r Making sure every voice is heard is important to Carolina Herrin, creator of the Spanish Fork Community News Facebook group. The group has 10,000 members and is one of the most active groups around with an engagement rate of around 8,000 people.
Herrin, a Spanish Fork Resident, started the group because she wanted a place for local residents to be able to go online and ask questions and reach businesses. “Anyone can make a difference. It doesn’t matter who you are or what age you are, but to do that you do have to have information,” Herrin said. “Everyone should know what’s going on.”
Throughout her career, Herrin has worked to protect people’s rights and ensure they have a say. She has a law enforcement background and currently works as a public information specialist for the state Attorney General’s office.
She holds a position on the Republican Party Central Committee and represents Utah County on the Women’s Legislative Council. She spent many days at the capitol during the last session of the Utah Legislature following bills that would affect women and Utah County residents.
Herrin, a naturalized citizen, was born in Brazil. This has given her a greater appreciation for the way American government is run. “What other government allows people to be so involved with their policies,” she said.
“I’m an immigrant and so it means a lot to me to make sure your voice is heard and help others make sure their voice is heard,” Herrin said. “I’ve seen what happens when people become uninvolved and when people just don’t care.You end up with government corruption.”
Herrin said the more people that are involved, the better the lawmaking process will be. This session, Herrin pushed for domestic violence legislation and getting a statue of Martha Hughes Cannon, a Utah State Senator, elected in 1896, and the nation’s first woman to hold that position.
Empowering women is another emphasis of Herrin’s. She loves to see women gather for the Wonderwoman Ride, a cycling event she started with friend Mahogani Thurston 9 years ago. Wonderwoman is held in Payson every September. This year, the event falls on Saturday, September 15.
“We just feel like women are able to do anything. Every woman is Wonderwoman and we want to celebrate them,” she said.
To find out more about the cycling event, visit Wonderwomanride.com or find Wonderwoman Ride on Facebook.
