As a Black, 22-year-old male who has only recently been able to vote, this election cycle has been a wild, unserious ride for me and many others from my generation. From the disastrous presidential debate to Donald Trump’s attempted assassination to Joe Biden stepping down to make way for Kamala Harris, this hasn’t been the most graceful of elections—and it’s only my second one out here! However, I can finally breathe a sigh of relief and sense a new wave of hope now that Kamala Harris and Tim Walz are on the ticket.
Initially, seeing Biden as a candidate worried me for more than one reason. For starters, he and Trump are almost four times my age and twice the age of the average American (40 years old)! This is ridiculous and, in my opinion, highlights how flawed our electoral system is, allowing people who might have outdated views to represent the country as a whole. It seems as though today, especially within the Supreme Court, everyone wants to meddle in others’ business when they could be focused on actually making America great again (cough cough, Donald Trump and Clarence Thomas).
Secondly, with age comes a natural decline in cognitive function, and that’s okay! People shouldn’t be ashamed of getting older and reaching a point where they should retire—it’s life! However, Biden’s age made me worry about how effectively he could function in the best interests of all of us as president.
Everyone in my family and friends knew I was likely to vote for Biden, as he seemed to be the lesser of two evils. While I had voted in the 2020 election for Biden, I had a thought—a really, really small one—but it was there: maybe I wouldn’t vote at all this time around, as I viewed both candidates to be subpar and felt that neither could relate to my generation’s struggles with the economy, job market, education, and healthcare.
It was disheartening because, while I didn’t want Trump to win, the fact that I might vote an 81-year-old man into office who might go heels up because of the stress of his job didn’t resonate well with me. And don’t even get me started on the presidential debate between Biden and Trump—that was a national disaster in itself and made the United States look like a laughingstock. Someone call the Coast Guard and FEMA!
When Biden stepped down, I truly believed it was one of the most patriotic acts he could have done, showing his love for democracy and the American people. Now, with Kamala Harris and Tim Walz on the ticket, I feel renewed hope for our country’s future and the Democratic Party. Many of my friends and family were initially not going to vote. However, they now express a renewed sense of vigor and pride in the Democratic candidate. This shift is not only because she is younger but also because it feels like the Democratic Party is truly listening to their calls for change—something they hadn’t seen in a long time.
Since Harris became the Democratic nominee, many of my friends have explicitly said they will vote for her campaign. They cite a newfound pride in the Democratic Party, influenced in part by endorsements from Beyoncé and Kendrick Lamar, and believe their vote could be decisive in choosing between an inclusive society and one ruled by fear and hate, as represented by the Trump party.
My friends who are in school or just starting their careers fear that if Trump returns to office, essential funding for education could disappear and that his return might foster a culture of open hate and intolerance in many workplaces. His party’s quick shift to attacking Harris’s race at the 2024 Black Journalists Convention, along with the endorsement of Project 2025 by many of his staffers and the spread of misinformation, has demonstrated to my generation that he prioritizes his image over addressing the challenges and concerns facing the future of this country.
This election now has us fired up to show Trump and his band of ear-bandaged-wearing, MAGA goons that we are not going back to a divisive American past. Instead, we are focusing on a new future for the United States—one where people of my generation, my skin color, and my background are heard.
