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During the Q&A, a student named Aiden asked a question that has stayed with me ever since:<\/p>\n
\u201cI was born in 2002. I was six years old in 2008, so I don\u2019t remember the financial crisis. I don\u2019t remember Occupy Wall Street. When I was 13 or 14, I was entering high school when Trump was elected. And so, all I\u2019ve known of this country is instability and horror. It seems like a fallacy that we have any power as young people\u2026what is the point of continuing to care, and if we continue to care, does that mean we have power, and if so, where can we actually apply it, because to me, it doesn\u2019t seem like we do.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Aiden\u2019s question was raw, honest, and, sadly, not unique. I\u2019ve heard many variations of this from students over the past few months\u2014bright, thoughtful young people who are wondering whether their voices matter in a world that feels like it\u2019s spiraling.<\/p>\n So to Aiden\u2014and to everyone who has asked a similar question\u2014let me start with this: There\u2019s no question we\u2019re in a turbulent time. Government investment in scientific research is being slashed, tariffs are straining relationships with allies, and the U.S. has withdrawn from the Paris Agreement. Misinformation is rampant. Political polarization is deepening. There are real threats to democratic norms.<\/p>\n But this isn\u2019t the first time young Americans have lived through chaos\u2014or shaped what came next.<\/p>\n During the U.S. Civil War, young<\/a> people<\/a> served as soldiers, nurses, and supporters on the home front. In the Industrial Revolution and Progressive Era<\/a>, they pushed for labor reforms<\/a>, women\u2019s suffrage, and education rights. Students led protests during the Civil Rights Movement, the Vietnam War, and the fight against apartheid in South Africa.<\/p>\n Today\u2019s world may feel unprecedented, but history reminds us: young people have always been at the forefront of change.<\/strong><\/p>\n Greta Thunberg<\/a> began striking for climate action outside the Swedish parliament at age 15. She has since galvanized a global youth movement, reshaped public discourse, and pressured governments to act. These aren\u2019t anomalies. They\u2019re proof that passion and persistence\u2014especially from young people\u2014can make a tangible difference.<\/p>\n Getting involved isn\u2019t always safe. History is full of reminders of this\u2014from the students beaten<\/a> on the Edmund Pettus Bridge during the Civil Rights Movement, to those killed at Kent State<\/a> protesting the Vietnam War. Today, some international students who\u2019ve attended pro-Palestinian protests are facing deportation<\/a>.<\/p>\n But not<\/strong> getting involved carries a risk, too: the risk of leaving the future in someone else\u2019s hands.<\/p>\n Cynicism and apathy don\u2019t just arise from despair\u2014they\u2019re often the goal. Chaos breeds confusion. Confusion breeds disengagement. And disengagement leaves power unchallenged.<\/p>\n One of the most powerful\u2014and accessible\u2014ways to push back is by engaging critically with the information we consume and share.<\/p>\n Young people today are increasingly getting their news from social media<\/a>, especially TikTok. But much of that content is shaped by influencers\u2014often male and conservative<\/a>\u2014and lacks the journalistic standards<\/a> of verification, context, and accountability.<\/p>\n Foreign state actors are creating fake news sites and <\/a>paying influencers<\/a> to subtly shift public opinion. This is not conspiracy; it\u2019s a documented strategy.<\/a><\/p>\n Want to make a difference? Start by protecting the integrity of our media ecosystem:<\/p>\n
\nYour voice absolutely matters.<\/strong><\/p>\nContext: Yes, Things Are Bad. But This Isn\u2019t the First Time.<\/h3>\n
Today\u2019s Changemakers<\/h3>\n
\nAnd in December 2024, the Montana Supreme Court<\/a> upheld the rights of 16 young plaintiffs who argued that the state\u2019s support for fossil fuels violated their constitutional right to a clean and healthful environment. They won.<\/p>\nYes, There Are Risks<\/h3>\n
Understanding Media Power<\/h3>\n
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Other Ways to Take Action<\/h3>\n