At Young Invincibles, we have an unwavering commitment to elevating the voices of young adults in the political process. With our mission in mind, we asked some youth leader’s from the Denver Youth Leadership Academy to tell us what are some of the experiences of today’s students and, more generally, young adults. Here is what they had to say:
College is stressful. You have a lot to worry about like paying for school, loans, passing classes, balancing work and personal matters as well as financial issues, but when you’re a student of color, you have additional things to stress about like enduring racial bias. I’ve experienced considerable racial bias to the point where I considered dropping out of school. I’ve seen how textbooks can make your race seem like a deficit or how indifferent professors and classmates can make you feel unwelcomed as a person of color. For me navigating college is hard enough with the present financial obstacles, but the racism tied to our higher education system needs to be addressed for people of color to truly feel like a college degree is available to everyone regardless of skin color. — Imari Abdullah, a young black woman pursuing a career in education
“As a first-generation college student, I believe that everyone deserves a chance to receive a college degree regardless if they can afford it. My mom went to college, but unfortunately, she did not finish because she could not afford it. I believe that colleges and universities should lower the cost to attend so everyone can get a chance to fulfill their dreams without taking out student loans that will leave them in debt for life.” — Charlotte Arnett, a student at the University of Colorado, Denver
As the son of fleeing immigrants, it has always been instilled in me to pursue dreams beyond my given limits. I acknowledge that I was born into an educational system that’s set up for me to fail but that drives me to want to achieve the unthinkable. Given that the rising cost of college and the increasing barriers to accessibility are part of my path, I’ll do my best to overcome those obstacles. My perseverance and can-do attitude is not the entire solution though, we need to ensure that a college degree is an opportunity that all students can take advantage of by making college affordable for everyone. — Joshua Palacios, a high school senior in Denver, Colorado
“Where I grew up most people experience substance abuse before they graduate high school. This is not due to poor parenting or a random trend, but we need to recognize that mental health issues exist throughout our society. We need to acknowledge that people are not just alcoholics or drug users, but experience deeper issues and wounds that require attentive care and assistance to help them rehabilitate. We need to stop ignoring mental health in our country and make sure everyone that needs help gets it.” — Elizabeth Wilcox, a college student pursuing degrees in social work and business management in Denver, Colorado
It’s hard to be heard when racial stereotypes are what people refer to before getting to know you. As a woman of color, I recognize that collectively with other women of color we are the least protected people in American society. Our current president calls my people lazy, drug lords, and monkeys. I know we’re not that and aren’t being represented fairly right now. I wish people recognized the sacrifices we have to make just to survive and contribute to this country. My hope is that one day American society will understand the value in every human being regardless of the color of their skin. — Ama Agyekum, a young adult advocate in Denver, Colorado
“Sometimes it’s easy to lose sight of your goals while in college due to all the stresses you have to deal with. It’s important not to lose sight of what your goals are and what you want to accomplish with that college degree. In our complex higher education system, it’s easy to get discouraged due to the expensive costs of school or the difficulty of navigating college, but remembering that everyone has a unique path toward success is important to feel motivated.” — Noah Hoffman, a young adult in Denver, Colorado
The 2020 elections are everything. Although we are young, we must realize we are the future. If we do not research the candidates and take action by voting we risk not being represented fairly. For me, as a young indigenous woman with brown skin, from a low-income family, and immigrant parents, life has only become more frightening under our current administration. I worry every day if my mother will make it home from work or if ICE will come and take my entire world away. That’s why voting for a person who cares about the diversity in our country and uplifts all Americans regardless of their skin color and immigrant status is our only way forward. The 2020 elections are everything as we literally hold our future in our hands and we must act by voting and encouraging others to vote. — Amaris Walking Eagle, a New America School Thornton graduate in Denver, Colorado
“When you have to balance various roles like being a student, athlete, and worker sometimes you don’t have time to seek mental health services when you need them. As a student-athlete, I’ve struggled on how to ask for these services especially given that I couldn’t rely on my coach to help me out. College campuses should proactively make sure they are providing students access to mental health services regardless of how active they are on campus. There needs to be more outreach to all populations on campus so students can focus on their education and be successful.” — Elijah Gaye, a young adult in Denver, Colorado
I always knew a college degree was important. From early on my mother made it clear that college should be what I strived for. Even when I was successful in school, I understood my family’s finances might not allow me to attend a four-year university. That’s why I’m currently trying to get my associates degree at my local community college. I’m pursuing a college degree because in our current market it’s tough to find a good job without a degree even though I don’t know how to pay for that degree.
It truly saddens me to see the cost of a college degree being out of reach for too many students. Some have to choose between getting into massive amounts of debt or giving up on their dreams of earning a college degree. A student’s financial life shouldn’t be ruined because they try to pursue something that benefits their community. Making college affordable with debt-free college and loan forgiveness programs will allow students the chance to achieve their dreams and give back to their communities. Right now, college students are facing a financial wall they can’t climb, but they have no other choice than to try even if they have to drown in student debt to do so. — Destynee Martinez, a college student and mental health advocate in Denver, Colorado
“As a rising college freshman, I graduated high school knowing I was attending college. However, looking at college tuition costs for four-year schools before graduating high school made me think twice about attending a four-year college because I didn’t want my parents to get into debt. I ended up deciding to attend a community college since it was cheaper. My family instilled in me from an early age that college was a goal for me, but as a first-generation student navigating college was hard because my parents couldn’t guide me through the application process and getting into college wasn’t easy. There should be more resources to help first-generation students afford four-year colleges and help them navigate the process.” — Jackeline Delgado, a first-generation college student in Denver, Colorado