March 9, 2016
Read time : 3 min

I was honored and privileged to have joined the Up to Us team at the University of Miami this year. As a result, I have participated in events and lively discussions regarding the looming national debt. I feel that many students have so many things going on: worrying about their grades, their relationships and what new drama the day will bring. Consequently, I feel that sometimes us students become disengaged with the world around us. We think that if it does not affect our immediate lives at that exact moment, we shouldn’t have to think about it. However, I think it’s time to pop that bubble we sometimes find ourselves in and step up and step out for what we believe in and have our voice heard. Many times I feel that it is difficult for our generation (millennial and on) to feel that we collectively are capable of uniting behind common causes and taking issues head on. After all, it is our future we’re talking about!

Moreover, Margaret Mead once said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” This is a quote I thought about a lot throughout the campaign. What brought all of us individuals together to join the Up to Us campaign is our thirst and desire to be bigger than ourselves. If we are able to rally together and speak, even if our voices shake, our future will be solidified. At the end of the day, the little actions that we take can have ripple effects that have the potential to turn into waves. By joining Up to Us, I strive to be that ripple, slowly but surely building up and mustering strength as I vibrate through the water. The Up to Us campaign was our pond that gave us the foundation to create the vibrations that will be felt for long to come. For that, I am grateful.

Check out an op-ed published by my team here.