Look upon both sides of the political aisle. Over the past year, the American populace has seen too many instances of the nation’s most important leaders beginning to lose the ever-looming human battle against time. Prominent political figures have struggled to surmount staircases, stumbled over speeches, and appeared frozen in front of podiums packed with microphones. On June 27, Americans watched two senior citizens argue about their golf handicap on the debate floor, and were asked to vote for one of them as president. Since then, the presidential race has transformed, but the broader system of American politics rewards those who hold onto power in a chokehold for a lifetime. It’s time for that to change.
America’s youth is the key to upsetting this status quo. Today, more than ever, youth activists hold the power to invigorate the communities surrounding them and make their voices heard. More communication avenues have been opened for the generation stepping into the political field today than any other in American history. These activists can advance their ideas with an unmistakable passion and energy which highlights the problems America faces and their proposed solutions. It depends on them to step into a larger role in the political sphere and to pave a brighter future.
Right now, the House of Representatives is constituted by more than 87% Generation X or older representatives. Half of the seats are filled by politicians older than 60. While it makes sense that older politicians have earned a place in Congress after long careers, younger generations should be aiming to make a larger impact upon our legislative process. Within the 435 seats of the House, however, shines one gleam of a budding politician in Congress. Hailing from Orlando, Maxwell Frost of Florida’s 10th District became the first Generation Z member of Congress when elected in 2022. Frost could represent the beginning of a demographic shift in Congress, as younger politicians begin to make their way into important positions and essential government bodies. However, it is much more common to see youth activism vest itself in local political situations.
This year, Brevard County residents saw an unfamiliar name on the ballot in the School Board District 4 primary: Max Madl, an 18-year-old class of 2024 graduate from Viera High School. He was inspired to mount a campaign for a seat on the Brevard County School Board, where he could protect students from board members who presided without truly understanding the impacts of their decisions on Brevard’s students. His campaign slogan, “A Student 4 Students,” is a perfect example of the advocacy Madl sought to bring to his position, and is exactly what the American political system needs to balance the interests of separate generations of citizens.
While Madl’s campaign has since ended, his run for office perfectly illustrates how youth activism could make a difference in the political realm. Any youth activists who seek election will spread their ideas and force voters to make informed decisions, encouraging them to consider new viewpoints relating to the problems young people like Madl aim to solve. This puts more pressure on the more “qualified” candidates to evolve their stances on these topics, providing youth representation even if the aspiring candidate fails to be elected. These candidates build valuable political experience which can be carried into future years and campaigns to continue to represent the ideals they are passionate about. If they are elected, they can immediately begin to implement their ideas, or at least start the discourse within the institution to find a compromise which truly represents a full spectrum of interests.
In February 2024, now-graduated West Shore student Anjani Sharma helped lead a rally at the Brevard Public Schools district building protesting the banning of books from BPS libraries. She spoke in front of a crowd of more than 200 who supported the cause, believing that the policy being pushed out by the school board was unfair. Demonstrations like this are key to raising awareness on issues which the youth feel most strongly about, especially for those who are not yet eligible to vote. There is no better way to support your positions when this is the case than to make sure as many people as possible are aware of the ramifications and consequences that occur if a problem is not solved. These events foster discussion among all voters, creating a better-informed populace which will consider alternative viewpoints and ideas which they did not factor into their vote initially. Advocating for change is one of the most important duties of the youth, especially when stagnation has been accepted by others.
When the youth of America steps up to involve themselves in the political process, a healthier system is built up to more fully consider an the entire spectrum of viewpoints. If young community members seek to stand up for what they believe in, there are many alternate courses of action they can take past what has already been mentioned. Youth activists can contact representatives, raise money, join organizations, and involve themselves in an almost infinite amount of ways to impact the system of government surrounding them. In any way, by advocating for what they believe in, they begin to form a future where their dreams become the reality.