Transforming Hope into Reality

The voices of young people are louder than ever.

During the past year, a record-high number of young people were (and continue to be) politically engaged—many of them by voting, and young people not yet old enough to vote working alongside their older peers contributing to campaigns, helping with voter registration, and speaking out for the changes they want to see. We have been witness to their ongoing leadership as climate change activists and grassroots organizers for gun safety, and last summer, walked with awe alongside young activists in the movement for racial justice.

On January 20, we were captivated by our first-ever National Youth Poet Laureate, 22-year-old Amanda Gorman, whose inaugural poem offered truth, reconciliation, and a call to action:

We will not be turned around

or interrupted by intimidation

because we know our inaction and inertia

will be the inheritance of the next generation

Our blunders become their burdens

…

The new dawn blooms as we free it

For there is always light,

if only we’re brave enough to see it

If only we’re brave enough to be it

In a New York Times article, Gorman shared that she “set out to write a poem that would inspire hope and foster a sense of collective purpose, at a moment when Americans are reeling from a deadly pandemic, political violence and partisan division.” Each new administration brings the potential for a better future, and Gorman used her words to infuse our nation with hope. While being hopeful feels great, we now need to channel this feeling into action so we can achieve the reality of a more just, equitable, and healthy world.

Hope is a word we often use when we talk about children and young people. It certainly fills us with hope when we see young activists taking the stage on issues such as climate change, leading the movement for gun safety, or speaking about the need for equity and racial justice.

We saw hope in the National Children’s Campaign-hosted National Children’s Inauguration, an online-hosted celebration featuring youth leaders, advocates, celebrities, and policymakers that aired shortly before the January 20 Inauguration. The goal of the Children’s Inauguration was to center kids in policy discussions and highlight issues that impact the 74 million children who cannot yet vote but who are impacted by decisions made at the polls. The health and well-being of kids are not partisan issues, and now is the time to make investments in children and hold our elected leaders accountable.

We saw hope in a recent post-election survey of young people by Tufts University’s Tisch College, which found that more than two thirds of survey respondents were politically engaged during the past year. Additionally, 75 percent of survey participants reported that elections and voting are critical, and the active engagement of young people in civic life is necessary to bring about the social and political changes they wish to see. Last November, voters in Oakland, CA passed measures to enable 16- and 17-year olds to vote in school board elections and several cities, including Mount Rainier, MD, now allow 16-year-olds to vote in local elections. 

We see hope in Student Voice, a student-founded and led organization committed to elevating young people as the primary stakeholders of their education and recognizing their role as a meaningful partner in shaping their educational experiences. Prior to the inauguration, Student Voice called on new Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona to engage with students and issued a report outlining key mechanisms to “engage young people as meaningful partners in the next Department of Education.”

We feel hopeful when hearing our youth speak; when they articulate a vision for a greener, more equitable, more just world; and when we see their mobilization efforts succeed, whether through social media campaigns or grassroots outreach and activities. We are quick to stand in awe of young people (rightfully so!), but what will transform this hope into progress and growth lies on all of our shoulders. It is unrealistic to expect change or results without appropriate investments and resources; our children will not thrive on hope alone.

It is time to us ask ourselves: When will we recognize that our young people are individual citizens with agency and must have a voice in the issues that affect them? How can we ensure that young people are given meaningful opportunities to share their ideas and how can we commit to not only listen, but actually hear what they are saying? When will we consistently make decisions with their best interests in mind, and hold our elected officials accountable to do the same? What will it take for us to realize that our collective responsibility is what will lead to the health and well-being for all our nation’s kids?

As I’ve shared previously, it is far more common for young people in other countries to not only share their viewpoints and be part of formal conversations around national policies and programs, but also make tangible headway on the issues that impact them. As an example, in mid-January, the Scottish government unanimously agreed to the general principles of the bill as they seek to incorporate the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child into Scottish law. This milestone is a momentous one; the endorsement for incorporation began in the Scottish Youth Parliament and its successful passage toward full incorporation is a testimony to sustained youth activism and the support of dedicated governmental structures (children’s commissioners).

There is great momentum in youth engagement and I look forward to seeing the ways that we continue to elevate the youth voice. By acknowledging the voice of young people in the policies and programs that affect them, taking action to invest in their well-being, and consistently making decisions with their best interests in mind, we will begin to create a culture that more deeply values kids. This gives me hope.