"For as long as I can remember, I've believed in the power of young people — and I've been frustrated by how our formal political system routinely overlooks them."

In 2018, during my undergraduate studies at the University of Oregon, I dedicated my honors thesis to exploring this very issue. Titled The Institutional Disaffiliates: Understanding Why Millennials Did Not Vote in 2016, my research delved into the motivations behind young voter participation — or the lack thereof. I discovered that while factors like registration and accessibility played roles, the primary deterrent was a profound sense of disconnection and distrust toward formal political institutions. Millennials weren't apathetic; they were disillusioned.

This realization fueled my passion. I saw firsthand that young voters aren't disengaged — they're underserved. The traditional avenues of political engagement weren't resonating, and the resources available weren't addressing their unique concerns or barriers. Reading Robert Putnam's work on America's declining civic and social capital only sharpened that lens — community isn't automatic, it has to be built.

In 2021, I moved to Texas, eager to make a difference. Despite my background and commitment, I missed my first municipal election there — not due to apathy, but because I was unaware it was happening. This personal experience underscored a systemic issue: if someone like me, deeply involved in political research, could miss an election, how many others were inadvertently excluded?

This was the catalyst for the Texas Voter Project. I envisioned an initiative that didn't just encourage young people to vote but actively addressed the barriers preventing them from doing so. By providing clear, accessible, and nonpartisan voter guides directly to young Texans, we aim to bridge the information gap and empower a new generation of engaged citizens.

But information was never going to be enough on its own — I learned that lesson again, more recently and more personally, after I lost my dog. I spent five weeks driving through 22 states, untethered for the first time in my adult life from anyone else's schedule but my own. What I found, again and again, wasn't apathy — it was people all over the country hungry for real connection: a stranger who gave up his bed, a family who let me sleep on their basement floor. It's the same thing Robert Putnam documented in his research on America's declining social capital — community isn't automatic, it has to be built, place by place, relationship by relationship. That's why TVP isn't only a voter guide. We build third places — watch parties, game nights, bar crawls — because trust and turnout grow out of the same soil.

This isn't just a project for me — it's a culmination of years of research, personal experiences, and an unwavering belief that when equipped with the right tools and information, young people can and will shape the future of our democracy.

Let's make it happen.
— Sophia