Change We Can Believe In

By turning out in record numbers at the polls Millennials helped elect the first African-American President of the United States and put a big plus one in the karma points column for our country. Kudos to you.

Having only been of age to vote for four years now, the world of politics was somewhat alien to me. I followed in times of major elections or extreme policy decisions, but never on a daily basis. I’ve never felt compelled to immerse myself in the affairs of pot-bellied ex-lawyers who care more about their own pockets than the constituents who put them there. I was living the John Mayer-ish “waiting on the world to change” kind of lifestyle.

But never again.

This election shocked my reality more than I could ever imagine. It’s not just about Obama or McCain, blue or red (although I’m pretty proud to be a Virginian who got to see her state swing left for the first time in over 40 years). It’s about the fact that we mattered.

Never would I have believed that young people would be so fervent about their government. As an employee at a university I was stopped nearly every day in September by some student asking me to register. I assisted students as they planned large debate watch parties. I was even there when the future First Lady herself paid our campus a visit.

Gen-Y turned out approximately 23 million votes in this year’s election. That’s up 20% from 2004. That’s more youth voters in the history of any election since 1972 (when the voting age became 18-years-old).

So in the wake of one of the greatest politically historic moments of our time, I just wanted to take a moment to say thanks Gen-Y. It’s because of each and every one of you. It’s your voice America hears now.

And that’s the change we need–that’s the change we can believe in.

-Marilyn