When it comes to politics, Gen Zers are often accused of being disinterested, when in reality, politics is sometimes just downright discouraging. The reality is that when the media focuses on certain candidates who young people don’t see progressing necessary social change, some members of Gen Z tend to back away from politics as a result. In fact, according to a 2023 Harvard poll, younger voters may not get out to the polls at all because of negative feelings about the candidates on the ballot in November, and in Her Campus’ November 2023 survey, 82% of respondents said they were concerned with the outcome of the presidential election.
Haley Lickstein is a civic influencer and content creator with a strong background in politics who’s working to change young people’s attitude towards voting. Lickstein is striving to encourage Gen Z and millennial voters to engage with their civic duty leading up to the 2024 election. She’s doing this by dedicating the month of March, aka Women’s History Month, to share the platforms of progressive and pro-choice female candidates across the country. By sharing a new interview with a groundbreaking woman on her social media every day in March, Lickstein hopes to inspire the younger generation and help spark interest among Gen Zers in supporting these trailblazers in the election in November.
“I want to focus on uplifting the people that are worth getting excited about. The initiatives worth getting excited about,” Lickstein shared in a TikTok on her account. She wants to “remind us all that there is progress, even if it is incremental, being made when we look at legislation that is changing access for people to healthcare, or food, or affordable housing. The people working really hard to defend LGBTQ rights, or civil rights, or make education better in their communities, and get us hopeful again — because that’s the point.”
An example of a candidate Lickstein has chosen to highlight is Lateefa Simon, a nationally-recognized advocate for civil rights and justice who is running for the 12th District of Congress in California. Simon has served as the outreach coordinator for the Young Women’s Freedom Center, led the creation of Back on Track to help young adults charged with low-level offenses, and served on the Bay Area Rapid Transit Board of Directors. Simon strives to give voices to those that the government often overlooks.
Another candidate Lickstein spoke with is Rachel Hunt, who is running for Lieutenant Governor in the state of North Carolina. Hunt has co-sponsored a bill to protect access to abortion care, served on the board of directors of the North Carolina Foundation for Public School Children, and served as a private attorney that defended women and children during her time practicing law. She strives to invest in public schools, expand access to health care, and help local businesses thrive within the state.
Lickstein also discusses other political figures that are important to current events in politics on her platform in order to keep Gen Z informed, like discussing everything Gen Zers need to know about President Joe Biden’s 2024 State of the Union. Lickstein understands that we must be informed of all players to fully understand the current political landscape and what is truly happening in the world of current politics.
Lickstein also chooses to share Good News Monday videos on her platform, which are just as inspiring as the videos she posts focusing on candidates. In these videos, Lickstein highlights good things that have happened in the news within the current week, like progressions in access to Mifepristone, blocking of harmful bills to the LGBTQ community, and so much more. In a world that tends to push negative stories, having a little bit of progressive positivity on your feed can serve as a reminder that there are people doing good out there, whether you see it or not.
While the candidates Lickstein shares about are meant to inspire us, Lickstein herself also serves as an inspiration, as she works to increase voter turnout and engagement with the 2024 election approaching. Make sure to follow along with her journey on Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat.