At nearly 6 years old, I remember the feeling of the living room carpet under me as I sat in front of a monitor displaying Barack Obama’s determined face during the 2012 presidential election debates. As the smell of a dinner in progress wafted in from the kitchen, the speakers slightly warbled his voice. 

My eyes concentrated on Obama’s face and I noticed that with every word he uttered, he did it with grace and an overbearing belief that instilled confidence in me. As a voice called me to join them for dinner, I reluctantly pulled myself from my spot in front of the TV, eyes still stuck on the screen. Leaving the room, I still remember feeling a thick aura of hope hanging in the air.

From that point forward, politics and government have been an integral part of my life. For as long as I can remember, it has been a family tradition to sit over steaming hot food at the dinner table and hear my parents and siblings — and when I got older, even me — debate and discuss what was happening in the world. Sometimes we would argue loudly at a divided table, but that was all a part of another lesson my parents taught me, that passion was a good thing, especially in politics.

Day after day at the dinner table, I would gather little bits of information that would help me realize what was most important to me as an American, a Muslim, a woman and a human. 

Being part of a politically aware family, I have always known that the 2024 election would be the first I would be eligible to vote in. However, the weight of that decision only dawned on me recently with November 5th looming. 

My parents and communities have always instilled in me the knowledge that contributing to society through civic and political engagement is the best way to be a good American, and the epitome of that is voting. As a young kid, seeing the colorful red, white and blue “I Voted” stickers that came with my parents’ ballots, I eagerly looked forward to earning one of my own. 

I am inspired by people like Ida B. Wells and Martin Luther King Jr., and I recognize and believe in the immense opportunity that voting gives to our hope-ingrained Republic.

Besides at home, my social studies classes have been instrumental to my learning about the importance and privilege of voting. 

Last year, one of the most influential ways I learned to see current events through the eyes of history was in my American Government class. My teacher explained the importance of voting through the perspective of those who dedicated their lives to gaining the right to vote and tried to put us in their shoes. 

He impressed upon us the fact that had we been alive before the 1965 Voting Rights Act, a majority of us would not have been allowed to vote. After giving us a moment to think about this, he asked why any of us would be unwilling to vote when we have that right.

Still, it is hard not to feel like voting is like having all the world’s power while also having none. Being just one person in a country with millions can be intimidating and make you question the importance of just one vote. In close elections, local or national, one vote can make the difference in electing an individual who is fit to serve the people and one who isn’t. 

I know that when I vote, even if the outcome is not what I want, I make the decision to let my voice be heard and that is what voting is all about.

I often feel at a loss between frustration and worry about how our current government functions and where it is headed. However, there is always the possibility of a better world fueled by the fundamentals of democracy, which at its core is voting. Voting is not only a vehicle of hope but also a tool to empower our society. 

Of all of the emotions I have around voting for the first time, the most prevalent is the feeling that I can make a difference in my country. Most of all, I want to embrace this feeling and celebrate the freedom to vote in order to work toward creating a better future on Nov. 5 along with my fellow Americans. 

I hope that every eligible young adult joins me in voting and embraces the opportunity to help shape this country to uphold the values we hold dear.  

Ayah Al-Masyabi lives in Aurora and is a student journalist and creative who attends Branson School Online. Ayah was part of The Colorado Sun’s Rise & Shine Journalism Workshop for high school students.

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