The Missing Element of Politics—Why Youth Need to Get Involved

By Hafsah Syed

For many of my peers, politics are irrelevant. The issues most pertinent to them, such as student loan debt and climate change, are not deemed important enough by the older generations who currently dominate political spheres. Along with the generational divide, many of my peers feel that their voices don’t impact politics. For example, many were disheartened after Donald Trump came into office despite Hilary Clinton winning the popular vote. Events like these and the practice of politicians accommodating older generations more has given rise to a growing sentiment that politics just isn’t for the youth.

However, youth participation is crucial to politics. From student protests against the Vietnam War to youth advocacy for ethnic studies courses, younger generations of voters have the potential to change policies and reimagine the political sphere. We need to be civically present and demand that our voices be heard by participating in local government meetings, writing to our elected officials, volunteering for campaigns that reflect our views, and encouraging our friends and family to vote. By getting politically involved, we can steer the future to a brighter one. After all, we ARE the future.