Young people have been at the center of some of the organizing that seems to be defining this moment in history. They have led sustained protests against ongoing racial injustice and police brutality, climate injustice and gun violence, and they’ve organized and gotten people registered to vote. For many members of Gen Z, people born after 1996, this is the first year they were eligible to vote. 

Last week, we introduced you to 16-year-old Shiva Rajbhandari. He’s a Boise student involved with the non-partisan group Babe Vote which leads get out the vote efforts in idaho. Rajbhandari joins IdahoMatters again today to talk about the power of his generation. 

After our conversation with Rajbhandari, we hear from two 18-year-olds who voted for the first time this election: Tyler McMillan and Sofi Serio. They reflect on the mix of disappointment and optimism they feel after their first voting experience. 

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