“Don’t call me again,” responded the fifth person in a row.

I won’t sugarcoat it-my voter registration volunteer work was not easy. Majority of the time, people responded with “no” or hostile remarks, draining my motivation and leading me to question the value of my work. However, after reflecting with other interns and realizing we all experienced similar frustrations, I started to understand how crucial it is to persevere in advocacy, even when it feels like no one is listening. Slowly, I became more motivated as I remembered why I wanted to even start phone banking: people like my immigrant grandparents and women of color were not once granted voting rights.

The thought of having my voice heard and participating in our democracy thrills me even though I am unable to vote in this election, just missing the cutoff age by one year. This summer I interned at a voter registration nonprofit working to get youth registered to vote across the nation. I participated in phone banking to encourage others to exercise their voting rights.Throughout this experience, I have learned how crucial it is for young people to partake in civic engagement. Despite this importance, according to the Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, the National Youth Turnout for the 2022 election was only 23%. Not only is civic engagement important for a healthy democracy, but it also plays a crucial role for our well-being, teaches resilience, builds empowerment, gives us purpose, and includes youth voices in shaping our future. 

Civic engagement through digital tools and online platforms has boosted my own sense of empowerment and helped me get involved in activism at an early age. Turns out I am not alone. According to the Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, 45% of young people engaged in creating content on social and political issues online including sharing their own experience or creating visual media. Youth are increasingly using digital platforms to express their views, and I have seen this first hand. By using my voice to encourage others around the nation to use their voting rights, I have become more confident speaking up and talking about social issues that are important to me, such as feminism. After leading a voter registration social media campaign, I felt like I was making a difference. Though young people often feel as though their voices don’t matter, civic engagement has the potential to show them they have the power to influence important political decisions. 

As a teenager still trying to find my way in the world, getting involved has also boosted my self-esteem, and provided me with a strong sense of purpose. Youth who engage civically have reported feeling fewer depression symptoms, subjective well-being, and a greater perceived sense of control. Through every successful registration, I was thrilled at the idea that I had some agency in this election despite not being able to cast my own ballot. Adolescents with civic purpose form strong attachments to democratic values such as freedom and equality and take action to protect those values for themselves and others. Therefore, not only is adolescent civic engagement key for well-being, but it also plays a crucial role for personal growth and developing an identity. Personally, engaging in civic action has allowed me to form a clearer sense of who I am and what I stand for, leading me to become involved in activism for the Asian-American community and women through nonprofit social impact work. 

Though I will not be able to vote in this election, I know my participation in other ways matters. Despite the age cutoff, young people hold power, whether that is through phone banking, voter registration, or other forms of activism. We all have a valuable part to play in shaping the future of our democracy. Although election day is here, I want to remind young people that there is still so much work to do, and it does not end today. I will continue to engage in activism through the non-profit organizations iFeminist and Dear Asian Youth, and I encourage you to join me and advocate for change where you can make an impact in your community as well.