As young people, we are keyed into what's fair and not fair in our lives. We call things that are really unfair injustices. Youths in Racine have a history and pride in fighting against injustices and for a better world with Youth Empowered in the Struggle, a youth-led group that works for social justice.
Issues we have been involved in include fair and humane immigration reform, worker justice, the King holiday, school funding, the Student Bill of Rights and Get Out the Vote efforts in our community.
Our efforts have been attacked recently in the media, including talk radio, local newspapers and blogs. These bullies have devoted a lot of ink and airtime to covering "allegations" about our June 5 Get Out the Vote effort. We have been accused of being partisan, using taxpayer money and being manipulated by adults.
We find it extremely offensive and scary that some of our students were followed around by adults interrogating and taking pictures of us on election day June 5. We are shocked by the amount of media coverage devoted to claims that have no supporting evidence or officially filed complaints. In high school, we would call those rumors - and we want to set the record straight.
First, we as students decided to participate in the Get Out the Vote effort because our community historically has low voter turnout. Voting is power, and our community needs to gain power if we are to be heard.
We devoted countless hours to plan every aspect of the event with our Youth Empowered in the Struggle organizer. We decided to be nonpartisan because we believe adults in our community will vote for what's best for all of us. We have faith in our elders.
None of our signs, materials or van decorations included mention of any candidates whatsoever. We have beautiful pictures of the vans we decorated with messages such as "Vote today!" and "Make a difference."
Second, there was no taxpayer money or school contribution involved. We recruited our peers to participate, and the teachers we recruited as chaperons took a personal day to drive our vans as we went door to door. The idea that announcements were made in school every hour is simply not true.
Third, the areas where we knocked on doors are the lowest voter turnout wards in our city. We chose those areas based on voter turnout numbers, so it can be proven that these wards were chosen fairly. These are also the neighborhoods where most of our families live, and we care about them deeply.
If there is any manipulation taking place, it is being done by those who are painting our efforts as partisan and somehow shady. The same accusations have been made about every Get Out the Vote effort that Youth Empowered in the Struggle has undertaken since 2004. Are those making the accusations doing so because they don't want to see people in our communities vote? They obviously see us as being effective in promoting voting, which to me is just good citizenship.
We are proud to have knocked on over 8,100 doors and talked with over 3,600 people who committed to vote on June 5. Voter turnout in Racine increased 15.4% over the turnout in 2010.
Over 350 students gave their time on that day to increase involvement in our community. Students from Horlick, Case, Park and Walden planned the event for over a month, and many volunteered from 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. that day. We know that our commitment is extraordinary, and we should be respected and encouraged for displaying leadership at our young age, not attacked.
We are thankful to our parents and teachers for supporting us in our community engagement and to our school district for respecting our right to do so. We have a right to do what we are doing and will continue to be leaders in empowering our communities.
Kennia Coronado is a student leader with Youth Empowered in the Struggle, a recent graduate of Racine Horlick High School and an incoming freshman at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. YES is the student arm of Voces de la Frontera.