I used to be one of the young people who thought voting didn’t matter. Then, during the senior breakfast at the end of high school, members of the Delta Sigma Theta sorority came to show us how to register. These Deltas were all elderly black women. Seeing women who were minorities in American society and probably underrepresented in local, state, and federal governments being passionate about civic engagement and voters’ engagement really stuck with me. I thought, now here is a minority doing all they can to bring about a change in their communities and in young people.

I was shocked when I realized how many people are not registered to vote. And even when they are registered, they haven’t yet voted in an election. I volunteered alongside 9to5 during a National Voter Registration Day event in Atlanta on September 22nd, because I want people on my college campus to register to vote. That’s how people affect their governments. If the American people don’t vote, elected officials won’t have our voices in mind and will legislate based on their own agendas regarding tuition, police brutality, women’s rights, and so much more.

I’d like to see large numbers of people registering, then going out to the polls and voting, not only for president in 2016, but for local and state elections. I truly believe that there is a cause and an issue that can resonate with every American citizen.

-Hasset Zelealem

(Pictured Above)