This was written by Maggie, one of our summer interns. The opinions expressed herein do not reflect those of Civitas other than respect for the value of open dialogue.
“You are the future. We are hopeful in what you’ll do. We need you, and we need change.” Young people hear this frequently when engaging with baby boomers, millennials, and everyone in between. However, we hear this way too often as well: “The youth are engrossed in technology and too ignorant to know what is going on. They don’t care and aren’t old enough to have valid beliefs or opinions.” This right here is ageism. That’s right; ageism doesn’t only impact the elderly. Young people often bear the burdens of age discrimination, not allowed to provide their input on matters that directly impact them or being shut down instantly because of their age in what they are trying to accomplish. It also does not help that there is a lack of youth attention and representation, in the media, on school boards, in government, part of many societal structures they should be in. News shows rarely have youth speak, policies that impact schools or youth institutions rarely have young people able to weigh in, and many people my age are fully capable of making decisions that are compatible with the proper order of society.
I argue young people could help solve problems as good as (or even better than) adults. Overall, this great contradiction puts my generation, referred to as Gen Z, at odds. We’ll either fix the mess we have and save the world or sit on our phones and be oblivious to the alarming rates of practically everything. That is why I believe youth activism is so crucial, especially to the children, teenagers, and young adults of today. Activism allows us to fight the ageism we face and fight for the rights we need. Apathy is real and affects the youth intensely. If you are not impacted by an issue, you have to choose to care about it. A lot of kids do not care about what is happening in Sudan because they have no connections to the country or about trans rights because they are not transgender or about poverty and homelessness because they are basking in wealth. I like to dismantle apathy in my activism by making people care about the many deep injustices of our world. We need to unite together, using the privilege and power we do have, to help those without any. We cannot afford to let divisions further separate us, and everyone must know what is going on the world in order to be part of the needed solution.
To be a true activist, you must keep in mind three ideas: stand, speak, and act.
#1. Stand. In order to participate in activism, you have to keep your ideals and values at your core. Know what you are passionate about and why. Know what is going on in the world and how you can fix it. Know your side and always the other so that you can take positions and let your voice be heard.
#2. Speak. Never shy away from the chance to call out what is wrong and explain what is right. If you see something, say something. Use the voice that you do have to make your stances known, and never forget there are many voices that live without being known. Reach out to those in need, use the privilege you have to help them, but do not speak for them. Be a good ally with a willingness to help the situation and make necessary social change.
#3. ACT! That may seem aggressive with the uppercase letters and exclamation point, but I want you to know this is the most important component to activism. We are nothing without action. We will do nothing without action. Activism without action is just sitting around and talking. Sure, marches, protests, rallies, town halls, and meetings are great, but there always must be a substantial piece of action connected to all you do, every idea, problem, event, and solution. In the political realm, voting is absolutely necessary in being an activist and helping others register and then vote, especially those with little access and knowledge to voting. Contacting elected officials and helping with campaigns is good experiences in being aware and connected to the great big institution that decides the laws that govern our country. Volunteering your time and/or donating your money to organizations that support your beliefs and will help mend the troubles of our time are important to promoting the welfare of our society. You cannot do one piece, stand, speak, or act, without the other, so jump into the many different opportunities for activism life throws at you and see how you can make a difference.
Lastly, I mentioned my ideas about all of this to my dad, and he posed the question “Will you have the same opinion on this when you’re my age?” What a great and impactful question. I sure hope I do. I will strive to remember the feeling I have currently and the crisis my generation feels now and always work to allow young people to step in and even lead in the fight to do what is right.
Check out these links to become civically engaged in your community:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8bnyPbLaFg
https://www.magnifyyourvoice.com/home
