Melena Taylor, student activist and ACLU-SDIC Precinct Captain, underscores what this work means to her:
“Organizing to me is being so empathetic and passionate about problems that not only affect me but the people and community around me — they motivate me to act and persist until we come to an equitable playing field. What is really vital to me with organizing and attending community events is not only putting myself in others’ shoes but putting back on my shoes and seeing how Ican help others.
After turning 18 this year, I will be able to fulfill the most important and impactful civic duty, which is voting. Making sure that my peers and citizens of our community are pre-registered and registered to vote is something that has always been of great importance to me. I believe that when we vote, we truly see our nation’s democracy in action and with voting, we become the architects for the future that we want to see in our community and world. A world where our reproductive, environmental, civil, and human rights are never infringed upon.”
