By Maia Perez
Vice President of the United States Kamala Harris spoke at College of Southern Nevada in her “Fight for our Freedoms” tour telling the students their votes matter.
According to The White House’s website in its Briefing Room in a Sept. 7 news release, “At around a dozen schools across at least seven states, the Vice President will bring thousands of students together around the fight for reproductive freedom, common sense gun safety laws, climate action, voting rights, LGBTQ+ equality and teaching America’s full history.”
Thursday, Oct. 12, 2023 in the Horn Theatre at North Las Vegas Campus, students, staff and administration, in addition to the public and press, filled the seats of the Theatre waiting to hear Harris speak. Additionally, the Theatre was so full that staff had to turn away students at the door because there were no seats left.
At the event, CSN students were told that they personally can make a difference by voting. That is how they can voice their ideas and concerns.
Harris said, “The other thing that we should know is that elections matter. When you vote, you have the ability to determine the outcome of who will be making decisions on issues like we have discussed.” There are so many issues: immigration, climate crisis, gun violence, LGBTQ+ equality, among others. “The President and I have been fighting to reduce student loan debt. Almost every one of (these issues) will ultimately be decided by the people who vote in their numbers on the issues they care about.”
In the 2020 election with Joe Biden and Donald Trump, Biden took the youth vote that defined the election.
An excerpt from Circle’s article titled “Election Week 2020: Young People Increase Turnout, Lead Biden to Victory”, “Our research reveals that young voters increased their turnout in 2020; they made the difference in key battleground states and the participation and overwhelming support for … Joe Biden from youth of color was one of the defining elements of the election.”
According to the article “State-by-State 2020 Youth Voter Turnout: West and Southwest”, Nevada’s voter-turnout showed 53% of 18 to 29 year olds voting for Biden and 61% of 18 to 19 year olds.
Harris said, “People don’t just get elected to these offices; they’re elected by the people. So, voting is your way of determining who sits in those offices.”
Additionally, Harris said, “You are leading. You are stepping out, and you are prepared to take control of these issues in a way that we uplift the life of the people in a way that we protect freedoms.”
CSN Student Isabella Yarwood said, “I have been around politics my whole life because my family is really into it … I feel heard. She doesn’t know me. She doesn’t know me at all but I feel like she hears me, my issues, the things that need to be done in the government. I’ll be voting for her.”
Yarwood added, she is most concerned with gun violence and active shooters on campus. In high school she had an experience when she thought an active shooter was on her campus. “It is hard to talk about, but Kamala Harris is fearless about it.”
Joseph Camel, CSN student who attended the event, said, “Young people should take this very seriously. Especially this up-and-coming election because our freedoms are at stake. Not just young people but everyone’s freedoms are at stake.” He commented on women rights withheld by the Supreme Court’s ruling against Roe v. Wade. “It is very very important that young people get out and vote this election cycle.”
Brady McGill, president and CEO of Las Vegas PRIDE, after attending the event, said, “It’s so great to see the student body be inspired, motivated: our future leaders. Get involved. Be active. Be engaged. Register to vote. Get your friends to register to vote and go and vote.”
For more information about President Biden and VP Harris’ platform, click this link Joe Biden for President: Official Campaign Website or Everything You Need to Vote – Vote.org.
Coyote Student News at the College of Southern Nevada 