My Voice Matters

Merced, Calif.– This spring, I attended a City Council town hall. Disturbed by the lack of opportunities for Merced’s young people and the reluctance of my city to invest in its youth, I wanted to put these issues before the council.

I was nervous, and had to build up the courage to stand and speak.

When I did, I addressed the council with the utmost respect and conviction, determined to get my message across. But as I was speaking, I noticed that several council members were rolling their eyes, while others began to interrupt me.

Rather than let me speak, council members peppered me with questions, many of which they knew went beyond my expertise. Even the mayor, in his body language and the comments he made, conveyed disdain. I doubt he heard anything I said.

The message was clear: my opinion, my voice did not matter to the leadership of Merced. I felt disrespected and discouraged.

As an 18-year-old Latino male, I have grown accustomed to such treatment in public. But as a soon-to-be voter, I hold our elected officials to a higher standard and expect that they will at a