On a recent Tuesday afternoon, dozens of community members took turns painting a Richmond street bright purple. The result was a large-scale street mural on Bissell Avenue in front of RYSE, a space for young people to learn, heal and organize.
The initiative, which took place on Sept. 17, National Voter Registration Day, was part of the nonprofit organization’s broader call-to-action, with the election just weeks away, for voters to consider the needs and wants of young people.
Participants painted symbols, like a fist and graduation cap, and wrote phrases that encapsulated some of the major political concerns for young people: ‘Immigrant Rights’, ‘Climate Justice’ and ‘Reproductive Freedom’.
They also painted the words ‘Vote for Us’ in huge, white, block letters.
“Voting isn’t only affecting the adults, but affecting us youth,” said Cesia Benavides, a 14-year-old freshman at Making Waves Academy in Richmond. “We’re showing up and showing what we need, and speaking out for what we need.”
The mural will stay up for as long as it lasts, possibly until the first rainfall. The organization has also produced a series of videos, which it will be sharing on Instagram ahead of the election, highlighting youth perspectives.
Benavides said mental health, housing, attacks on the LGBTQ+ community and housing are major concerns for young people.
Benavides said a lot of the dialogue on social media seems more focused on getting people to take a side.
“They’re mostly talking about the candidates, a lot of trash talking, but people barely talk about how this is going to impact us as youth, how can we help, and how can we make a change,” Benavides said.
The Public Policy Institute of California found that likely voters in the state tend to be older, more educated and affluent, and homeowners. Around the country, many young voters are dissatisfied with the political system and pessimistic about democracy, according to a national survey commissioned by the Institute for Citizens & Scholars.
Richmond youths are mobilizing to be heard about local and national political issues. In Oakland and Berkeley a coalition of youth leaders successfully campaigned for 16- and 17-year-olds to be able to vote for school board seats for the first time this November.
RYSE is encouraging young people and their communities to register and make a plan to vote. The organization is also sharing informational guides online, hosting volunteers to phonebank and canvas for local issues, and throwing an election night watch party for young people ages 13-21 on Nov. 5.
“A lot of our youth vocalize that they need more ways to voice their opinions without being restricted because of their age,” said Ann Guiam, 23, a youth power building coordinator with RYSE. “They have a lot to say. They know what they want.”
Guiam, who got involved with RYSE as a teenager, said participating in the street mural project now feels like coming full circle.
Nearly eight years ago, Guiam joined classmates at Richmond High School walking out of class. Donald Trump had been elected president, and students throughout the Bay Area joined together to protest.
“That was a huge part of my uprising and organizing,” Guiam said. “I was concerned for friends who had different immigration status, and were going to be impacted.”
Amid the fear and anxiety, Guiam also found support with RYSE, and continues to show young people that they have advocates on their side.
“You have people in your community that will continue to fight for you and with you,” Guiam said. “That’s what I’m trying to bring back to this generation of youth now that I work with. I see myself in them too.”
Melanie Ramirez, another student at Making Waves Academy, says RYSE is a rare space in Richmond where young people can hang out. That lack of places where teenagers can feel safe is one of the top issues Ramirez wants addressed.
“I like Richmond, I love Richmond, I couldn’t imagine myself growing up in another town, but it’s not the safest option,” Ramirez said.
Ramirez also worries about the air quality. She pays attention to politics and what’s happening in the world, but does not hear presidential candidates addressing issues facing teenagers.
She wants to leave the city one day, get a bigger platform, and push to make Richmond better for future generations. Once she turns 18, she also plans to vote. Until then, Ramirez is calling on adults to consider the perspectives of young people who cannot yet cast their ballots.
“Because we still matter. Just because you can’t vote doesn’t mean that we don’t have a voice,” Ramirez said. “This is the future of our country. It’s in your hands. We don’t have a lot of options right now, but we have to pick the best one.”
