Finding Our Voice

Bumped by Sarah. Kelly is a newly elected officer to the Kansas Young Dems I hope she comes back here often to blog her experience

It is common for me to be the youngest person in the room. Whether it is in a classroom, at work, or in a presentation at the public library, I am frequently the only one in the room that doesn't remember the 80's.

There was a time when this fact embarrassed me. I would try to keep my age a secret because it seemed like as soon as people discovered I was 18 years old, they took my opinions a little more lightly.

Prior to the election of President Barack Obama, it was a common theme among my peers that we didn't need to care about the daily happenings in Washington D.C. Too often, I heard my friends shrug off any kind of involvement because they felt like issues didn't relate to them. Even more disappointing, they felt like their voices didn't matter because they weren't a deep-pocked campaign donor or persuasive lobbyist.

But now, I am happy to report that a new sun is shining in the lives of young voters and he goes by the name of President Barack Obama. According to Circle, a nonpartisan research center, nearly 53% of voters under the age of 30 turned out in the 2008 election, sending a loud cry to all people that we are ready to be involved.

Suddenly, the issues matter to my peers and we have a leader fighting on our side. The cost of college is daunting, but we have a President who wants us all to afford higher education. The unemployment numbers are rising everyday, but Obama is taking action to stabilizing the economy so we can one day enter the workforce with confidence. Finally, we have a President that has made preserving our environment a priority so there is something left for our children and grandchildren to enjoy.

I have high hopes for the future of my peers. With President Obama leading the way, we can start activating young voters immediately. As we begin to find our voices and our place in the democratic process, we will become the next candidates for city council, govenor, and one day, president.

I am no longer embarrassed to be young and involved. I am able to stand proudly and demand that my elders take me opinions seriously knowing that my President is on my side. It is my hope that our parents and grandparents will follow suite and embrace our generation as powerful members of society.