The current narrative around Gen Z is that we are uneducated, unmotivated, and uncaring about elections. This is simply untrue! Research has shown that Gen Z's voter turnout in 2022 was higher than that of Gen Xers and Millennials when they made up the age 18-24 voting block¹. It is well past time to include and support the positions and solutions poised by Gen Z. We are engaged, educated, motivated, and this month, we came together in a powerful way to raise our voices, share our stories, and demand solutions.

On September 7th, I was a participant and Gen Z speaker at the YWomen Vote USA 2024 National Town Hall in Philadelphia, representing MomsRising! The event ran in conjunction with the release of the 2024 National YWomen Vote Survey, offering a comprehensive view of the top social and economic priorities among women and gender-expansive registered voters heading into the 2024 elections². It sought to uplift the voices of Gen Z women, girls, and nonbinary persons, and inform young people about what is at stake in this upcoming Presidential election. MomsRising is proud to have partnered with the YWCA USA and 21 other national organizations to speak on the issues concerning the current and future generations. 

I spoke about what is at stake for Gen Z moms in this election and our power in determining who is elected into Congress and the White House. 

"Gen Z moms have so much at stake this November. Right now, it’s more dangerous to give birth in the United States than in any other developed nation in the world. We have a maternal health crisis, and Black and Indigenous women are dying in childbirth at about three times the rate of White moms.

The pandemic made our maternal health crisis worse and the Supreme Court ruling in the Dobbs case, taking away our access to abortion and other reproductive health care, is making it worse still. The leaders we elect will decide if we invest in making pregnancy and childbirth safer and restore our reproductive rights. They will decide what motherhood will look like in America if we’ll be able to take paid time away from work when we have babies or get sick. They will decide if food, child care, and housing will be affordable. 

 Our votes decide who those leaders will be.”

 -Kelsey Reyes, Campaign Associate Youth and Family Justice 

The event included an inspiring Gen Z panel that shattered those narratives. These women exemplified a strong, resilient, and determined message on our country's current state, what they want from elected officials, and how they will continue to fight for Gen Z and future generations. Panelists spoke on various issues, from climate change to child care to police accountability to foreign policy. 

The YWomen Vote survey finds that women across generations, racial and ethnic groups, economic status, and region all identified the economy and cost of living as the current most important issue to them personally, followed by access to healthcare, and the increasing frequency of mass shootings and gun violence³.

Policy solutions in the areas of racial justice and civil rights, economic security, childcare, and women’s health and community well-being are fundamental to women across the nation— especially policies that support women’s autonomy, protect their social and economic freedoms, and respond to the issues of greatest importance to women⁴.

We have the information, education, and determination, and we are not going anywhere. We will continue to fight for a fair and equitable future for all women, nonbinary persons, trans women, and Gen Z moms. 

Resources:

[1]https://circle.tufts.edu/latest-research/gen-z-voted-higher-rate-2022-previous-generations-their-first-midterm-election 

[2] [3] [4] https://www.ywca.org/media-center/press-releases/2024-9-4/national-ywomen-vote-survey-finds-cost-of-living-healthcare-and-mass-shootings-top-list-of-priorities-for-women-heading-into-2024-election