I Vote A World: Young Voices & Urgent Futures at VoteThatJawn’s Fifth Annual Forum
- herquetc1
- Apr 4
- 3 min read
Before a single speaker took the stage, the room was already dreaming. Music flooded through Houston Hall as students and adults gathered in VoteThatJawn’s fifth annual forum.
On a quiet spring evening, three Drexel student musicians on drums, bass, and keyboard filled the room with a calm and meditative sound as attendees filtered in. The atmosphere felt less like a lecture and more of a gathering, reminding those that civic engagement is communal.
This year’s theme, “I Vote a World,” riffed off Langston Hughes’ iconic poem “I Dream a World.” It was a deliberate choice by celebrated author Lorene Cary, Senior Lecturer of English at UPenn and Founder of VoteThatJawn. Cary’s initiative has become an important asset of youth civic engagement in Philadelphia and beyond, working to empower young voters through storytelling, art and community-centered activism.
Cary opened the forum with a series of reflections that set the tone for the evening. Her words were sharp, memorable and deeply rooted in VTJ’s ethos:
“Everything is votable.”
“If you would promote that jawn, vote that jawn.”
The messages were unmistakable: voting is not separate from the issues young people care about. In contrast, it is the mechanism through which those issues move.
The heart of the forum centered on three student speakers, each representing a different Philadelphia-rooted pathway into civic life.
Elijah Neal - Advocacy as a Lifelong Practice
The first student speaker, Elijah Neal, a 2023 Penn State graduate and current board member of UDTJ (a nonprofit serving BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities) brought a grounded and reflective energy to the stage. Cary introduced him as someone she met through PA Youth Vote, and it was clear why he had become a trusted voice in the organization.
Neal spoke about the lessons he carried studying political science–lessons not just about institutions, but about people. His advocacy focuses on LGBTQ students and students of color; these are groups disproportionately affected by inequitable policies. He emphasized that voting is not a symbolic act but a strategic one—a tool for protecting communities that are often overlooked.
His remarks echoed a broader truth: young voters are not apathetic; they are navigating systems that were not built with them in mind.
Vismita Holavanahalli - Poetry as Resilience
Next came Vismita Holavanahalli, a current freshman at Temple University, Central High School alum, and former VoteThatJawn intern. Cary described her as a natural leader–praise that proved true the moment she introduced her poem.
Holavanahalli’s piece confronted America’s history of racism and the immigrant experience with a clarity and emotional intelligence far beyond her years. Her final line writing, “our humanity would always be stronger than their hate,” hung in the air long after she finished. It served as a reminder that art remains one of the most powerful tools for political truth-telling.
Kyle Grgecic - Satire for a Serious Moment
The final speaker, Kyle Grgecic, a junior at UPenn’s Annenberg School, shifted the tone in the room with a satirical-feel essay he originally wrote for a writing and politics class he recently took. His piece being seven things he could’ve done while waiting in line to vote chronicled the three hours he spent in line on his birthday during the 2024 election.
The humor was sharp, but the underlying message was depressing: long voting lines are not just an inconvenience—they are a barrier. Grgecic’s writing captured the absurdity and resilience of young voters who show up anyway.
As the forum drew to a close, Cary invited the audience to reflect on a quote from civil rights leader Octavius V. Catto:
“My vote will count. My voice will be heard.”
It was more than a historical echo. Someone in the front row happened to be wearing a shirt with the quote printed across the front. They were asked to stand. The room broke into applause. The message wasn’t abstract; it was substantial.
VoteThatJawn’s mission is rooted in a simple yet thorough belief: young generations are not the future–they are the present. Our voices, our stories and our votes shape the world we are already living in. In a political climate where youth turnout is often scrutinized or dismissed, events like this forum do something essential; they create space, build community and remind young voters that they are not alone in their frustrations and hopes.
Most importantly, they show that civic engagement can in fact be joyful, creative, and deeply human.
Written by: Claire Herquet
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