For "American Democracy in Danger and the Youth in the Fight to Save It", I interviewed several youth from across America (and one internationally) about their thoughts and input on voter suppression and undemocratic means of winning power in America.
Christian Dent
Luke Netto: What are your titles, responsibilities, hobbies, et cetera as they relate to youth engagement and civics? In other words, how would you introduce yourself?
Christian Dent: I currently serve as the 77th Youth Governor of Georgia. Each state has a youth governor. We are now the Center for Civic Engagement Georgia, we went through a rebranding so we’re no longer affiliate with the state government. We help youth try to be better citizens, we educate, we hold mock trials, we hold mock legislatures. So that’s my primary role. I have been travelling the state and trying to engage citizens and youth of all ages and areas of the state. So that’s my role; I’m proud to serve it.
LN: In your own words, describe the actions and events in Georgia and nationwide as far as voter restriction and suppression of the right to vote.
CD: Here in Georgia we've had a political shift. I’ve been in Georgia all my life. And I've been politically active in Georgia since around 2016. I was around eleven years old. So I've seen the whole dynamic shift from Georgia being a red state ready to flip to now Georgia being blue state when we get out the right voters. So when turnout is high we are a blue state, that’s just the truth. But unfortunately we witnessed, since we’re winning elections now here as Democrats, the systematic oppression of people’s right to vote. It’s fundamental to being an American system. But unfortunately groups in northern Atlanta, the suburbs, people of Asian American descent. We have high populations in Gwinnett County of Korean American voters, Chinese American voters, Latino voters. Then all over our state we have a high Black population so African Americans are systematically always been oppressed with the right to vote. And Governor Kemp and the people in the legislature are passing SB 202 and other restriction method trying to make it harder for people to vote.
We tried in this past legislative session to get languages like Korean, Chinese, Spanish on to all ballot but unfortunately that was denied. We have been actively trying to make it easier to vote. But unfortunately the ruling party and majority party here in Georgia, we may have flipped two Senate seats and a congressional seat this year, the state legislature still has a wide majority, and its mainly due to gerrymandering. So unfortunately we’re in a bind. So in 2022 we have a chance to flip the legislature and the governorship. We’re just fighting back against the systematic suppression of the people’s right to vote.
LN: In your own words, define “gerrymandering”
CD: So gerrymandering is something that I’ve witnessed being a state legislative seat, especially a changing county, here in Henry County. High Black population, people coming from all over the country and Atlanta to move here. So its a changing county just south of Atlanta, more suburban than urbanized. There is a house distinct, state house district, that was gerrymandered after Republicans saw the Black population jump a little too high and they didnt like it. So to protect the Republican incumbent they specially gerrymandered it, not even in a year, to try and get more Republican votes and get Black voters out of the district. So what you see when gerrymandering happens is the party in power, Democrats have done it in Maryland and Republicans are actively doing it in their states as well, so its not a party thing, what you see is they draw and crack the districts to split up communities of interest to get rid of Black voters somewhere, add white voters somewhere, to systematically change the voting district for their party. What that does is disenfranchise voters of all races and backgrounds. And it has the politicians choose their voters instead of voters choosing their politicians, how it should be.
LN: What is your opinion on any kind of partisan efforts to manipulate democracy?
CD: It is not a liberal versus conservative. We’ve seen Democrats do this in Maryland and if you Google Maryland congressional districts, you can see how snakelike and nasty those districts are drawn. I think, I have my personal political opinions and beliefs but I cant let those alter my values, I can’t let those creep into what I see and think is okay and not okay as far as policy. So I think we have to be consistent, when we see suppression and oppression and when government officials that are corrupt and trying to do the wrong thing, it is okay to call them out. I think with in terms of someone like Senator Manchin, who is in our party. He is essential to passing voting rights legislation nationally, and getting rid of the filibuster, and things like that. When he doesn't do the right thing, it is okay to call him out. We just have to call it as we see it.
LN: How do you think gerrymandering and voter suppression have negative impacts on youth voters? And do you believe these negative impacts are intentional?
CD: Just as an example in Georgia, I’ve seen state legislative districts in Atlanta near Georgia State University targeted, especially in Georgia Tech, I’ve got friends in Georgia Tech. They can walk through four different state house districts through campus, just on their way to class. It’s ridiculous. They split up a community targeted of interest where many out-of-state people and young people have more liberal views. Because the truth is we’ve seen it by statistics and numbers, when you do the numbers. When young people turn out and when they vote, especially in Georgia, Democrats win. Republicans know this and they targeted Georgia Tech campus by gerrymandering and drawing districts there. They’ve targeted the University of Georgia and in Athens, you can walk through four different districts on your way to class. It’s ridiculous. They are splitting up communities of interest, young people, to dilute it with more rural and Republican areas in the districts so that we don’t have a politician that necessarily represents us in the state House. And what that does, it doesn’t give us a collective outlet to fight for the issues we care about.
LN: In as few possible words, what is your opinion on youth involvement, both generally and as it relates to preserving democracy?
CD: I think it’s essential. We have the power, we have the energy, and we have the momentum. And if we don’t the country’s got a big issue. I think we are seeing that. We have a higher voter registration than ever before. We are getting more engaged and if we don't get engaged its an issue.
LN: You testified before the Georgia General Assembly Joint Senate and House Redistricting Committee in Athens, Georgia. What were you thinking as you wrote your speech and delivered it?
CD: I was really thinking about the community I love and care about. I’ve seen it “cracked”, which is a term that refers to the gerrymandering of Black voters out of their own districts. I’ve seen my community, Henry County, gerrymandered out of regular session. Just so the people I love and the people I care about don’t have a collective voice in the state House. Just so the Republicans can have a little bit more power and a little bit more influence in a state that’s changing. Just so they can cling on to power for another ten year period of gerrymandering. It’s disgusting and I’m damn fed up with it. That’s what I thought about: the community I grew up in and cared about and Georgia as a whole. Because when you gerrymander these districts, all you’re doing is taking the power out of the people’s hands, young people, Black people, any people. It’s targeted and it’s sad. They are breaking up communities just to have a taste of more power here in Georgia.
