Guest Writer - Marin Dolan, 2024 Get Out the Vote Fellow

During my freshman year of high school in 2019, I was in Spanish class when we had a presentation from The California Center for Civic Participation on their upcoming session of “Women in Politics.” That summer, after being accepted into the program and successfully completing it, I found myself at the start of a journey through empowerment, advocacy, and civic engagement.

From Avenues to Civic Engagement, Green Focus, to my current role as a GOTV fellow, the programs Cal Center has to offer are structured heavily to empower young people like me to understand the power of their voices and the impact they can have on their communities. Each step of my journey has been about learning how to advocate effectively, build strong networks, and create change, whether through environmental justice, voter turnout initiatives, or policy advocacy.

Given the importance of the election this year, being a GOTV fellow with the CalCenter was crucial work to engage students to register to vote, get informed on the various props, or participate in their local elections. By making sure that young people and folks of numerous communities not only cast their ballots but also understood the importance of each vote, my position allowed me to personally contribute to raising voter engagement among these groups.

I witnessed how little actions may have a large impact through phone banking, event planning, and collaborating with peers to spread awareness. My experience reinforced my thought that civic involvement is an important tool for shaping the future, whether it came from discussing with a student the significance of casting a ballot in local elections or assisting someone in navigating the ballot's complexities.

To wrap it up, I wanted to give a shoutout to the amazing leaders who made this program possible - Alexandra Leal Silva and Clarissa Laguardia. I am beyond grateful for this opportunity and have felt so much support throughout this fellowship. The community that the California Center for Civic Participation fosters lasts a lifetime.