This piece was originally published in the Opinion section of USA Today as part of a content partnership between USA Today and SUNN.
When the clock struck midnight, marking my 18th birthday, I registered to vote.
Months later, standing in my voting booth in the 2026 midterms, it felt like every open letter I’ve ever written, every door I’ve ever knocked, every potential voter I’ve ever spoken to has been building to this moment. As the names on the ballot stared back at me, the room felt so much quieter than I thought it would.
I was raised by politically engaged parents and worked as an activist and organizer in Tennessee during high school. Since I was 8, I’ve wanted to vote to create the world I dream of.
My first vote felt much bigger than a ballot, and so has the blue wave that followed. To me, both represented progress on the issues I’ve worked toward for years – the right to be safe in schools, the right to protest without fear of retribution, the rights of immigrants and the strength of our democracy.
Gen Z is voting for the America we deserve
I voted to create a reality where kids don’t have to fear being shot in school, and where there’s meaningful legislation to stop gun violence. This issue is part of what drew me to organize my first rally in 10th grade, three years before I could vote. It propelled me over the next two years to meet with legislators, write petitions, march and, in my junior year, help organize a rally in response to the Antioch High School shooting.