LN: What is the biggest barrier to action being taken on the subversion of democracy?
CD: I think voting rights legislation not passing it is the biggest barrier. To be honest, I don’t want to say it, but when you look at the different parts and components that prevent the passage of voting rights legislation, unfortunately that ends up being the filibuster. I have not always been a supporter of abolishing the filibuster even up to this year. That’s a new thing for me and it’s a new thing for Democrats. But when you see Republicans in the House somewhere around ⅔ or, and don’t quote me on this, ⅓ of the party caucus in the House vote to overturn an election. Really? They’re crazy. So there’s things that have to be done to protect the right to vote. We can’t even agree on the terms of the John Lewis Voting Rights Act. It should be widely bipartisan but isn't. They are doing everything they can to stop a new president’s agenda. This agenda, voting rights legislation, isn’t a Democrat one, it’s an American one. I am disgusted by their inaction. I’ve seen senators like Bob Casey originally come out in support of abolishing the filibuster and he said it’s about American democracy, it’s more than Democrats and Republicans. That really swayed me. So I think not abolishing the filibuster is the biggest barrier to passing voting rights legislation in the United States.
LN: Lastly, what do you believe must be done for fairness and equity in democracy and the systems that govern our representation and voting?
CD: I think it’s the most important thing we hold dear in the United States. It’s guaranteed to us by the U.S. Constitution. I think the biggest thing there would be politicians and people in power just listening to the people. We’ve seen what happens when we collectively come together. I think it can only be done together. I think unity amongst the American people, amongst young people, amongst people of color, people of immigrants, people of all backgrounds. When we’re united, they listen, and when they don’t listen, we vote them out. We demand structural reform in our government, in terms of ethics reform, in terms of getting rid of gerrymandering. I think when we collectively come together and make our voices heard, we saw that last summer with George Floyd protests, they listen. We came together and they listen. We now see a policy reform bill in the Senate. We can collectively come together and make our voices heard, no matter what party they’re in.
Christian Dent: I currently serve as the 77th Youth Governor of Georgia. Each state has a youth governor. We are now the Center for Civic Engagement Georgia, we went through a rebranding so we’re no longer affiliate with the state government. We help youth try to be better citizens, we educate, we hold mock trials, we hold mock legislatures. So that’s my primary role. I have been travelling the state and trying to engage citizens and youth of all ages and areas of the state. So that’s my role; I’m proud to serve it.
LN: In your own words, describe the actions and events in Georgia and nationwide as far as voter restriction and suppression of the right to vote.
CD: Here in Georgia we've had a political shift. I’ve been in Georgia all my life. And I've been politically active in Georgia since around 2016. I was around eleven years old. So I've seen the whole dynamic shift from Georgia being a red state ready to flip to now Georgia being blue state when we get out the right voters. So when turnout is high we are a blue state, that’s just the truth. But unfortunately we witnessed, since we’re winning elections now here as Democrats, the systematic oppression of people’s right to vote. It’s fundamental to being an American system. But unfortunately groups in northern Atlanta, the suburbs, people of Asian American descent. We have high populations in Gwinnett County of Korean American voters, Chinese American voters, Latino voters. Then all over our state we have a high Black population so African Americans are systematically always been oppressed with the right to vote. And Governor Kemp and the people in the legislature are passing SB 202 and other restriction method trying to make it harder for people to vote.
We tried in this past legislative session to get languages like Korean, Chinese, Spanish on to all ballot but unfortunately that was denied. We have been actively trying to make it easier to vote. But unfortunately the ruling party and majority party here in Georgia, we may have flipped two Senate seats and a congressional seat this year, the state legislature still has a wide majority, and its mainly due to gerrymandering. So unfortunately we’re in a bind. So in 2022 we have a chance to flip the legislature and the governorship. We’re just fighting back against the systematic suppression of the people’s right to vote.
LN: In your own words, define “gerrymandering”
CD: So gerrymandering is something that I’ve witnessed being a state legislative seat, especially a changing county, here in Henry County. High Black population, people coming from all over the country and Atlanta to move here. So its a changing county just south of Atlanta, more suburban than urbanized. There is a house distinct, state house district, that was gerrymandered after Republicans saw the Black population jump a little too high and they didnt like it. So to protect the Republican incumbent they specially gerrymandered it, not even in a year, to try and get more Republican votes and get Black voters out of the district. So what you see when gerrymandering happens is the party in power, Democrats have done it in Maryland and Republicans are actively doing it in their states as well, so its not a party thing, what you see is they draw and crack the districts to split up communities of interest to get rid of Black voters somewhere, add white voters somewhere, to systematically change the voting district for their party. What that does is disenfranchise voters of all races and backgrounds. And it has the politicians choose their voters instead of voters choosing their politicians, how it should be.
LN: What is your opinion on any kind of partisan efforts to manipulate democracy?
CD: It is not a liberal versus conservative. We’ve seen Democrats do this in Maryland and if you Google Maryland congressional districts, you can see how snakelike and nasty those districts are drawn. I think, I have my personal political opinions and beliefs but I cant let those alter my values, I can’t let those creep into what I see and think is okay and not okay as far as policy. So I think we have to be consistent, when we see suppression and oppression and when government officials that are corrupt and trying to do the wrong thing, it is okay to call them out. I think with in terms of someone like Senator Manchin, who is in our party. He is essential to passing voting rights legislation nationally, and getting rid of the filibuster, and things like that. When he doesn't do the right thing, it is okay to call him out. We just have to call it as we see it.
LN: How do you think gerrymandering and voter suppression have negative impacts on youth voters? And do you believe these negative impacts are intentional?
