I am a rising senior and third-year honors student, charting a course towards a degree in nonprofit management and sociology, with minors in education and mathematics at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.
Recently I was asked to speak to students at my alma mater, University City High School about the profound significance of voting. This year, I will cast my first vote in a presidential election.
My reverence for the ballot came from my parents. During local and national election cycles, our household buzzed with discussions on potential candidates, their platforms, and the ramifications of their proposed initiatives. Accompanying our parents to the polling station, my brother and I coveted the “I Voted Today” stickers handed out as tokens of civic engagement.
Now, as I stand on the cusp of adulthood, poised to exercise my right to vote, I carry with me the lessons of my upbringing, understanding that each ballot cast is not only an act of personal agency but also a tribute to the enduring legacy of those who fought tirelessly for the freedoms we hold dear.
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African Americans are one of many communities that have been historically marginalized and disenfranchised — silenced, muted, and shackled. Casting a vote brings weight to their struggle. For these communities, voting is not a passive act; it’s a thunderous proclamation against injustice, an assertion of worth and autonomy.
Therefore, we owe it to them — our ancestors who bore the brunt of oppression and fought tirelessly for the right to vote. If no other reasoning is valued, let their sacrifices serve as a beacon, guiding us toward the ballot box with a sense of duty and gratitude.
As the late congressman and Civil Rights champion John Lewis once said, “The vote is the most powerful nonviolent tool we have in a democratic society.”
These words echo the sentiments of countless historic voter advocates — men and women of all races who championed the cause of suffrage and equality. From Frederick Douglass and Susan B. Anthony to Cesar Chavez and Fannie Lou Hamer, their names are etched in the annals of history as fearless defenders of democracy. It is their unwavering courage and determination that paved the way for the freedoms we enjoy today.
Let us also remember the lesser-known figures — local leaders, community organizers, and grassroots activists who tirelessly mobilized their communities and fought against voter suppression. Their names may not be as widely recognized, but their contributions are no less significant.
I understand the skepticism some may harbor — a feeling of disillusionment with a system that seems to prioritize the privileged few over the marginalized many. It is a justifiable distrust in American politics that lingers in our hearts.
But let us not relinquish our birthright so easily. In choosing not to vote, we inadvertently tell our ancestors that their sacrifices were in vain. Every beating endured, every public humiliation suffered, every life dedicated to securing a semblance of “freedom” denied to them — all for naught.
Elections are not moments for complacency or blind allegiance to the majority. They are opportunities for us to exercise the scholarly prowess we each possess.
For those of us old enough to vote, it is a call to research, to scrutinize, to compare the values of candidates against our own convictions. Though neither candidate may perfectly align with our ideals, we must choose because for too long, individuals from marginalized communities like mine have been chosen for.
Consider this: Voting is not just an act of participation; it is a rejection of the injustices of the past. Those who choose not to participate stamp their approval on the horrors endured by our forebears. We cannot allow ourselves to be complicit in the perpetuation of historical wrongs.
As the election approaches, I am brimming with anticipation, eagerness, gratitude, and unwavering conviction to exercise my sacred right to vote.
The shadows of past injustices loom large, from the Jim Crow laws that stained our history to the insidious voter suppression tactics targeting communities of color today. Yet, in the face of such adversity, we must stand firm and resolute.
I eagerly await the sight of each of you at the polls, for in that moment, we affirm our commitment to shaping a more just and equitable future. Let us stand united, let us raise our voices, and let us cast our ballots with unwavering conviction, knowing that our collective action can shape the course of history.
Bostic graduated from University City High School in the class of 2022. His commentary, sponsored by the River City Journalism Fund, is part of a series of op-eds in the Post-Dispatch this month from young local writers on the topic of voting. It will be shared at an event called Songs for Democracy 2024, a benefit for the League of Women Voters, June 24 at the Sheldon Concert Hall.