This year marks many important milestones for many youth victories in the last decade. It can also be a year for additional gains for youth empowerment efforts.
In a few days, spring will begin for the year, with many locations opening up once more and slowly emerging from the cold winter months that have been marked by pandemic and precaution alike. Meanwhile, champions of youth rights are continuing their efforts to give young people a voice in the United States and internationally.
As youth victories are gradually accumulating around the world, there are also the ongoing efforts to enfranchise more youth voices, particularly in the United States. Last month saw the second anniversary of the introduction of House Joint Resolution 23, which has yet to see a formal vote on it. It has hardly any coverage either, and even among those within the youth empowerment network, some aren’t even aware of it.
Given the last several years of the pandemic environment the United States has experienced, including the recent tripledemic, one can understand the ordering of priorities, and how these events that caused global disruptions have made fighting for youth rights difficult. One can also see that youth have been involved in pivotal events during the pandemic as well, yet still often don’t have a vote nor a voice in their immediate sphere of influence around them, despite their efforts to contribute to the fight against the pandemic.
However, 2023 provides a new opportunity for youth voices to be heard; and that is through an upcoming summer project that I would like to collaborate on with any and all youth rights supporters that I wish to share with readers.
As many youth advocates know, I had walked across the United States in 2015. At the time, not only had I fundraised for UNICEF, but I also walked to bring awareness to lowering the voting age to 16. Although there was no national bill to lower the voting age to 16, there is one now. Also, since my walk was during the months of May to September of 2015, I possibly believe that may have gotten the attention of then Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Although Pelosi is no longer the Speaker of the House, she is still in the House of Representatives, meaning there is still some influence her voice can provide to the movement. Given that House Joint Resolution 23 has still not come up for a vote yet, I think now is a time to capitalize on that fact based on the recent gains around the world regarding youth rights.
However, unlike in 2015 when I traveled nationwide by foot, I would like to still travel the nation, but this time by train, to locations where I can speak at events that support youth enfranchisement efforts to bring greater awareness to local, regional efforts as well as the national bill itself.
Why is 2023 a great year to promote these efforts?
Last year saw great progress on youth rights, particularly in Germany and New Zealand. It has almost been a decade since the voting age was lowered in Scotland, with next year being the 10th anniversary. Finally, this year marks the 10th anniversary since the voting age was lowered to 16 in Takoma Park, Maryland. Since then, we’ve had other cities follow; but we need to enfranchise more young leaders.
Ongoing efforts in New Zealand demonstrates that we need to support international efforts because of the support we get from them- our collective efforts inspire each other to work hard to enfranchise more youth. Victories in Scotland, Takoma Park, and elsewhere show that it can happen when a concerted effort is put forth. Places that have already had a lowered voting age show that it is not impossible. We’re near that higher end of the tier- getting victories and working to expand more. We need to take advantage of that favorable climate.
At this time, lowering the voting age is not impossible- we already have plenty of examples that show that is not the case, and many more growing efforts that demonstrate that it is even less so. But we still lack a focus through national lens on that issue. I want to help bring it more to the forefront of mainstream media consciousness.
The world is slowly recovering from a global pandemic. There is much rebuilding that needs to happen. It also needs new voices and new leaders to make their voices heard. But if young people are not part of that rebuilding process, the post-pandemic world that emerges tomorrow will look like the pre-pandemic world yesterday- unenfranchised youth who still don’t have a voice, will likely contribute to the next pandemic in the same way they did with the last one, without being credited for their efforts or even acknowledged as being part of the solution. This year can make a difference on whether future leaders can be heard here and now, or if they have to wait years later when the issues they want to weigh in on have less relevance to them- again.
This summer, I want an opportunity to change all that. I want an opportunity to speak on behalf of those we are trying to get voices for. I want to ask for the help of all those reading to help connect me to events to speak at in the next few months. I would like to once again travel across the United States to speak on behalf of youth rights in order to enfranchise the next generation of leaders!
Jester Jersey
DavisKiwanian@mail.com
#16ToVoteAdvocacyProject 