CD: Just as an example in Georgia, I’ve seen state legislative districts in Atlanta near Georgia State University targeted, especially in Georgia Tech, I’ve got friends in Georgia Tech. They can walk through four different state house districts through campus, just on their way to class. It’s ridiculous. They split up a community targeted of interest where many out-of-state people and young people have more liberal views. Because the truth is we’ve seen it by statistics and numbers, when you do the numbers. When young people turn out and when they vote, especially in Georgia, Democrats win. Republicans know this and they targeted Georgia Tech campus by gerrymandering and drawing districts there. They’ve targeted the University of Georgia and in Athens, you can walk through four different districts on your way to class. It’s ridiculous. They are splitting up communities of interest, young people, to dilute it with more rural and Republican areas in the districts so that we don’t have a politician that necessarily represents us in the state House. And what that does, it doesn’t give us a collective outlet to fight for the issues we care about.
LN: In as few possible words, what is your opinion on youth involvement, both generally and as it relates to preserving democracy?
CD: I think it’s essential. We have the power, we have the energy, and we have the momentum. And if we don’t the country’s got a big issue. I think we are seeing that. We have a higher voter registration than ever before. We are getting more engaged and if we don't get engaged its an issue.
LN: You testified before the Georgia General Assembly Joint Senate and House Redistricting Committee in Athens, Georgia. What were you thinking as you wrote your speech and delivered it?
CD: I was really thinking about the community I love and care about. I’ve seen it “cracked”, which is a term that refers to the gerrymandering of Black voters out of their own districts. I’ve seen my community, Henry County, gerrymandered out of regular session. Just so the people I love and the people I care about don’t have a collective voice in the state House. Just so the Republicans can have a little bit more power and a little bit more influence in a state that’s changing. Just so they can cling on to power for another ten year period of gerrymandering. It’s disgusting and I’m damn fed up with it. That’s what I thought about: the community I grew up in and cared about and Georgia as a whole. Because when you gerrymander these districts, all you’re doing is taking the power out of the people’s hands, young people, Black people, any people. It’s targeted and it’s sad. They are breaking up communities just to have a taste of more power here in Georgia.
LN: What is the biggest barrier to action being taken on the subversion of democracy?
CD: I think voting rights legislation not passing it is the biggest barrier. To be honest, I don’t want to say it, but when you look at the different parts and components that prevent the passage of voting rights legislation, unfortunately that ends up being the filibuster. I have not always been a supporter of abolishing the filibuster even up to this year. That’s a new thing for me and it’s a new thing for Democrats. But when you see Republicans in the House somewhere around ⅔ or, and don’t quote me on this, ⅓ of the party caucus in the House vote to overturn an election. Really? They’re crazy. So there’s things that have to be done to protect the right to vote. We can’t even agree on the terms of the John Lewis Voting Rights Act. It should be widely bipartisan but isn't. They are doing everything they can to stop a new president’s agenda. This agenda, voting rights legislation, isn’t a Democrat one, it’s an American one. I am disgusted by their inaction. I’ve seen senators like Bob Casey originally come out in support of abolishing the filibuster and he said it’s about American democracy, it’s more than Democrats and Republicans. That really swayed me. So I think not abolishing the filibuster is the biggest barrier to passing voting rights legislation in the United States.
LN: Lastly, what do you believe must be done for fairness and equity in democracy and the systems that govern our representation and voting?
CD: I think it’s the most important thing we hold dear in the United States. It’s guaranteed to us by the U.S. Constitution. I think the biggest thing there would be politicians and people in power just listening to the people. We’ve seen what happens when we collectively come together. I think it can only be done together. I think unity amongst the American people, amongst young people, amongst people of color, people of immigrants, people of all backgrounds. When we’re united, they listen, and when they don’t listen, we vote them out. We demand structural reform in our government, in terms of ethics reform, in terms of getting rid of gerrymandering. I think when we collectively come together and make our voices heard, we saw that last summer with George Floyd protests, they listen. We came together and they listen. We now see a policy reform bill in the Senate. We can collectively come together and make our voices heard, no matter what party they’re in.
Ligerlily Harrington
Luke Netto: What are your titles, responsibilities, hobbies, et cetera as they relate to youth engagement and civics? In other words, how would you introduce yourself?
Tigerlily Harrington: Currently, I am the Volunteer Management Subteam Leader for the Redistricting branch of the Georgia Youth Justice Coalition. GYJC is a group of GA high school and college students who are advocating for a more just, representative Georgia. I am also a Field Organizer for Dontaye Carter's campaign, who is running for Mayor of Sandy Springs on a platform of equity, integrity and transparency. Additionally, I am a junior at Kennesaw State University, majoring in Political Science.
LN: In your own words, describe the actions and events in Georgia and nationwide as far as voter restriction and suppression of the right to vote.
TH: What has been going on in Georgia is a great example of a larger trend on the national level from the GOP. During this year's legislative session, we saw numerous anti-democratic bills introduced by Republicans, all of which aimed to make it more difficult to vote. The GOP saw that with high voter turnout, Georgia voted blue in the Presidential and Senate elections. In response, instead of mobilizing their own voter base and actually earning the seats they hold, our Republican State Legislators have reacted by restricting voting access and targeting the demographics and communities that were so important in the recent Democratic wins. There have also been very similar reactions in numerous states across the country. On the Federal level, there have been attempts to protect voting rights through bills like the For the People Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, but just like at the state level, Republicans continue to block the advancement of these important protections.
LN: In your own words, define “gerrymandering”.
TH: Gerrymandering is just another form of voter suppression. By having the ability to determine how district maps are drawn, the party in power uses gerrymandering to draw these lines in a way that will help keep them in power. For example, they may use "cracking" to split a majority minority community into several districts, limiting that group's political power. Gerrymandering makes some people's vote count more than others, which is undemocratic and unjust.
LN: Another person I interviewed stated that gerrymandering and voter restriction is "disgusting" and he's "damn fed up with it". Would you agree with this statement and could you add on your own opinions of any attempts to subvert democracy?
