Your Voice Matters.

I am sure you have heard this many times before, and brushed it off, throwing the comment to the wayside and simply accepting it as fact. You have lived your whole life being told that you have the opportunity to stand up for what you believe in, and that you are capable of achieving great things if you put the work into it. No one has blatantly told you that what you say and how your use your voice does not matter. No one has told you that you cannot stand up against wrong, and use your voice for change.

Imagine being told that what you say, and consequentially who you are, does not matter. Imagine being repeatedly told that you can see the wrong in the world, but no matter what you do to eradicate it, your efforts can never be enough to make a difference.

This is the reality for a good percentage of the world. In many countries, youth (specifically girls) are discouraged from standing up for what they believe in, especially if it goes against a prominent religion or the cultural norms. Young people are not considered integral parts of society, and so their voices are shunned and their contributions to the world limited to child-bearing and manual labor.

We are blessed to live in a nation that encourages us to speak up for what we believe in. We are not perfect in any stretch of the imagination, but we allow one another to have differing values and beliefs. In the United States, we are not killed for speaking against poverty, or other important issues. Our voices are heard, and acknowledged.

As citizens of a free nation, it is our duty to use our voices for those who do not have one. We have all the tools and resources we need to not only make a difference in the world, but to assist others in making a difference as well. Instead of arming poor nations with weapons, we can arm them with an education and a chance to pull themselves out of their situation.

If you have ever been told that your voice does not matter, it was a lie. Your voice is one of the most important things you will ever have. You have the ability to make waves, and to shake up the world we live in. Rather than using excuses, use the gifts given to you and make a change. We have a duty as citizens of a free nation to begin the conversation of change, and to open the doorway that allows others' voices to be heard. Just like your voice matters, so does the girl sitting next to you, or the boy in your history class. Our voices, collectively and individually, matter.

Let me leave you with an important quote from one of my favorite activists:

"When the whole world is silent, even one voice becomes powerful." - Malala Yousafzai

Use your voice to make a difference, and understand that it holds immense power.