Interview with Enfranchise the Youth

When I was in high school, there were many girls younger than myself became very involved in politics. When I entered college this past year, I got a follow request on Instagram from @enfranchisetheyouth. I learned that it was created by two girls, both a year younger than me, but from my high school. I decided that I would reach out to one of the founders of Enfranchise the Youth named Chloe Warshaw.

Tell me a little about yourself.

My name is Chloe Warshaw, and I am about to be a freshman at Bates College in Maine. I started my journey as a community organizer/activist as a sophomore in high school when educating myself and lobbying one of my representatives. Since then, I have been involved in working on issues such as teen mental health awareness, gun violence prevention, voting rights, criminal justice reform, and more. I also work alongside the ACLU. 

When did you start Enfranchise the Youth?

Aoife and I started Enfranchise the Youth during our spring break in 2018.

What is Enfranchise the Youth?
Enfranchise the Youth is a space for young people to engage with our political system in an efficient and informative manner. By providing information on how to register to vote, giving candidate profiles for upcoming elections, curating a student op-ed series and more on our website, we hope to encourage a dialogue around social issues that might seem daunting. As a nonpartisan organization, Enfranchise the Youth’s goal is to help young people come into their own belief systems through education and show them that having conversations between party lines does not have to be scary.

Why did you start it?

We started EFY after realizing that the information on our political system that we really needed was buried under partisan agendas and in lengthy textbooks. As students, we recognized that there needed to be a simple way to becoming informed without bias due to our heavy workload and plethora of activities. But more importantly, we noticed that many of our classmates views reflected that of their parents and that no authentic conversations were occurring about social issues and we wanted to change that, showing people how to find what they are passionate about and discuss it with others. 

Do you feel as though your gender or age makes people take you less seriously?

I think young people grapple with the fact that often when being activists, they are being tagged as “inspiring” rather than productive. Yet as an activist I still have significant privilege being a white woman, so one of my main priorities is knowing when to step back and listen to acknowledge that I do not have personal experience in some of the issues I am working on. 

How do you combat that?

Being informed and confident is the best way to be effective. If someone tries to question your credibility, hit them with knowledge, and if you are comfortable, confront any biases you may see around you. But like I said previously, much of being a community organizer/activist is stepping back to let others share their experiences. I know that I am taken more seriously than many of my peers of color, so I can’t speak fully on being discriminated against or looked down upon. 

What is your biggest take away from the experience of creating Enfranchise the Youth?

I think that it has taught me that you can turn your passion into action if you really want to. If you are motivated and inspired by an issue, chances are you may inspire your onlookers to think critically and take action as well. Also, success does not come quickly. We still have not reached as many audiences as we would like, but that’s okay. The small steps to progress are vital in making a leap, and I am proud of all the work we have done. 

What advice would you give to young girls and boys who want to get involved like you were able to?

Don’t be afraid to think big. If you have an idea, recognize its potential, and then work backwards to begin with the baby steps. Any progress is progress and simply by educating yourself and wanting to engage in creating social change, you are fighting the fight. Educate yourself and listen to those who have different experiences than you to make sure you include the greater community. Do not feel like you have to accomplish everything, but realize that your passion has power. 

I have so much appreciation for all the work that Chloe and her co-founder Aiofe have done with Enfranchise the Youth. I hope that they are able to reach more people, as they have amazing things to say. Please check out their Instagram and give them a follow so you can follow their journey! But, if you just want to check out all their post information, click this link here and if you want to check out their website click here!