TH: I completely agree. Gerrymandering is a political technique that has been used for far too long, despite going against the supposed democratic ideals of our country. A phrase I hear a lot in redistricting advocacy is that "the voters should pick their representatives, not the other way around." I think that is a good way of putting it. Everyone's vote should count, no matter what their geographic location is, and gerrymandering does not allow for that to be the case.
LN: In as few possible words, what is your opinion on youth involvement, both generally and as it relates to preserving democracy?
TH: Vital. We are both the present and the future.
LN: What is the biggest barrier to action being taken on the subversion of democracy?
TH: A big issue is a lack of transparency and public knowledge. It is not difficult for state legislators to get away with voter suppression bills and gerrymandering because a lot of voters pay little-to-no attention to what goes on at the state and local level. There was definitely increased public attention to bills like SB202 this year, and I am pleased that the GA legislature is hosting public hearings on redistricting, but I still think that there is not enough mainstream knowledge about these issues and the impact that they have.
LN: What are the first three adjectives you think of when you hear "democracy"?
TH: Fair, free, important
LN: How and why does gerrymandering have intentionally negative impacts on youth voters?
TH: Youth voters are a group that is targeted by gerrymandering and other forms of voter suppression. For example, gerrymandering can be used to divide up campuses and college towns that have a high concentration of youth voters. I think one of the most important things, though, is what it does to voter morale - like any other targeted group, if youth voters believe that their vote doesn't matter because of the effects of gerrymandering, and that the system isn't fair, their engagement will dwindle. Youth voter turnout is already shockingly low, and we need to do everything we can to make young people believe that their vote is important.
LN: Lastly, what do you believe must be done for fairness and equity in democracy and the systems that govern our representation and voting?
TH: The main thing that I would love to see is the passing of federal legislation that provides concrete, regulatable restrictions on voting access and redistricting. State governments get away with too much when it comes to implementing unfair and undemocratic policies, and we need rules across the board to prevent that. The For the People Act, for example, would update the protections of the Voting Rights Act, and reinstate the pre-clearance requirements from before Shelby County v. Holder. We need that to ensure that all Americans have democratic rights and voting access, no matter what the majority party is there. Also, get rid of the damn filibuster.
Tigerlily Harrington: Currently, I am the Volunteer Management Subteam Leader for the Redistricting branch of the Georgia Youth Justice Coalition. GYJC is a group of GA high school and college students who are advocating for a more just, representative Georgia. I am also a Field Organizer for Dontaye Carter's campaign, who is running for Mayor of Sandy Springs on a platform of equity, integrity and transparency. Additionally, I am a junior at Kennesaw State University, majoring in Political Science.
LN: In your own words, describe the actions and events in Georgia and nationwide as far as voter restriction and suppression of the right to vote.
TH: What has been going on in Georgia is a great example of a larger trend on the national level from the GOP. During this year's legislative session, we saw numerous anti-democratic bills introduced by Republicans, all of which aimed to make it more difficult to vote. The GOP saw that with high voter turnout, Georgia voted blue in the Presidential and Senate elections. In response, instead of mobilizing their own voter base and actually earning the seats they hold, our Republican State Legislators have reacted by restricting voting access and targeting the demographics and communities that were so important in the recent Democratic wins. There have also been very similar reactions in numerous states across the country. On the Federal level, there have been attempts to protect voting rights through bills like the For the People Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, but just like at the state level, Republicans continue to block the advancement of these important protections.
LN: In your own words, define “gerrymandering”.
TH: Gerrymandering is just another form of voter suppression. By having the ability to determine how district maps are drawn, the party in power uses gerrymandering to draw these lines in a way that will help keep them in power. For example, they may use "cracking" to split a majority minority community into several districts, limiting that group's political power. Gerrymandering makes some people's vote count more than others, which is undemocratic and unjust.
LN: Another person I interviewed stated that gerrymandering and voter restriction is "disgusting" and he's "damn fed up with it". Would you agree with this statement and could you add on your own opinions of any attempts to subvert democracy?
TH: I completely agree. Gerrymandering is a political technique that has been used for far too long, despite going against the supposed democratic ideals of our country. A phrase I hear a lot in redistricting advocacy is that "the voters should pick their representatives, not the other way around." I think that is a good way of putting it. Everyone's vote should count, no matter what their geographic location is, and gerrymandering does not allow for that to be the case.
LN: In as few possible words, what is your opinion on youth involvement, both generally and as it relates to preserving democracy?
TH: Vital. We are both the present and the future.
LN: What is the biggest barrier to action being taken on the subversion of democracy?
TH: A big issue is a lack of transparency and public knowledge. It is not difficult for state legislators to get away with voter suppression bills and gerrymandering because a lot of voters pay little-to-no attention to what goes on at the state and local level. There was definitely increased public attention to bills like SB202 this year, and I am pleased that the GA legislature is hosting public hearings on redistricting, but I still think that there is not enough mainstream knowledge about these issues and the impact that they have.
LN: What are the first three adjectives you think of when you hear "democracy"?
TH: Fair, free, important
LN: How and why does gerrymandering have intentionally negative impacts on youth voters?
TH: Youth voters are a group that is targeted by gerrymandering and other forms of voter suppression. For example, gerrymandering can be used to divide up campuses and college towns that have a high concentration of youth voters. I think one of the most important things, though, is what it does to voter morale - like any other targeted group, if youth voters believe that their vote doesn't matter because of the effects of gerrymandering, and that the system isn't fair, their engagement will dwindle. Youth voter turnout is already shockingly low, and we need to do everything we can to make young people believe that their vote is important.
LN: Lastly, what do you believe must be done for fairness and equity in democracy and the systems that govern our representation and voting?
