Opinion: Michigan College Democrats are making their voices heard

By Stella Camerlengo

July 2, 2024

The Michigan College Democrats op-ed series highlights the issues and perspectives of young people in Michigan.

Young people are fearful. Our futures feel uncertain, and we’re scared of it. We’re scared that so many of us will have fewer rights than our mothers and our grandmothers, we’re scared that our world is warming up at an unprecedented rate, and we’re scared that senseless shootings continue to shatter communities into pieces, leaving us fearful for our safety and the safety of those we love. It’s time for change, and we’re ready to demand it.

To young people, politics is personal. That is why we have decided to create our own op-ed series, written by some of our very own Michigan College Democrats, explaining to you our whys. We all have a story to tell about how the decisions made in Lansing and Washington affect our lives directly, and why we think it’s important to engage in politics.

We refuse to sit idly by while our futures are shaped without our input. We’ve got a lot on the line this November—the opportunity to secure affordable education, to protect our environment, to ensure that women have the right to their bodies, and the list goes on. These issues aren’t mere political talking points, they are the realities we face every single day as students, sons, daughters, and community members.

We hope you can join us in reading about our stories over these next few months. They will help illustrate the challenges that we face and the dreams we hold dear. We’d like to thank The Gander for giving us the opportunity to do this, and let’s get ready to engage, inspire, and drive change together.

Op-eds in this series:

Check back for additional op-eds.

Author

Stella Camerlengo

Stella Camerlengo was raised in the quaint suburbs of Metro-Detroit for the great majority of her life. A sister, a daughter, and a friend, she hopes to see a world where everyone is treated with dignity and respect, no matter their identity, background, or beliefs. As the Communications Director and Federal Affairs Director of the Michigan College Democrats, she is dedicated to ensuring that the voices of young people are always brought to the table, regardless of the issue.

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