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College, groceries, relationships, job hunting, house hunting, urging your leaders to support the UN. Real talk: One of those things is clearly not like the others. If you were to walk down the street and ask other millennials to rank the importance of each of those things, the last one probably wouldn’t be the first on the list. Or the second. Or the third. It probably wouldn’t even be on the list.
On International Day of Democracy, September 15, I’m stressing from one millennial to another, how important it is that we prioritize advocacy in our day-to-day lives. The world can’t wait. And thankfully, the United Nations Foundation and its campaigns provide ample opportunities to do just that.
This summer, the UN Foundation’s Girl Up campaign, held its annual summit in Washington D.C., which brought together hundreds of girls to encourage members of Congress to join in the fight for educating girls around the world.
Working with some of the girls, I was amazed at their passion and knowledge. They knew policy details and walked into meetings with a clear concise message for their representatives.
These girls set an example for what our generation should be doing more of – holding our leaders accountable on the issues that have captured our generation’s hearts and minds. This group of girls left a mark on Capitol Hill this summer. And they’ll be back next year.
Yet even after they stormed the Hill, their work was not done.
For the girls who didn’t get the commitment they were looking for from their members of Congress, there’s always the opportunity to send an email when it comes to mind. Additionally, for those who didn’t get the opportunity to meet with their members at all, e-mails and phone calls to their office serve as pressure to listen. If you want to let your representatives know what you think, hundreds of e-mails and phone calls will capture their attention.
In order for Congress to understand our desires for action on global issues, we must take it upon ourselves to tell them. We need to create the future that we want. This world is going to be inherited by us, the millennial generation; not by those currently in Congress.
Remember: It’s up to us to get involved as soon as possible to ensure that the world is moving in the direction we want.
Ready to get involved? You can start here:
- Join Girl Up and raise your voice for girls’ education: http://bit.ly/2cGmIMx
- Join the Better World Campaign to urge Congress to fully fund the United Nations: http://bit.ly/2cTTGdn
- Join the Better World Campaign and Tweet to Congress: Help Get Refugee Children Back in School: http://bit.ly/2curxnO
- Share why you’re voting like the world depends on it on November 8: http://www.voteftw.org/
By William Yeo, summer 2016 intern for the Better World Campaign