TH: The main thing that I would love to see is the passing of federal legislation that provides concrete, regulatable restrictions on voting access and redistricting. State governments get away with too much when it comes to implementing unfair and undemocratic policies, and we need rules across the board to prevent that. The For the People Act, for example, would update the protections of the Voting Rights Act, and reinstate the pre-clearance requirements from before Shelby County v. Holder. We need that to ensure that all Americans have democratic rights and voting access, no matter what the majority party is there. Also, get rid of the damn filibuster.
Rick Hart
Luke Netto: What are your titles, responsibilities, hobbies, etc as they relate to youth engagement and civics? In other words, how would you introduce yourself?
Rick Hart: My titles and responsibilities include experience as a campaign staffer and youth organizer. I previously served as President of the Morehouse College Chapter of National Action Network, as HBCU Outreach Director of College Democrats of America, and as Youth Vote Director for Senator Reverend's Raphael G. Warnock's campaign for the U.S. Senate. I now serve as a President of Young Democrats of Georgia. Ultimately, I see myself as a youth activist and as a person who seeks to make the world a better place than the day in which it was before.
LN: In your own words, describe the actions and events in Georgia and nationwide as far as voter restriction and suppression.
RH: Two words come to mind. "Racist" and "regressive." Georgia's voter restriction/suppression bills take us back in time. Republicans know that they lose elections when more eligible voters cast ballots fairly and freely so they have demonstrated that they are willing to go to the gutter to stop voters from voting.
LN: In your own words, define "gerrymandering".
RH: I would define "gerrymandering" as the partisan drawing of districts that seeks to establish electoral advantages for certain political parties.
LN: Another person I interviewed stated that gerrymandering and voter restriction is "disgusting" and he's "damn fed up with it". Would you agree with this statement and could you add on your own opinions of any attempts to subvert democracy?
RH: I would agree with these sentiments. Attempts to subvert democracy are first and foremost dangerous. People die as we saw on January 6th. We must do everything that we can to preserve and sustain our democracy. I believe that Trumpist, Republican-led efforts to undermine confidence in our elections, elections systems, and institutions are the biggest threat to our democracy.
LN: What are the first three adjectives you think of when you hear "democracy"?
RH: Free, elections, and fragile are three words that come to mind when I hear the term "democracy."
LN: How and why does gerrymandering have intentionally negative impacts on youth voters?
RH: I think the most common way that we have seen gerrymandering affect youth representation has been situations where large college towns are split into sects to make way for conservative districts and the voices of college students are suppressed. Athens, Georgia is a great example.
LN: Lastly, what do you believe must be done for fairness and equity in democracy and the systems that govern our representation and voting?
RH: Congress must pass the For The People Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act swiftly and send both bills to President Biden's desk.
Rick Hart: My titles and responsibilities include experience as a campaign staffer and youth organizer. I previously served as President of the Morehouse College Chapter of National Action Network, as HBCU Outreach Director of College Democrats of America, and as Youth Vote Director for Senator Reverend's Raphael G. Warnock's campaign for the U.S. Senate. I now serve as a President of Young Democrats of Georgia. Ultimately, I see myself as a youth activist and as a person who seeks to make the world a better place than the day in which it was before.
LN: In your own words, describe the actions and events in Georgia and nationwide as far as voter restriction and suppression.
RH: Two words come to mind. "Racist" and "regressive." Georgia's voter restriction/suppression bills take us back in time. Republicans know that they lose elections when more eligible voters cast ballots fairly and freely so they have demonstrated that they are willing to go to the gutter to stop voters from voting.
LN: In your own words, define "gerrymandering".
RH: I would define "gerrymandering" as the partisan drawing of districts that seeks to establish electoral advantages for certain political parties.
LN: Another person I interviewed stated that gerrymandering and voter restriction is "disgusting" and he's "damn fed up with it". Would you agree with this statement and could you add on your own opinions of any attempts to subvert democracy?
RH: I would agree with these sentiments. Attempts to subvert democracy are first and foremost dangerous. People die as we saw on January 6th. We must do everything that we can to preserve and sustain our democracy. I believe that Trumpist, Republican-led efforts to undermine confidence in our elections, elections systems, and institutions are the biggest threat to our democracy.
LN: What are the first three adjectives you think of when you hear "democracy"?
RH: Free, elections, and fragile are three words that come to mind when I hear the term "democracy."
LN: How and why does gerrymandering have intentionally negative impacts on youth voters?
RH: I think the most common way that we have seen gerrymandering affect youth representation has been situations where large college towns are split into sects to make way for conservative districts and the voices of college students are suppressed. Athens, Georgia is a great example.
LN: Lastly, what do you believe must be done for fairness and equity in democracy and the systems that govern our representation and voting?
RH: Congress must pass the For The People Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act swiftly and send both bills to President Biden's desk.
Julian Fortuna
Luke Netto: What are your titles, responsibilities, hobbies, etc as they relate to youth engagement and civics? In other words, how would you introduce yourself?
Julian Fortuna: I would introduce myself as:
"Hello my name is Julian Fortuna. A lot of my work and a lot of my time, and spare time, is centered around youth engagement and political systems, particularly at the state and local level, but at the federal level as well. I’ve done a lot of work in electoral organizing with the Democratic Party in Georgia with youth fellowships. I, myself, was a field fellow for the Democratic Party and then I helped recruit trainees for several other programs throughout the general election and the runoff. After that, I kind of transitioned to advocacy work, working with Young Georgians for Justice, as their Outreach Lead, helping to train and provide resources for people providing virtual advocacy events. Our areas of focus were voting rights, redistricting, Medicare expansion, and criminal justice. Working with that group was great. I met a lot of the people I am working with now under the Georgia Youth Justice Coalition where I help lead their redistricting team, where we focus a lot on fighting what is another form of voter suppression, the same type that we saw with SB202, and by engaging a diverse group of young people to get involved in the redistricting process and by trying to tell the story of redistricting in a values-based way. Not just a kind of procedural “what is it?” but why do we as communities deserve representation and what values are at stake? And what for our communities and democracy is at stake?
