Democracy. In an ideal democratic system, your race, gender, sexuality, and religion wouldn’t matter. In reality, this is far from true. Despite these shortcomings, there are certain things you do have control over in our flawed, imperfect system. You are entitled to that vote– one of millions, yes, but a vote all the same. It is not a gift. It is your right as a citizen- no, not only your right, but your duty. Many will say that you owe it to the ancestors who fought so hard for that vote. In truth, you owe it to yourself. You owe it to yourself to choose.

That is precisely what Laci Jordan, LA artist and activist, is trying to convey in this piece. Utilizing the popular #NeverAgain movement as her platform, she urges young voters to actually vote. Her imagery is simple, message clear. People have power should they choose to use it… and using it may mean the difference between life and death for some.

The methods by which she relays her message are direct and powerful. She appeals strongly to pathos through her invocation of the #NeverAgain movement. Some may disagree with the direction of it, but few can find fault with its origin. The tragedies of school shootings are indisputably horrific and must be stopped. This ties in with her kairotic approach, as current tragedy often spurs mobilization. Jordan also invokes ethos through her appeal to civic responsibility, as it is our duty as American citizens to vote.

But are her- or anyone’s appeals, that is- strong enough to make a difference? Young voter turnout has statistically always been the lowest out of all age blocks. Can the new age of social media and widespread information possibly make a difference? For my essay, I would love to analyze the different situations and subsequent approaches to encourage young voters to hit the polls, and to see if and how they have changed over time.

Thank you!