Jan. 20, 2017 marked the first day of President Donald Trump’s term as the 45th president of the United States of America. Millions of protesters poured into the streets across the globe to voice their opinion on the previous day’s inauguration.
Among the crowd of protesters, there were the unmistakable faces of students. College students, high school students, and even elementary aged children were involved in the march.
The most notable of the demonstrations was the Women’s March that took place in Washington D.C., ironically in the same streets that Trump paraded just 24 hours earlier. The women and men that marched on the 21st, marched for things such as women’s rights, survivors of sexual assault, the protection of immigrants, and LGBTQ rights. All together, staggering five million took part in protests around the world.
Students were involved in each and every single one.
No matter which side of the political arena you stand on, this overwhelming amount of support from younger generations is inspiring. These are the future voters of America. These are the people whom change will affect the most. It makes sense that they are the ones demanding this reform.
Despite what our elders so often accuse, we were not hiding behind a glowing screen on the day of the protests. No one who stepped out into any of the marches or protests cowardly typed into a 140 character message and hit send. Today’s youth stepped out and attached both a name and a face to their beliefs. In the eloquent words of a Taco Bell hot sauce packet, do it with passion or not at all.
With a tenacity like the one demonstrated in the protests on Jan. 21, there is no limit to the impact this generation could have. If one person stands up and decides enough is enough, others will too. Soon masses develop, and things actually get changed.
The amazing part about our peers participating in protests is that a teenage girl who carried a sign pleading for equal rights might grow up to write a piece of legislation that helps even out the balance. The boy who chanted his support to the refugees might one day start a foundation to help protect the very people he protested for.
Young people around the world who are still learning algebra are the ones beginning to change the world That is a startling, but extremely hopeful concept.
History is not written by those who stand idly by and watch. It is not written by the ones who shrug off the difficult task in front of them and assume someone else will be around to get it done. It is written by the ones who march for what they believe in. It is written by those who have the vision, the world ethic, and the gumption to create the world in their own eyes.
History will be written by us. And as of right now, our legacy seems to be off to a phenomenal start.