Think back for a moment: Who taught you how to participate in democracy? Who showed you how to register to vote, find reliable information, or recognize that your voice matters?
In the second segment of The Next 250: Youth Voices on Democracy, three young organizers share audio stories they created for the KQED Youth Media Challenge. Nidhi Maddi of Frisco, Texas, describes how a lack of accessible civic education in her immigrant family inspired her to register voters. Vyan Kumar of Pleasanton, California, explores the many ways people can contribute to their communities before they are old enough to vote. Anna Fedoruk of Colorado Springs, Colorado, recounts the disappointment of her first voter registration drive and the small moments that gave her reason to keep going.
In conversation with KQED’s Almetria Vaba, New Voters founder Jahnavi Rao shares how these stories show young people developing a sense of their power by putting it to work. Listen live on 88.5 KQED radio on Monday, September 28 at 5:20 PM and also listen to the segment in the KQED app.
What does participating in democracy look like beyond the ballot box? The third segment turns to young people who noticed a need in their communities and decided to help. Three students share stories they created through the New Voters summer fellowship and published through the KQED Youth Media Challenge. Mildred Solomon of Newark, New Jersey, describes how the cost of professional clothing nearly kept her from feeling that she belonged at a Model United Nations conference, inspiring her to create a closet where other students can find what they need. Anvi Chaturvedi of Frederick, Maryland, reflects on what she learned at a special education resource fair and how she now works to make support and community events more accessible. Aanya Contractor of Ellicott City, Maryland, shares how a documentary about women undergoing cancer treatment prompted one woman to pay for another’s house cleaning.
Together, their stories show how caring for one person can lead to wider change. Listen live on 88.5 KQED radio on Tuesday, September 29 at 12:50 PM and also listen to the segments on the KQED app.
About
New Voters helps high school students register their peers to vote and take action on issues that matter in their communities.
The KQED Youth Media Challenge gives middle and high school students a way to share stories about the issues they care about and bring their voices into conversations beyond the classroom.
Listen to the first segment, The Next 250: Young People Share Their Vision for America’s Future, featuring student stories from our new civic media curriculum, Podcasting Democracy.