Last week, a friend and I were discussing the case for voting in national and local elections. He, an educated 20-year-old, asserted that he was not qualified to vote because he had never paid enough attention to public issues or knew enough about their implications to make an informed decision.

This argument is valid, but only for a moment. The moment you realize that you have not yet paid enough attention to serve your civic duty is the exact moment that you should begin pursuing that knowledge.

I realize that not everyone in the United States grew up the same way I did. Since I was old enough to develop somewhat complex thoughts, I have been encouraged and expected to research, understand, and form and opinion on major issues plaguing the world. It has been both a blessing and a curse to have been acutely aware of such horrifying public issues from such an innocent age, but I wouldn’t change a thing.

I vote because it matters. I have read enough books, watched enough news, and met enough people to know that the situation I was born into is exponentially better than those of people all around the world. If provided with the opportunity to improve and protect the lives of people less fortunate than you, whose voices are often silenced, why wouldn’t you? While often flawed, democracy allows the people to have a say in how they are governed and treated, and to participate in that is a privilege I do not take very lightly.

There are several divisive issues at stake in this presidential election that affect the lives of millions of people in the United States as well as around the world. It is essential that we take a stance. Millennials have the power and potential to be one the most influential generations, and the issues our Congress, people, and president are dealing with will affect our lives for decades to come. To have the courage to take a stance on issues that matter is what I believe every single human being was born and intended to do.

One voice may not seem loud, but it is often the quiet, unremembered people encouraging others to act that will be responsible for great change. I vote because I feel compelled to participate in a process that will provoke my country to live up to its potential, and create and secure equality for people I do not know, who feel pain I cannot feel, and whose voices are suppressed by forces I may never understand.

I vote for the same reason we should all vote: because, without each and every person who is able participating in democracy, it will inevitably cease to exist in a form that is beneficial and rewarding to the world as a whole. I take my civic duty very seriously because it’s very serious and should be constantly regarded as such.

If you’re not registered to vote, find out how to register and vote in the upcoming election cycle, and every subsequent opportunity available.