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A collage of voting symbols and Black voters.
Op-Ed October 30, 2024

I’m Voting for the Future

A collage of voting symbols and Black voters.

By Emily Wilson

Whether it's your first protest or rally, there's always at least one event that sticks with young leaders forever. For me, there were two defining events that sparked my civic journey: COVID-19 and the murder of George Floyd. 

2020 was a difficult time. COVID-19 was on the rise, and there were countless Black Lives Matter protests. George Floyd's murder inspired me to return to activism and prioritize voting like never before. I didn't think former President Donald Trump handled the situation well, and I wanted to vote for someone who would care about the well-being of all Americans.

When it comes to voting, people often speak about the past. They talk about the dogs, the water hoses, and the fact that there was a time when we didn't have this right. While recognizing this history is a good reason to vote, it shouldn't be the only reason you're voting. I'm not voting because of things that happened in the past, I'm voting because of what's happening right now. Books are being banned now, women's right to choose is in jeopardy now, and our history is being taken out of schools now. So I'm voting for the future. We didn't come this far to only come this far. I'm voting to make the world a more equitable place for future generations.

As a young leader, there are many things I do to keep my people engaged. Something I was taught at the NAACP Fired Up Summit was that we know our units better than anyone. As president of the North Carolina A&T collegiate chapter, I use every resource at my disposal to drive membership. In our chapter, we use the Divine Nine's influence on our executive committee to encourage membership and incentivize students at our events. We collaborate with organizations that bring people to events. Soon, we'll be hosting a "Parade to the Polls" event in collaboration with the Joint Greek Council and the Blue and Gold Marching Machine. To effectively encourage people to vote — just as with increasing membership — it's essential to meet them where they are and establish genuine connections.

Emily Wilson is Democracy Fellow in North Carolina, working with the NAACP to mobilize Black voters.