"I also do some community organizing. I work with a group called Beacon Hill Black Alliance for Civil and Human Rights. I do a lot of DEI work as well, working on curriculum reform in my school system, Decatur, where I just graduated, and statewide with Students4DEI. I might say I also like to play guitar but I spend a lot of my time organizing so that’s about it."
LN: In your own words, describe the actions and events in Georgia and nationwide as far as voter restriction and suppression of the right to vote.
JF: I really don’t know what else you could say besides it’s an outright attack on our democracy and an attempt to implement “minoritarian” rule, with extremely fascistic overtones, if not overtly fascistic policies. There is no evidence for widespread voter fraud. There is no evidence to support a lot of the most restrictive policies that we’re seeing passed across the country, specifically here in Georgia. It is part of a very worrying, increasingly, and well-documented radicalization of the Republican Party against the idea of democracy itself, not a policy, not a law, not even about taxes, about democracy itself. Republicans’ faith in democracy has plummeted to its lowest point ever, largely because of the propagation of things like the “Big Lie”. We know for a fact that Republican politicians are pushing laws that will either one, allow them to possibly overturn elections after votes have been cast, or make it incredibly difficult for people to cast those ballots in the first place. It is as simple as that, as terrifying as that it is. It is that simple. I think that in Georgia we see a lot of stuff targeted specifically at the new multiracial coalition that brought Joe Biden both victory here in Georgia and our Senators Ossoff and Warnock in office. A lot of the laws like SB202 are designed to make it more difficult for these more recently engaged communities to vote and for them to utilize systems that proved successful Democrats like absentee ballots. It’s worth noting were a method of voting that was promoted by Republicans, until it became politically disadvantageous. All of a sudden we see restrictions under the name of fraud propagated by the state legislature and the judicial system. So that would be what I’d say about that. Our democracy is in dire straights.
The rest of this interview is being transcribed and put into accessible form currently.
Julian Fortuna: I would introduce myself as:
"Hello my name is Julian Fortuna. A lot of my work and a lot of my time, and spare time, is centered around youth engagement and political systems, particularly at the state and local level, but at the federal level as well. I’ve done a lot of work in electoral organizing with the Democratic Party in Georgia with youth fellowships. I, myself, was a field fellow for the Democratic Party and then I helped recruit trainees for several other programs throughout the general election and the runoff. After that, I kind of transitioned to advocacy work, working with Young Georgians for Justice, as their Outreach Lead, helping to train and provide resources for people providing virtual advocacy events. Our areas of focus were voting rights, redistricting, Medicare expansion, and criminal justice. Working with that group was great. I met a lot of the people I am working with now under the Georgia Youth Justice Coalition where I help lead their redistricting team, where we focus a lot on fighting what is another form of voter suppression, the same type that we saw with SB202, and by engaging a diverse group of young people to get involved in the redistricting process and by trying to tell the story of redistricting in a values-based way. Not just a kind of procedural “what is it?” but why do we as communities deserve representation and what values are at stake? And what for our communities and democracy is at stake?
"I also do some community organizing. I work with a group called Beacon Hill Black Alliance for Civil and Human Rights. I do a lot of DEI work as well, working on curriculum reform in my school system, Decatur, where I just graduated, and statewide with Students4DEI. I might say I also like to play guitar but I spend a lot of my time organizing so that’s about it."
LN: In your own words, describe the actions and events in Georgia and nationwide as far as voter restriction and suppression of the right to vote.
JF: I really don’t know what else you could say besides it’s an outright attack on our democracy and an attempt to implement “minoritarian” rule, with extremely fascistic overtones, if not overtly fascistic policies. There is no evidence for widespread voter fraud. There is no evidence to support a lot of the most restrictive policies that we’re seeing passed across the country, specifically here in Georgia. It is part of a very worrying, increasingly, and well-documented radicalization of the Republican Party against the idea of democracy itself, not a policy, not a law, not even about taxes, about democracy itself. Republicans’ faith in democracy has plummeted to its lowest point ever, largely because of the propagation of things like the “Big Lie”. We know for a fact that Republican politicians are pushing laws that will either one, allow them to possibly overturn elections after votes have been cast, or make it incredibly difficult for people to cast those ballots in the first place. It is as simple as that, as terrifying as that it is. It is that simple. I think that in Georgia we see a lot of stuff targeted specifically at the new multiracial coalition that brought Joe Biden both victory here in Georgia and our Senators Ossoff and Warnock in office. A lot of the laws like SB202 are designed to make it more difficult for these more recently engaged communities to vote and for them to utilize systems that proved successful Democrats like absentee ballots. It’s worth noting were a method of voting that was promoted by Republicans, until it became politically disadvantageous. All of a sudden we see restrictions under the name of fraud propagated by the state legislature and the judicial system. So that would be what I’d say about that. Our democracy is in dire straights.
The rest of this interview is being transcribed and put into accessible form currently.
Vibha Chemangunta
Luke Netto: What are your titles, responsibilities, hobbies, etc as they relate to youth engagement and civics? In other words, how would you introduce yourself?
Vibha Chemangunta: My name is Vibha Chemangunta, and I am a rising senior at Plano East Senior High School in Texas. I am Vice Chair of the Texas High School Democrats and a fellow at Grassroots Democrats Headquarters. I am also Co-President of my school’s speech and debate team, a Model UN competitor, and a member of my school’s High School Democrats of America chapter. Additionally, I am involved with organizations such as Mission Possible Kids, and am an instructor and coordinator at Be The Light Youth Organization.
LN: In your own words, describe the actions and events in Texas and nationwide as far as voter restriction and suppression.
VK: As a fellow at Grassroots Dems, we spent a lot of time researching and campaigning specifically for the For The People Act, a bill that will limit dark money influence on campaigns and make voting more accessible. To see Senate Republicans shut it down so quickly back in June was astonishing. Living in a red state like Texas, that kind of blatant opposition to justice isn’t completely new to me. Of late, the Texas Legislature has revealed their desire to impose new, more extensive restrictions on voting. This bans several forms of accessible voting for working class families, for low-income families, and for people of color. It’s upsetting, but not surprising.
