The growth of hope, speech, art, and protests throughout the nation has bloomed. A new generation of passion has shot out of the darkest corners of America and is bringing new attention to the youth. Topics including climate change, gun control, unalienable rights of the Consunalienable rights of the Constitution, and safety for all. Other political debates have surfaced and have created a chain reaction with both positive and negative impacts. The The BBC statedstated that because of the technology and social media the new generation has been provided with, it has led younger audiences to become more confident and,, in turn,, more likely to speak up without fear. With a mix of new viewpointsviewpoints, creativity, freedom of speech, and more accessible news outlets,, thousands of people feel compelled to express their feelings and stand for what they strongly believe.
The newer generations have been surrounded by social media since they were young and have grown to use itit in countless ways. Platforms like TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and X, formerly known as Twitter,, formerly known as Twitter, are now used to promote political information. Tufts,eduTc.e adds that social media platforms help BlackBlack and LatinoLatino youth, as well as young women,, speak out. Not only that, but Tufts also shares their findings, which include that because of social media,, the youth are more likely to vote in the future. CIRCLE has done an exclusive poll on how social media is one of the leading factors inin the growing number of potential voters and attributes it to how digital media helps, as, “YYoung people’s political information diet.”
Although social media is a new and faster way of spreading awareness to causes, art is ever-changingever-changing and has a much deeper impact than a simple postpost or Instagram story. Numerous students at Lake Highland areNumerous students at Lake Highland are very passionate about art and use it as their own voice. Students Vivica Lane,, grade 9grade 9, and Annabelle Kwok, grade , grade 12, use their creativity to express their interests and bring attention to current situations around the world. Vivica is extremely outspoken about climate change andand state,d, “I speak up because I care, and I want to make a difference.” To her, this topic is especially important,, and bringing more awareness to it is what she strives for.. She elaborated by saying,She elaborated by saying, “I really care about the environment a lot, and I think everyone should take their part in doing this. So that’s why I speak up to make people aware of the little things they could do that could turn into big things if lots of people do it.” Vivica said she will continue to fight for an impact and thinks that,, “AA lot of people are unaware of things that are happening in the world right now, and when aware, it gives people the choice to stand with [her] and thousands of others to help make a difference.” She stressed the argument of how important it is to,, “LearnLearn about these specific topics and express them fairly” so that things are changed the right way. A stable foundation of education and respect can pave the way for a better environmental future for Earth because,, “WWithout the Earth, what do we have?” Vivica asked
Annabelle Kwok is another artist who created her piece because of another interest that she enjoys. She shared that this topic intrigued her, “Because [she hasshe has] always loved learning about history.” Her piece,, Russo-Ukraine War,, is important to her and has many hidden elements that represent deeper meanings. Annabelle said,, “I strongly believe it’s important to speak up on topics like these because I feel that this generation is a little too comfortable normalizing and joking about these atrocities.”.” Annabelle said she firmly believes that, “With our voices, talents, abilities, and current-day technology,, we should be able to fight for the things we believe in and help those who need us in these moments.” Her art piece has been viewed in many different lights and has been perceived as a piece that makes others uncomfortable. She ,explained, “It is not about comfort; it is about the people who have to live through this C’Cruel’ situation, while all we seem to do is turn away because it’s an uncomfortable and heavy topic.”
In addition to commentary through visual arts, students are speaking out in more vocal ways aswell. Local walkouts have been reported on and are being held for a variety of different reasons,, including gun control, LGBTQ rights,, and the recent ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) raids. Many students have taken this opportunity to make a huge impact and essentially boycott the system that has betayed them. Students Demand Action is a student run organization that helps the youth plan walkouts in a safe and professional way, but still standsstands out and sendssends a message. They encourage students to talk with their teachers and school administrators, but also to exercise their right to freedom of speech. Although walkouts can be done in a peaceful way, some schools have served harsh punishments,, including detention, suspension, and even expulsion,, as the the Los Angeles Times shared. Although the shadow of punishment follows these young students, they continue to use their passion and boost their voice to express their part in the social world. Walkouts and boycotts have become more popular with high school and middle school-ageschool-age kids and continuecontinue to spread the message that the youth are watching and ready to make a change throughout the nation.
Social media, art, walkouts,walkouts, and many other forms of simple protest make a huge impact onon every level of the social, political,, and environmental status of the United States. The biggest lesson to learn from the millions of kids whowho speak out is to find something about which to be passionate and proud. Speaking out is crucial in these moments because this generation is the future. Global warming, gun control, political debates, and safety for all are just a few of the millions of topics that deserve attention. Youth must continueYouth must continue to speak out and continue to gain education and knowledge about things that matter. With the endless tools due to the growth of technology,, there is no wrong or right way of sharing the contrasting views as new minds bring new ideas. Coming together to embrace our differences and make a change will forever be a cause of celebration.
