Remembering the “We” in Yes We Can

The results are in, and we have a new president-elect – a man who for many represents the promise of real change. Certainly, Barack Obama has roused the hopes of youth, who turned out in record numbers to support the candidate. Preliminary projections from the nonpartisan Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) indicate that voter turnout for Americans aged 18-29 is higher than in 2004, a year of significant increase, and is much higher than it was in 2000 and 1996.

CIRCLE estimates that between 21.6 million and 23.9 million young Americans voted in Tuesday’s presidential election, up at least 2.2 million compared with 2004, according to national exit polls, demographic data, and projections of total numbers of votes cast. And these young voters favored Obama by more than a two-to-one margin.

These numbers are inspiring, especially if they portend more active civic engagement among Millennials. But I keep reading post-election articles and editorials suggesting that youth – perhaps even more so than other age groups – plan to hold Obama’s feet to the fire when it comes to realizing his ambitious agenda.

And while we should always do our best to ensure that our politicians fulfill their promises, I keep thinking about a key point made in Obama’s acceptance speech last night. He stressed that the real accomplishment isn’t his being elected to office, but the people’s ability to make it happen. And it’s this collective ability and power that can effect real change. It’s truly “we” the people who have shown time and again what we are capable of.

So, what now? That’s the question we all seem to be asking. What to expect? What to do? Well, one answer can be found in the innovative tools employed by the presidential candidates and embraced particularly by youth. Whether it’s harnessing the power of social networks like Facebook, using micro-blogging sites like Twitter to provide up-to-the-minute commentary and reportage, or text-messaging calls to action on mobile phones, Millennials are proving that this isn’t their grandmother’s approach to civic engagement.

The Personal Democracy Forum’s TechPresident blog recently highlighted two new online projects that are looking beyond the vote -- BigDialog.org and Whitehouse2.org. Both sites encourage citizens to ask questions of the president-elect via video in an effort to help shape policy priorities.

Barack Obama has spoken passionately about his desire to create a nation of service and reciprocity, and Millennials have stepped forward and shown their commitment. But it’s a commitment that requires more work, more dedication, and more innovation.

So, what now? You tell us. What do you think? What are the next steps? How do we keep our excitement going while committing to the hard work necessary to make change happen? Tell us your thoughts. We want to hear from you.

Photo by Anna Vignet, used under Creative Commons License.