LN: In your own words, define "voter suppression".
VK: ‘Voter suppression’ can only be described as a political ploy. To me, it’s almost a paradox. Voting, which is an inherently democratic act, being suppressed and prevented in a way that can only be described as autocratic, seems extremely ironic. In a nation whose history is rife with wrongdoings towards minorities and who should be working towards repenting for that history, taking steps to repress the voices of the same groups who are already at an inherent disadvantage is most simply phrased as despicable.
LN: Texas legislative Democrats fled Texas in an effort to deny a quorum for the passage of voter restriction bills (among other things). Could you explain why this had to have happened?
VK: There was no other way around it. From a national perspective, Texas has been a red dominated, red legislated state. There’s a certain point at which we are in a blindspot, and no one is truly paying attention to us. Because of this, Texas GOP legislators have been able to pass truly harmful legislation, like the voting restrictions they were going to pass had Texas Dems not fled. Now, they have the country’s attention. They’re meeting with the Vice President, with Senator Manchin, and as much as they did break quorum, they took a much needed stand.
LN: What can youth do to fight voter suppression?
VK: Phone bank! Text bank! Talk to your representatives! Talk to voters, talk to your peers, and take the time to educate yourself. For a lot of us, politics and lawmaking are foreign, confusing subjects, but researching and understanding the intricacies and forces at play can make all the difference.
LN: Another person I interviewed stated that gerrymandering and voter restriction is "disgusting" and he's "damn fed up with it". Would you agree with this statement and could you add on your own opinions of any attempts to subvert democracy?
VK: I maybe would not phrase it in that way, but I do echo the sentiment. I personally believe it’s a badly disguised attempt at corrupting democracy. If your voice represents the majority and if your opinions and legislative plans are reflected by most of America, you shouldn’t need voting restrictions to pass your bills and acts. The fact that the GOP is so staunchly against legislation that wants to strengthen our democracy makes me question the integrity of their definition of democracy.
LN: In as few possible words, what is your opinion on youth involvement, both generally and as it relates to preserving democracy?
VK: Youth involvement is so indescribably crucial. This government and country is going to be ours soon. We need to be prepared to inherit it. That starts right now, whether it be staying updated on what’s going on in our government and country or talking to our representatives and becoming directly involved as youth. My hope is that we take better care of this country and its constituents than our predecessors
LN: What do you think is the biggest barrier to action being taken on the subversion of democracy?
VK: The primary prevention against democracy-saving action comes from those sworn to protect democracy, as ironic as it may seem. The political sphere becomes a chessboard, and some people, powered by money and corruption, are a few steps ahead of others. The problem is that the people a few steps behind want to level the playing field, but politicians need their checkmate. So they filibuster, they block legislation, and they suppress voters.
LN: What are the first three adjectives you think of when you hear "democracy"?
VK: Platform, canvas, opportunity
LN: What do you believe must be done for fairness and equity in democracy and the systems that govern our representation and voting?
VK: Representation is so critical. Only 24 out of 100 senators are women, when our country is 50.2% female. That’s not even the start: the majority of our representatives on the federal level are old, white men, to put it quite plainly. It took centuries after the conception of the nation to have a Black, South Asian, female VICE president. When the people’s voices and faces and sentiments are echoed and represented in government, that’s when we actually take steps towards fairness and equity in democracy and in our voting systems.
Vibha Chemangunta: My name is Vibha Chemangunta, and I am a rising senior at Plano East Senior High School in Texas. I am Vice Chair of the Texas High School Democrats and a fellow at Grassroots Democrats Headquarters. I am also Co-President of my school’s speech and debate team, a Model UN competitor, and a member of my school’s High School Democrats of America chapter. Additionally, I am involved with organizations such as Mission Possible Kids, and am an instructor and coordinator at Be The Light Youth Organization.
LN: In your own words, describe the actions and events in Texas and nationwide as far as voter restriction and suppression.
VK: As a fellow at Grassroots Dems, we spent a lot of time researching and campaigning specifically for the For The People Act, a bill that will limit dark money influence on campaigns and make voting more accessible. To see Senate Republicans shut it down so quickly back in June was astonishing. Living in a red state like Texas, that kind of blatant opposition to justice isn’t completely new to me. Of late, the Texas Legislature has revealed their desire to impose new, more extensive restrictions on voting. This bans several forms of accessible voting for working class families, for low-income families, and for people of color. It’s upsetting, but not surprising.
LN: In your own words, define "voter suppression".
VK: ‘Voter suppression’ can only be described as a political ploy. To me, it’s almost a paradox. Voting, which is an inherently democratic act, being suppressed and prevented in a way that can only be described as autocratic, seems extremely ironic. In a nation whose history is rife with wrongdoings towards minorities and who should be working towards repenting for that history, taking steps to repress the voices of the same groups who are already at an inherent disadvantage is most simply phrased as despicable.
LN: Texas legislative Democrats fled Texas in an effort to deny a quorum for the passage of voter restriction bills (among other things). Could you explain why this had to have happened?
VK: There was no other way around it. From a national perspective, Texas has been a red dominated, red legislated state. There’s a certain point at which we are in a blindspot, and no one is truly paying attention to us. Because of this, Texas GOP legislators have been able to pass truly harmful legislation, like the voting restrictions they were going to pass had Texas Dems not fled. Now, they have the country’s attention. They’re meeting with the Vice President, with Senator Manchin, and as much as they did break quorum, they took a much needed stand.
LN: What can youth do to fight voter suppression?
VK: Phone bank! Text bank! Talk to your representatives! Talk to voters, talk to your peers, and take the time to educate yourself. For a lot of us, politics and lawmaking are foreign, confusing subjects, but researching and understanding the intricacies and forces at play can make all the difference.
