The Politics of You

In essence, everything is political.

By Isabel Rodriguez
Editor- Michael Gillardo

As a member of Generation Z, I can wholeheartedly say my peers and I have seen it all. Born after 9/11/2001 and raised during the 2008 recession, the world of many my age has been a grim one. Political views are only further complicated by our concept of identity and individual experiences, as everything is intersectional. When it comes to the politics of me, labels are not my preference: because I do not care if you are a Democrat or a Republican, a Socialist or a Marxist. What I value is a willingness to bring about change in communities and amplifying the voices of the most marginalized. 

My name is Isabel. I am 18 years old and I was born and raised in a suburb of Los Angeles. I am a Latina woman currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree with hopes to go to graduate school. I like reading, writing, and watching documentaries. In other words, an ordinary young adult with goals and ambitions. However, that diminishes my experiences and identity.

I was always the only brown Latina in class. I struggle with mental health issues and chronic pain. I am a product of immigration. I am part of a working-class family. I attend a state school. All of these statements are facts of my life, my own truth if you will. However, what makes me political is the desire for a better future, for myself and those who are not being heard. 

“Nobody's free until everybody's free.”- Fannie Lou Hamer

Shared knowledge propels me to advocate for others. The stories of our most vulnerable are often forgotten but affected most by political decisions. As a member of the Latine community, it pains me to see so many struggling with a path to citizenship in the United States and affordable healthcare, all while currently being disproportionately affected by COVID-19. As a woman, it hurts me to see the pain and suffering of BIPOC women in the United States. However, it is ultimately disappointing to see the negligence of intersectionality in our governing bodies, in the workplace, and amongst our peers. 

The reason there is no change in policy for some of these issues is since everything is political, everything is subjective. As a society, and specifically on an individual level, we must not only hold accountable racism, misogyny, xenophobia, homophobia, we must amplify everyone’s story and remember everyone’s different struggles instead of just our own. 

With that, I leave you today with a statement: in essence, if everything is political, we need dire reform and more engagement across all demographics. No one should worry about where their next meal should come from. No one should have to worry about student loan debt or affording healthcare. No one should have to worry about the air they breathe being harmful and the water they drink is clean. No one should have to worry about dying at school. These are the truths of the world we live in today, your politics should be more than just the economy and commodities, it should be worried about human life. 

This is the politics of my life. It should be the politics of yours too.