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Midterm elections rarely draw the youth vote, but Gen Z showed up and broke the mold.
Reflections on the turmoil and transformation of 2022 through its most notable speeches.
Pivotal poets inspiring young Americans to find their civic voices.
High-impact books exploring history, activism, and identity in America
Most Read of the Year
From campaign work to voting initiatives, Watch Us Rise highlights six different ways young people have gotten involved this midterm season.
How a 25-year-old became one of the most powerful social media voices in American politics.
As Gabrielle on Sesame Street, Megan Piphus Peace makes history and introduces young people to the civic world.
Some democracies require their citizens to cast ballots in every election, leading to sky-high turnout. Should the U.S. join them?
MEDIA
Rising stars of Hollywood, social networks and news media
POLITICS
Young candidates in the American political pantheon
GLOBAL
International youth leaders transforming geopolitics
ACTIVISM
Young visionaries pushing for justice and social change
INNOVATION
Tech wizards healing society through science and technology
FEATURES
WORDS THAT INSPIRE
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President Joe Biden, University of Delaware commencement speech May 28, 2022
"Your generation is the most generous, the most tolerant, the least prejudiced, the best-educated generation this nation has ever known. And that's a simple fact. And it's your generation, more than anyone else, who will have to answer the question, 'Who are we?' 'What do we stand for?' 'What do we believe?' 'Who will we be?'”
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Chana Joffe-Walt, "This American Life" October 28, 2022
"So many of the big, contentious political issues right now center around kids. Should teachers be allowed to teach about racism, history, sexuality? Will stricter gun laws keep our kids safe in school? Would more aggressive climate policies keep them safer in the future? Which ones? All these policy debates that we've been having for months, that are so central to American politics right now, affect kids more than anyone else."
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Senator Bob Casey at the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Subcommittee on Children and Families November 30, 2022
"Our nation is facing a youth mental health crisis. At any given time, approximately one in five teens is struggling with a mental health condition. There is a greater need for youth mental health care than ever before."
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Liz Cheney, Institute of Politics forum at Harvard Kennedy School October 18, 2022
“None of us can be a bystander. We need every one of you. We need you involved and engaged. There’s no more important thing you could be doing than helping to make sure that we right this ship of our democracy.”
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Adam Kinzinger, Jan 6 Committee Closing speech July 21, 2022
"We the people must demand more of our politicians and ourselves. Oaths matter. Character matters. Truth matters. If we do not renew our faith and commitment to these principles, this great experiment of ours, our shining beacon on a hill, will not endure."
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Amanda Gorman, NPR interview September 19, 2022
"I was raised by a single mother who also happened to be an English teacher, and she always taught me the power of words and language.. I think literacy is not just how we become better people, but it's how we become more active members of society and of our global community because it gives each of us a voice and the capacity to understand."