Letter to AOC

Dear Representative Ocasio-Cortez,

I am passionate by your Instagram video because it demonstrate how strong we are to fight for our rights. Our youth community is powerful and we fight for what is right and unfair for many people and communities.

One thing you said that stands out for me is: “I think that they are more sensitive, in a positive way, in that they actually care about other peoples' experiences and lives.” I think this is great because hearing other peoples experiences and struggles can strengthen us more and motivate us more to fight for our rights.

I do agree with you that we are the government and not allowing someone else take care of it. One reason I say this is because we are the government and we need to shape it for our good. not only for the good of which is in charge. Another reason I agree with you is that the new generation that the new generation protests in many countries when something is violating our rights or there are problems in the communities and about our world.

Recently I was looking at videos by young activists, and one of them is a good example of what I’m saying here.

I’m especially inspired by the video by Saadia Sajid MYP because she talks about how the right to vote was not allowed for woman. She also talk about how democracy could be used to shape the future and make positive changes to the new generations. Democracy should be for everyone regardless of our culture.

Anecdotes from my mother, we all have those. She used to tell me a story, and this is how it goes. She once met a woman in Pakistan, who had a democratic ambition. But forbidden from voting because that was culturally a male tradition. She was crying out for a voice, a caged bird. Then she became the first female PM of her country, it was her time to be heard. Democracy for you may be a relationship between you and the government, a whole hearted exchange. But my vision for democracy is about creating opportunities for positive change. So I volunteered for Girlguiding, seeing young girls prosper and grow. That’s what we should be broadcasting, a kinder politics, not what the media show. Let’s break down the wall of ignorance, activate the voices of the voiceless. Engage the disengaged, otherwise democracy is just noiseless. Let’s stabilise our democracy, grab it with both hands. Advocate a pluralist democracy and articulate our plans. Obama said we came to not fear the future, but to shape it. So let’s congregate and change the world, the way we see fit. Democratisation for the youth needs to happen fast. Campaigning on votes at 16, that must be a thing of the past. An unrepresentative Parliament? That’s the status quo in subsequent times, a Parliament that resembles us, is one we need to know. Promote a tolerant democracy, welcome refugees with open arms. Fulfilling our humanitarian duties –that will just do no harm. There is more that binds us together than what tears us apart. We may not share blood but we share the same passion in our hearts. Dreams may be as fragile as glass that makes up a mirror. But guess what? You can create your own reflection. Shape our democracy in YOUR chosen direction. Because democracy is for EVERYONE, not just the privileged few regardless of your background, age or gender it has been created for me and you.

Sajid MYP, S. (2016). My Vision for a Better Democracy By Saadia Sajid MYP. www.thencs.co.uk. Available at: http://www.thencs.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Saadia-Sajids-Speech-11th-November-2016.pdf.

This is basically saying that democracy should not be a privilege to a certain groups. It also talk about how democracy is not only a relationship between you and the government, is about creating opportunities for our future, fight for our democracy and shaped in your direction, how we should help each other regardless of our culture or background.

I’ve also been learning about movements leaded for young activists. The young protesters that I find most inspiring are the ones who where protesting during the Vietnam War 1960s because the education of many young people was stoped, separated from their family just to sent them to the war.

I think this history supports something you said in your video: “They're not afraid to have those conversations. If anything, like I think they're profoundly courageous because they're willing to puncture more taboos and have conversations that, frankly, older generations sometimes struggle to have.” I agree with you here, because in those times was difficult to protest against the government because the people against them were people find them was silenced or in the worst case, killed. But times change and now, the new generation is stronger that ever, we make then heard us now.

Thanks for taking the time to read my letter. I look forward to seeing what you do or say next. The response that you give to the question in the video was powerful. We would like to se more people like you who give voice and motivate the youth to fight for their rights.

DMU Timestamp: February 21, 2020 23:45

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