Why We Must Speak
By Adrian Honka
The youth vote is the vote of the future. We must be involved because decisions are being made about us, without us. Young people are profoundly impacted by policies on housing, education, defense, and policing, yet we’re rarely consulted.
As a result, silence is often mistaken for consent. If we don’t speak up, we won’t get the change we need. Our perspective is urgent, clear, and unfiltered. If we don’t get involved now, we will inherit ever greater crises we didn’t create. Our futures are on the line.
We have not only a right, but a duty, to intervene and advocate for ourselves.
On issues like climate change, government spending, and foreign policy, we will live to see the long-term consequences of short-term political decisions. It’s directly in our interest to engage in a democratic society. Change doesn’t start at the ballot box; it starts with movements. No one else is coming to save us. Young legislators and policy makers are often barred from having a say—their voices are dismissed. We do not have representation. Every movement starts somewhere. This is where we begin.
I was inspired to start Youth Voices of Los Angeles with a small group of friends after serving as an Election Worker during the 2024 Presidential Election. Watching people come together—Democrat and Republican, rich and poor, rural and urban—to advocate for their communities moved me. It reminded me, that no matter how divided we feel, our democracy is built on collective action.
More than anything, I saw that everyone believed they were fighting for what was right. Polarization has made us forget that we share the same ideals: democracy, equality, and liberty for all. Across the spectrum, people want reform, accountability, and stronger communities.
Three moments stood out to me:
The Passion. November 6th isn’t a holiday, and many people still took that time off work, despite two-thirds of Americans living paycheck-to-paycheck, to contribute to democracy. That’s a profound sacrifice.
The Confusion. I saw voters question the system, distrust their ballots, and cite different facts on the same events from differing media sources. We need a generation that values information literacy and has grown up navigating this information age. We need to expose people to a range of sources and viewpoints and let them form their own opinions.
The Unity. Despite our differences, democracy still brought people together to make their voices heard.
But one thing was missing: my generation. Young voters aged 18-25 were nearly invisible, few and far between. This isn’t about apathy; it’s about a generation that’s been sidelined and made to feel powerless. We must prove, to ourselves and the world, that our voices matter. That with learning, nuance, advocacy, and passion; then we can make change.
That is why we must speak.
