Hi! I’m Drake, a field organizer with RISE here in Nevada and an incoming student at the College of Southern Nevada. Working at RISE has been a deeply personal and invigorating experience for me. I’ve been in a position where I was struggling to make ends meet while trying to earn a degree, and the advocacy work we’re doing has made me feel proud and excited to continue. Every time I connect with another student who faces the same struggles, I am reminded that the work we do is crucial.
My motivation to get civically engaged is also pretty personal. As a neurodivergent adult (who also happens to be gay), I am painfully aware of the impact that political decisions can have on my life, and on the lives of those in other marginalized communities. My rights are quite literally at stake, and because of that, voting is sort of an act of self-defense. Through my work with RISE, I hope to empower others to see the importance of their own voices.
Right now, I feel like a lot of students and other folks my age have lost a lot of faith in politics. Of course, the energy is higher now that the Harris Walz ticket is running, but the sentiment is still rough and mistrusting. I want to convince my peers that voting and civic engagement are powerful tools that we can use to create an equitable society that allows us to grow and change. By staying involved and encouraging others to do the same, I seriously believe that America can build a future where everyone, regardless of their background, class or identity, has the opportunity to thrive in college and in life.
