A crowd roared with cheers and applause after senior Edie Young said “We aren’t just here to be controlled like objects—we are human and we are here to make a difference” at the Women’s March the Saturday before Election Day.
In her speech, Young emphasized the importance of abortion rights, trans rights, and the heavy workload that motherly figures carry. Her speech also came at a time of uncertainty during the last few days leading up to the 2024 election, making the march even more powerful. With Kamala Harris as the democratic nominee, the second woman to do so in history, Young told the attendees to “vote on November 5!”
After hearing the news that Donald Trump would become the 47th President of the United States, Young had one main message: “I think young people more than ever need to use their voice; it’s our future and our democracy.”
At the march, Young noticed many young people and recognized how “it’s amazing to see them learning early to protect their rights.” As a DC events organizer of Queer Youth Assemble, an organization whose goal is to create a better world for queer and trans youth, Young knows the impact that can happen when young people band together to create change.
In hopes of helping Queer Youth Assemble and their mission, Young reached out to the director of the Women’s March, where she was then given the opportunity to speak.
When writing her speech, she knew she knew she wanted to discuss trans rights: “I think it’s crazy that we’re still telling people that they’re not who they feel they are.” Young also addressed how 68% of working moms are burnt out, and that “it’s okay if a mom wants to take alone time, and I don’t think they should feel guilty for that.”
Young fed off the crowd’s energy after hearing the eruption of applause and agreement. “I think it’s powerful because we all came together and showed that we won’t go back.”
With Trump being sworn into office in less than three months, Young asserts that, “we’re the future. You’re never too young to create change, change can be created at any age.”