LN: Another person I interviewed stated that gerrymandering and voter restriction is "disgusting" and he's "damn fed up with it". Would you agree with this statement and could you add on your own opinions of any attempts to subvert democracy?
VK: I maybe would not phrase it in that way, but I do echo the sentiment. I personally believe it’s a badly disguised attempt at corrupting democracy. If your voice represents the majority and if your opinions and legislative plans are reflected by most of America, you shouldn’t need voting restrictions to pass your bills and acts. The fact that the GOP is so staunchly against legislation that wants to strengthen our democracy makes me question the integrity of their definition of democracy.
LN: In as few possible words, what is your opinion on youth involvement, both generally and as it relates to preserving democracy?
VK: Youth involvement is so indescribably crucial. This government and country is going to be ours soon. We need to be prepared to inherit it. That starts right now, whether it be staying updated on what’s going on in our government and country or talking to our representatives and becoming directly involved as youth. My hope is that we take better care of this country and its constituents than our predecessors
LN: What do you think is the biggest barrier to action being taken on the subversion of democracy?
VK: The primary prevention against democracy-saving action comes from those sworn to protect democracy, as ironic as it may seem. The political sphere becomes a chessboard, and some people, powered by money and corruption, are a few steps ahead of others. The problem is that the people a few steps behind want to level the playing field, but politicians need their checkmate. So they filibuster, they block legislation, and they suppress voters.
LN: What are the first three adjectives you think of when you hear "democracy"?
VK: Platform, canvas, opportunity
LN: What do you believe must be done for fairness and equity in democracy and the systems that govern our representation and voting?
VK: Representation is so critical. Only 24 out of 100 senators are women, when our country is 50.2% female. That’s not even the start: the majority of our representatives on the federal level are old, white men, to put it quite plainly. It took centuries after the conception of the nation to have a Black, South Asian, female VICE president. When the people’s voices and faces and sentiments are echoed and represented in government, that’s when we actually take steps towards fairness and equity in democracy and in our voting systems.
Larissa Saar
Luke Netto: Do you understand the thinking behind voter suppression and gerrymandering in America?
Larissa Saar: Generally, yes. I'm familiar with the concept of gerrymandering in general, and I've read about how it is used in a strategic manner in the US. I'm familiar with the debate on voter suppression, although it does at times strike me a bit odd as some things that are related to this, like the need to register to vote, don't apply where I live.
LN: Are you only able to understand the think and history behind voter suppression because of your academic education which focuses on America?
LS: I'd say most of my knowledge comes from my studies, which were in English/American Studies and Political Science. There is news coverage on issues in the US in German media, and I read American newspapers and magazines, although I think it is not always entirely clear what the problem with some proposals are from that, since especially in the German media there is no time to delve deeply into explanations of the context.
LN: If attempts to subvert democracy, as seen in America, occurred in Western Europe or simply Germany, what do you think the public's reaction would be?
LS: I'm not sure similar measures could even be taken in Germany. I've also found it odd that requiring IDs to vote is an actual issue, because you do need to show ID to vote here as well. Then again, everyone does have an ID, so from my outside perspective, the problem that arises in the US isn't actually that IDs are required but that some people aren't able to have one. Similarly, there isn't really an issue with voter registries, since everyone in Germany is registered with the city at their place of residence, and then automatically registered to vote and notified about their polling place when there are elections; I've also never been aware of there being significant lines at polling places. Organizing elections don't seem like a political, but rather an administrative issue.
Maybe it is because we have multiple parties and representational voting, or because our democracy is actually still relatively young, but I don't see any of the major parties openly advocating for voting restrictions
LN: Do you think America is still viewed as a nation known for its liberty and democracy as it once was?
LS: For the most part, I do think that it is. From what I've seen, there have been polls that showed that the international image of the US improved again rapidly after Biden won the election. Despite Trump's best attempts, there was a peaceful transfer of power, and the democratic system has held up.
There have always been criticisms coming along with US hegemony, and America not living up to its own ideals, but that was widespread in the 1980s too. At the same time, what is the alternative?
Larissa Saar: Generally, yes. I'm familiar with the concept of gerrymandering in general, and I've read about how it is used in a strategic manner in the US. I'm familiar with the debate on voter suppression, although it does at times strike me a bit odd as some things that are related to this, like the need to register to vote, don't apply where I live.
LN: Are you only able to understand the think and history behind voter suppression because of your academic education which focuses on America?
LS: I'd say most of my knowledge comes from my studies, which were in English/American Studies and Political Science. There is news coverage on issues in the US in German media, and I read American newspapers and magazines, although I think it is not always entirely clear what the problem with some proposals are from that, since especially in the German media there is no time to delve deeply into explanations of the context.
LN: If attempts to subvert democracy, as seen in America, occurred in Western Europe or simply Germany, what do you think the public's reaction would be?
LS: I'm not sure similar measures could even be taken in Germany. I've also found it odd that requiring IDs to vote is an actual issue, because you do need to show ID to vote here as well. Then again, everyone does have an ID, so from my outside perspective, the problem that arises in the US isn't actually that IDs are required but that some people aren't able to have one. Similarly, there isn't really an issue with voter registries, since everyone in Germany is registered with the city at their place of residence, and then automatically registered to vote and notified about their polling place when there are elections; I've also never been aware of there being significant lines at polling places. Organizing elections don't seem like a political, but rather an administrative issue.
Maybe it is because we have multiple parties and representational voting, or because our democracy is actually still relatively young, but I don't see any of the major parties openly advocating for voting restrictions
LN: Do you think America is still viewed as a nation known for its liberty and democracy as it once was?
LS: For the most part, I do think that it is. From what I've seen, there have been polls that showed that the international image of the US improved again rapidly after Biden won the election. Despite Trump's best attempts, there was a peaceful transfer of power, and the democratic system has held up.
There have always been criticisms coming along with US hegemony, and America not living up to its own ideals, but that was widespread in the 1980s too. At the same time, what is the alternative?