Living
Young First-Time Voters Sound Off
Written by Smeeta Mahanti & REP CO.
Photography by Photos by Smeeta Mahanti
Oct 29, 2020
In November of 2016, shortly after the presidential election, Oakland-based photographer Smeeta Mahanti reached out to her community and invited kids between the ages of 10 to 17 to an open studio. “I asked them to come with a message about their concerns and hopes to share with the world. I wanted kids to understand the power of their voice and their vote. I also wanted to remind them that they don’t need to wait until they are 18 to vote—they vote every single day with their choices and actions.”
“Regarding their messages, I made only one request: no hate. I asked them to create statements that were proactive, that kids all over the country could hear, without labeling themselves or others,” says Smeeta, who eventually photographed 300 subjects, and then captured a portion of them again 4 years later (in 2020) as they prepare to vote in their first presidential election.
What surprised her most about the kids’ responses? “Their candidness and knowledge of what was happening in the world now. Their voice and passion to fight for social justice was deeply rooted. Kids are innovative thinkers, natural networkers, and problem solvers. Both in 2016 and 2020, their voices were not bound by stale conventions. Their awareness and knowledge of how dangerous power can be…and how the fight for social justice begins with them.”
Asked if she planned on tracking down these kids—now officially adults—in another four years, she says she’s not ruling it out. “These kids are real,” she says. “I am so curious to see what roles they will play as they begin their adult lives.”
Get to know four of these stories: the young subjects’ hopes, fears, and most pressing concerns—and how they’ve evolved over the past 4 years—below. (And be sure to read our Part 1 of this story for even more inspiration).
MOTHER is publishing this 2-part story in partnership with REP CO, a brand new storytelling collaborative that covers issues of racial and social justice and is powered by volunteer media professionals. To read their other stories, or to find out how to join them, visit representcollaborative.com.
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Which issues are most important to you?
“Climate change. We’ll all be dead if we don't do something about it. And the fight for racial equality—it affects me every day even in Berkeley.”
What are some of the most significant political moments in the past 4 years and how did they drive you to create change?
“Brett Kaughvenaugh getting appointed, multiple members of my school being outed for sexually assaulting people, being profiled.”
Who are the people who have inspired you most over the last 4 years?
“Isha Clarke, Natalie Wynn, my teacher Ms. Erby, Shayla Avery, AOC, Bernie (kinda sorta).”
How has social media impacted how you interact with politics?
“It just amplifies awareness on all the wrongs of this world.”
Why should we listen to young people?
“Well, if you don't then the world you leave them with will inevitably not be built for them.”
How do you think the Gen Z perspective differs from older generations?
“I think that Gen Z has had a crazy amount of access to information at a young age that other generations haven't had. The internet really exposes you to everything at once, and commodifies everything. It's just hundreds of thousands of people's opinions floating through space, and Gen Z is the first generation to have to navigate that.”
What are the biggest issues affecting your generation?
“The biggest issue that is affecting the whole world would be greed for status. I think that you can trace all of the most heinous things that happen in the world back to that greed. Whether it be climate change or prison labor, the hands behind that have an incentive to make the world a worse place.”
How much do you think about politics?
“I think everything is political. But policy in and of itself, pretty rarely.”
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What political shifts have you seen over the last 4 years, both positive and negative?
“I feel like we are really starting to see people tell their own stories and people like AOC fighting against issues she's personally faced. Just the fight against having a room of cis white men telling women what they can and can't do. The worst trend I would say is probably how fast people are jumping to conclusions without digging to find even better solutions. Another really bad trend is the removal of racist symbols but not changing the systems in place.”
Do you feel empowered?
“As a person, yes! In politics, not really. I feel like the present system really tries to silence people.”
What most inspires you?
“The populous not tolerating major companies' shitty behavior. Protests. Racists getting socked in the face. My trans friends.”
What changes do you want to see?
“I want to see information be even more free, I want free healthcare, I want systemic change in policing.”
What gives you hope?
“Republicans being really old.”
What is your greatest fear?
“After destroying racist statues and replacing all white voice actors with POC, Republicans convince the public that BLM has ludicrous requests, and continue to act like we've stopped systemic racism.”
Why do you vote?
“To not die, and to not watch others die unjustly.”
Any advice you would give to future voters?
“When voting to change the world, try to imagine a world where you could be born as anybody; poor, rich, black, trans, latino, autistic, and see if what you're voting on will make the world more equitable for you. Also, try reading the exact words they use and take notes on policy. Look towards history to understand what you are voting on, and how it might intersect with the current systems in place.”
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How has social media impacted how you interact with politics?
