V127’s Thought Leaders Issue is available for pre-order now.

“It’s the first year I can vote. As much as it can feel tedious and like it doesn’t actually make a difference, it really does, and I’m excited to be able to use my voice and my vote to try and help make a difference in this country. It’s important because making your voice heard really matters. It can feel like you’re just one in a million, but everyone is one in a million, and that means everyone is just as important. We need people in power who are going to fight for us and our planet, and we need to show up this year to make a change.

“The lack of awareness and the lack of concern I see from some people about climate change and racial injustices is really worrisome to me. And even when people are talking about making change but not doing anything, that keeps me up at night. There is so much we need to be working on as a society, it can be hard to think about sometimes. It’s pretty tough to stay hopeful right now given the current climate, but thinking about what I have—even small things like waking up in the morning—makes me grateful.

“It’s important to understand what’s going on in the world and to keep yourself well-informed, but at the same time it can be a lot and it’s okay to feel overwhelmed and give yourself room to breathe while fighting for our rights and the world. We can not look away from the injustices of this world when it’s inconvenient or when it gets too hard, but it’s important to check in with yourself and to make sure you can keep going.”

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