I’ve never been old enough to cast a ballot in an election, but my friends and I are deeply dialed into the world around us. We constantly discuss the news, the policy decisions shaping our everyday lives, and the changes we wish to see.
While we’re having these conversations and forming our own opinions, we’re often missing ways to make those opinions heard. A recent study revealed that fewer than half of young people feel their school experiences validate their voices — with Black and Asian youth reporting even lower rates. That dynamic is both a major problem and a massive, missed opportunity. Giving youth a real platform changes how we engage with society; that same study found that over 80% of adolescents who felt like their voices were valued at school are extremely likely to vote as adults, compared to just 44% among those who did not feel their voices were valued.
As a senior at Francis Lewis High School in Queens, I’ve been fortunate to make my voice heard through the YMCA of Greater New York’s Teens Take the City program. This initiative brings together citywide teens to take on peer-elected leadership roles, learn local government mechanics up close, and develop concrete policy ideas by campaigning for support and building community coalitions.
Elected by my peers as Youth Mayor this year, I’ve seen firsthand what young people can achieve with a true seat at the table. Growing up in NYC — navigating subways, visiting parks, and crossing boroughs — gives us a unique perspective that can help leaders better understand and serve their constituents.
Last year, our program conducted community assessments and interviews to represent marginalized New Yorkers. We proposed policies addressing hunger, safety, immigration, and substance abuse. I even had the opportunity to discuss our youth-safety proposal with NYS Assembly Member Andrew Hevesi, who requested a copy of our bill to help shape legislation he was already drafting.
Traveling around all five boroughs and talking to young people taught me that leadership begins with openness to represent people with different experiences and perspectives, not just those you’re already familiar with. That realization is what ultimately inspired my run for Youth Mayor.
Too many New Yorkers still feel disconnected from the civic choices that affect them. A 2021 report showed that 35% of youth feel people like them lack a say in government actions. I see that disconnect among my peers. This is why New York City should create more opportunities for active youth civic participation in our schools — not just to prepare us for the day we become voters, but to tap our expertise starting right now. These experiences — on top of existing opportunities, like pre-registering to vote at 16 or 17 and taking part in local participatory budgeting processes — would help turn our interest into meaningful participation.
Serving as Youth Mayor has made me realize that being too young to vote doesn’t mean being too young to contribute. The decisions being made today affect the city we will soon inherit. I haven’t cast my first official ballot yet, but I’ve already learned that my voice has value. Every young New Yorker shouldn’t have to wait until they turn 18 to discover that theirs does, too.
Jolene Oei is a senior at Francis Lewis High School in Queens and the Youth Mayor of the YMCA of Greater New York’s Teens Take the City program.