This post is by Guest Blogger Lydia Marcus, a student at Calvin Christian High School in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She wrote it following a recent class trip to Washington, D.C. where they visited the Enough Project offices and Capitol Hill, recounting the trip and the feeling of power she gained to personally make a difference in the world.
Does my vote matter? All voters are faced with this question, though perhaps unconsciously. Unfortunately, many American voters often come to the conclusion that their vote does not matter, and this political inefficacy is especially present in young voters. According to the Census Bureau, young voters have historically voted at lower rates than any other age group. This is a sad predicament to have, because each vote does matter. Ours is a government of the people, by the people, and for the people - and we can participate in government by voting. The juniors and seniors of Calvin Christian High School experienced some singularly convincing meetings that demonstrated that our votes do matter. As a part of our class trip to Washington D.C., students had the privilege of visiting the Enough Project and meeting with Representative Keith Ellison (D-MN-5).
On a rainy Wednesday, all 33 members of our group crowded into the Enough Project's largest conference room. We sat around tables with Enough Project staff Rachel Finn and Annie Callaway, who led a discussion about the mission of the Enough Project, and the conflicts in Congo and Central African Republic (CAR). These struggles are expansive and complex. Additionally, they are thousands of miles away from where we live. How can we, as average high school students, aid in the fight against such large injustices taking place so far away?
The staff members of the Enough Project provided very tangible examples of how people like us can help. For example, companies who might be using conflict minerals from Congo, which help to fund atrocities, have a large influence on the mining ...
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