This will be the first presidential election in my life that I am eligible to vote in. Growing up, my family and I did not have a strong understanding or communication of politics. When we did talk about politics, we would sit at the dinner table and have general conversations regarding which actions we believe the government should take, or what we don’t like about what they are doing. Of course, these were all spoken in generalities, and none of us really understood what we were talking about. I was always told my parents that us Asian Americans will never have an influence on American politics, and it’s best to stay out of this field.
Over the years, I’ve engaged in minimal political conversations with friends and peers and I felt like I had nothing to contribute towards these talks. In high school I did not bother to join clubs such as Model U.N. or Model Congress. Politics was something I never held as a value. It wasn’t until my junior year of high school where I took a U.S. history class and finally encountered an educational experience learning about our country’s political past and present. Throughout this course I acquired a better understanding of the importance of politics in our country and how it literally runs it.
I began to educate myself and learn much about the political system and am confident now to bring up these topics at the dinner table with my parents, which I used to hesitate while doing so. As the 2020 presidential election is approaching, I reflected on this past year as well as my entire lifetime before it. This is the first time I may contribute myself towards the greater good of my country and the responsibility is on me to do so. Voting is something I could have never imagined myself doing as a child, but I’ve realized how powerful it is and why it was such an essential need it was for African Americans and women in their civil rights movement. Voting for who we believe could make this country and our lives better makes a great difference, and it is shocking only 60% of our eligible voting population partake in this act. This means that significantly less than half of our entire country is not represented, leaving only up to a portion of Americans to decide what is best for them.
If you are reading this and eligible to vote, I encourage you to use one of your greatest powers, the power to vote, to contribute towards a better country for us. Regardless of what side you take, make sure your voice is accounted for. Additionally, please respect everyone despite which party they vote for. Everyone is fighting for their own endeavors and no one’s voice should matter more than the others.
