Yara Shahidi has been known to be vocal about the importance of voting – even when she wasn’t old enough to vote herself. Between her We Vote Next initiative and her upcoming digital voting series with Freeform, the 20-year-old actor has been working hard to make sure that young voters are educated not only about how they can vote, but why their vote matters. Even her recently rereleased “Yarbie,” as she and her friends call her Barbie, is a testament to just how motivated she is when it comes to voting. “Let’s continue to inspire the next generation and each other,” Yara said when the doll was first released, making sure that her actions reflect what she is most vocal about. Keep reading to see some of Yara’s best quotes about voting as Election Day draws near.
Related: Celebrities Showing Off Their Voting Action Is the Civic Energy We Love to See
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On Creating a Voting Plan
- “As a first-time voter in 2018, I didn’t realize the amount of research that was necessary to truly understand the sheer number of measures and candidates that I was voting on and for. This year, it is more important than ever to know where each candidate stands on the issues that matter most to you and the communities you care about.”
- “The first step in creating your voting plan is to research! There are so many resources, from websites to even podcasts, that have state-specific information that can help make your decision process easier.”
- “Next, decide when, where, and how you plan to vote. In-person, absentee, mail-in, and even early voting are some of the options available! Lastly, and most importantly, know that we are in this space together – we are ALL doing our best to be prepared to make sure our voices are heard in this election.”
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On What You Can Do Beyond Voting
- “The conclusion I’ve come to is that [voting] is by no means the only means of civic engagement. It is actively necessary to engage throughout the year in whatever way possible – and the months of continued protests have helped nuance this conversation. There can no longer be this binary of whether to vote or not is the difference between having an equitable society and not.”
- “There’s a sense of powerlessness when you’re under the age of 18 and you aren’t able to vote, one of the most important things in our democracy. What I can do is try to figure out ways to be involved.”
- “I believe that a pivotal part of civic engagement is for adults, young and old, [to] be in constant conversation with our younger community members, reminding them that the world needs them and that they have the ability to help shape it, now and in the future, no matter their age! I can only hope my commitment will play a part in helping young people recognize and activate their personal power.”
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On Using Your Voice and Educating Others
- “Politics affect every single person who exists, and United States politics affect the entire world. So this idea that we shouldn’t have a voice – or that our opinion is invalid – is invalid in and of itself. The best that we can do is be as informed as possible. When they say, ‘Well, why do you even believe that?’ [You can say] ‘Well, here are the facts, and this is why I came to this conclusion.'”
- “Let’s show up in any and every way possible (shout out to all of the early voters) and remember that we vote for not only ourselves, but for ‘all of our sons and daughters’ and every layer and intersection of identity. We vote for each other.”