“Social media has proven to be a valuable resource in the fight for human rights and the pursuit of democracy and equality. Although it’s not fully accessible, billions of people utilize it by promoting what’s important to them and connecting with people, whether similar or different. Many of the recent developments in politics wouldn’t have been possible without social media. However, it can be overwhelming on a personal level. The constant flow of information can sometimes make me anxious even though I’m grateful for all the points of view it covers. I interact with politics in social media by intaking and analyzing information while also giving myself healthy space away from it.”
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Why should we listen to young people?
“Young people of every generation have always challenged their elders. That growth pattern has happened and always will happen, even if we still value tradition and our history. Our societies and communities are always changing, including leadership. Listening to young people means preparing for the next leaders and preparing for a different future, a better one.”
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Which issues are most important to you?
“Racial injustice and police brutality are important to me because I am a young Black man in America and have faced racial injustice and have to deal with the fears of police brutality. Mental health issues are important to me because I struggle with anxiety and for the longest time felt embarrassed to talk about it because of the stigma of mental health.”
What are some of the most significant political moments in the past 4 years and how did they drive you to create change?
“Probably when Trump got elected. The next day me and my entire school marched to City Hall and protested together. We chanted, cried, and brought out other people in the city to join us. It was dope to see.”
Who are the people who have inspired you most over the last 4 years?
“Kendrick Lamar has always inspired me, my little brother, and the youth activists and artists in the Bay Area who are making change.”
Why should we listen to young people?
“Because we are the FUTURE! We are the ones who are going to be running everything one day so I think it is important to voice our opinions on something that is going to affect us. The youth are also just very smart in general.”
What are the biggest issues affecting your generation?
“Social media and the internet probably. It has been a positive thing for many but it has also been a negative thing for many. It has lead kids to depression, harm, and suicide, which is a huge problem.”
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What political shifts have you seen over the last 4 years, both positive and negative?
“The most positive shift in the last 4 years is that there have been more women coming into politics such as Alexandria Ocasio Cortez and more youth have been active in getting our voices heard, which has been great, but besides that I don’t think there really has been many positives.”
What most inspires you?
“My community, Oakland, my family, music, nature, and the future.”
What changes do you want to see?
"The first change that I want to see is Trump getting out of the White House! I also would like to see changes in the police department in America and how they train cops.”
What is your greatest fear?
“My greatest fear is probably not succeeding in life, not giving my all in whatever I do, or being brutalized or shot by a police officer.”
Why do you vote?
“I vote because there was a time when my people couldn’t vote. It is important to voice our thoughts and our opinions as Black folks in America. There are also still many people in this country who look like me who can’t vote so it think it is important to vote because of that. Also, since I am living in this country I would like to voice and give thought to who I would like to see run America, so that is why I vote.”
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Which issues are most important to you?
“Currently, the issues that matter most to me on a global scale are violence or oppression related to race, gender, etc., xenophobia, police brutality, the prison industrial complex, the wealth gap, rising nationalism, the climate crisis and the potential of a technological singularity. Oh, and COVID-19. On a personal level, I am concerned with how these issues may impact my future as well those of my friends and family. I think that these issues are some of the most important because, at least from my perspective, they have been steadily increasing over the past few years and seem to be approaching tipping points.”
How has social media impacted how you interact with politics?
“I think that social media has had a significant impact in terms of how movements are organized and how information is shared and articulated. However, I think that reading, listening, and having person-to-person conversations have ultimately been the most productive for me in my political education.”
How do you think the Gen Z perspective differs from older generations?
“We are just generally more aware, honest, and comfortable thinking and talking about global issues and taboos. I feel like there are very few cultural barriers for Gen Z (in a good way). I think that this stems, in part, from having access to the internet from a young age. However, I think that broad generalizations about age groups are rarely accurate.”
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What are the biggest issues affecting your generation?
“I think the biggest issue facing this generation is dealing with the remnants of older generations.”
What political shifts have you seen over the last 4 years, both positive and negative?
“The most positive shift has been witnessing grassroots organizing, such as walkouts, protests, etc. The most negative has been witnessing the rise of nationalism around the world and the failure of leadership to acknowledge or address any legitimate concerns.”
What most inspires you?
"My family, creating things, my cat, the natural world.”
What changes do you want to see?
“I just want an avenue for meaningful change that addresses violence or oppression related to race, gender, etc., xenophobia, police brutality, the prison industrial complex, the wealth gap, rising nationalism, the climate crisis and the potential of a technological singularity. I'm not sure what that looks like exactly.”
What is your greatest fear?
“Being too afraid to achieve my goals, losing touch with myself and the people around me, and heights.”
Why do you vote?
“I vote because I have a destination in mind, even if I don't necessarily agree with all of the ideologies or policies of my candidate of choice. Also, side note, there are a lot of people who should be able to vote but can't. I don't think voting is a privilege, it's a right.”
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