promoting the Better Bus Project. He came up with the idea of making a music video about adopting designated bus lanes across Miami-Dade County. The effort paid off—Levine Cava committed to building the bus lanes by the end of 2021.
The alliance plans to ensure the bus network is redesigned by November 2021 and includes more bike and bus lanes.
Arce has handed out flyers with information about the bus network’s future improvements and attended town halls to discuss how students can safely use public transportation to get to campus during the pandemic.
“He continues to show up for us,” said Marcia Duprat, who serves as the Transit Alliance Miami program manager. “His ability to get involved with so many things and see the connection between everything he does is what stands out the most.”
Creating Collaborative Solutions
Using public transportation isn’t the only form of environmental sustainability Nic practices.
A firm opposer of fast fashion—mass production of poor quality clothing—Arce frequents thrift shopping. Not only does he benefit from cheaper prices, but he stands against the unfair wages and land exploitation he believes exist in the fast fashion industry.
“He tries to make sure that everything he does or wears shows that it’s Nic,” said Zuzelle Ramos, Arce’s friend. “Always super bright, colorful and that easily catches people’s attention.”
Arce is expected to earn his associate’s degree from Wolfson Campus in May. Before transferring—preferably to an out-of-state institution—he aims to continue improving public transportation.
“I just want to find myself doing something where I’m always interacting with community members and asking profound questions,” Arce said. “Always learning about the issue to create collaborative solutions to better our community.”
