From Overwhelm to Activism
Pete Buttigeg’s Call to Action: “You have the most to lose! If you don’t like what’s happening—now is the time to activate.”
What do Pete Buttigieg, college students, and recent grads have in common? A lot.
After a month in Santa Barbara, what stuck with me most wasn’t the beach or palm trees—it was Mayor Pete’s talk at UCSB. His message still resonates: “The consequence of action is hope.”
He emphasized that taking purposeful steps toward what we want is how we create hope, especially for young people. His call was clear: get involved, speak up, and act—because today's policies will shape your future.
Mayor Pete urged young people to speak out on policies reshaping their future, saying, “You have the most to lose… If you don’t like what’s happening—now is the time to activate!”
If you don’t like the policy changes that currently center on:
Climate change
Our economics
Our moral standing in the world
Our universities and the future of education
Our fundamental constitution
Then it is time to get busy.
Not political
Not one-sided
Just hope
I can hear the doubt that surfaces when we feel overwhelmed: “What can one person really do?”
It turns out … A lot!
Here’s how to generate hope:
Get Informed
Learn how the system works before trying to change it. "Before you can fight the system, you have to understand it."
Volunteer and stay engaged with local politics—they're often where real change begins.
Stick to reliable, fact-based news sources. Avoid misinformation on social media.
Once you understand the facts, find creative ways to share them.
Get Involved
Join campus or community groups that support causes you care about.
Attend peaceful protests or organize teach-ins to spread awareness.
Run for student government or take on leadership roles to push for change from the inside.
Help people register to vote and turn out for elections.
Encourage others to show up, write letters, and speak out—numbers matter.
Get Creative
Use your talents—art, music, writing, video—to expose injustice and call for change.
Use your voice and creativity to make a difference in your own way.
Finally, I’ll end with a bit from a recent David Brooks (essayist and thought leader) NYT Op Ed piece:
“What is happening now is not normal politics.” He advocates: “Band together – recognize that these sweeping changes are part of a broader reach for universal power. We need to meet that with the same level of power – Now is the time to begin the ground swell from the bottom up.”
Our future begins now.