SLSV has truly been a catalyst and a community that my students, peers and I have leaned on. Through the coalition, I learned to harness collective power and bring it back to campus, partnering with students and colleagues on campus , as well as organizations like Baltimore Votes and Black Girls Vote, to do things like a party at the polls ahead of the midterms; working closely with Andrew Goodman Foundation ambassadors; supporting the on-campus polling location; getting involved in the census planning workgroup; and diving deeper into action planing and and coalition building to help bring the TU Votes initiative to next levels. What I hope endures is how young people continue to come together to turn their values into action, going beyond words, within and beyond their ballots, adapting and pivoting, and proving their voices are powerful beyond measure. Those years ignited the passion I continue to carry to this day. They truly made me realize that we have something meaningful here, beyond just one election. To the next generations: never forget that these connections are our superpower. Even in challenging times, continue to foster spaces of joy, collaboration and true community, because I wholeheartedly believe that those things will continue to uplift us in the years to come.
