Voting in my first election was just the first step toward making an impact [Voices of Democracy series]
As a first-time voter, this election and my participation were monumental. I started by helping to promote community efforts geared toward critical primary elections. In the lead up to the presidential election, I worked with the Future Voters Delaware Instagram account to grow their civic engagement efforts. I also learned about new ways I could affect local democracy by phone banking for a U.S. Senate candidate and studying the root causes of voter suppression. Upon entering college, I also joined Northeastern’s Student Government Association. As a Senator, I voted for legislation to give students Election Day off and found new ways to use my platform to create a community for college students voting outside of their home state on Election Day.
It does not take a title to be an active citizen and step up to one’s civic duty. Sharing your voice and finding your passion is fundamental to contributing to important causes that affect your larger community. I believe that it is important for us young people to be involved in local and state politics, especially since youth are affected by so much legislation.
I truly enjoyed being a Fellow for The Civics Center, and I learned a lot from helping young people register to vote to expanding my civic engagement efforts. Beyond the pressing need for civic engagement that 2020 called for, I want to continue to make an impact and engage more of my peers in helping them unlock their potential to transform their own communities. I hope to do so through more work with the SGA and by finding ways to get involved in local Boston politics and possibly their State Board of Education. I know that the change I seek will take time, but I am determined to make it happen.
Dorcas Olatunji is a 2020 Youth Fellow with The Civics Center and is pursuing a bachelor’s degree at Northeastern University. The Civics Center’s “Voices of Democracy” blog series celebrates and highlights the voices that matter to us most: those of young people working to improve civic engagement and participation in our democracy.