Compassion is my Passion

Everyone has their own moment of realization, which defines their purpose in life. Mine was in elementary school, when I went on a field trip to watch the movie, The Lorax. It was about saving the environment and the Lorax stood up for the trees. Thereafter, I began to ponder, “What do I stand up for?” Growing up, my family encouraged me to help the needy by donating to the 2nd Harvest Food Bank, One Warm Coat and other such causes. All this made me realize that my aim should be to speak for the unspoken and channel my time and energy to help society.

Since the age of 7, I have been participating in Bollywood dance, and as I grew older, I got an opportunity to teach dance routines to mentally and physically disabled children. This helps them integrate better with society, and improve their motor, memory, and social skills. When I first started working with handicapped kids, I was a little hesitant, and judgmental, as I never interacted with them before. After I started to get to know them better, I realized that they are human, just like everyone else. From then onward, I made a promise that no matter how different someone looked or acted, I would treat them with respect. I am also a Youth

Board member of Make-A-Wish, I’m raising awareness, and fundraising to fulfill wishes of critically ill children. Both of these community service activities have changed my outlook on life drastically. I am helping those who are unable to live a typical life, however, none of these kids have given up. Despite being handicapped, or ill, they find something that makes them happy and will get them through the day – whether that be dancing, singing, or looking forward to their wish getting fulfilled. I have realized that no one should take things for granted, even simple things like walking or talking. With this lesson in mind, I have started to be more optimistic with everything I do, because I now understand, that not everyone has the opportunity to live their life on their own. Such experiences have made me more compassionate, humble, and thankful for every opportunity I have in life. As author Yasmin Mogahed said, “Compassion is to look beyond your own pain, to see the pain of others,” and that is exactly what I have learned to do, because I know that our problems are very minor compared to the ones of disadvantaged kids.

I am a regular volunteer at the Helping Hands event hosted by the 2nd Harvest Food Bank and Applied Materials, where we pack boxes of food to distribute to the needy. Shockingly, I learned that 1 in 10 people are hungry in Santa Clara county, which is one of the richest places in the world! Consequently, I am extremely thankful for the food I receive, and strive to waste less food because I know that there are starving people in my own community. It also brings me hope to see that there are big corporations, like Applied Materials, who donate millions of dollars to help end hunger.

As a member of the Campbell Youth Commission, I learned that no matter how young

someone is, they can still make a difference. Our youth commission proposed a social host ordinance to reduce underaged drinking and drug abuse. We also raised over $450 for Campbell’s Youth Scholarship Program this year. I am a big proponent of youth leadership, and was even invited to the capital, Sacramento, to testify in favor of Assembly member Evan Low’s bill, ACA 10, to lower the voting age to 17. Today’s youth are tomorrow’s future. We bring fresh, new ideas to the table.

These service activities shape who I am today, and have taught me to be compassionate, thankful for what I have, to be kind to everyone and treat people with respect. Volunteering gives me contentment and satisfaction because seeing a smile on someone’s face is priceless, it makes me realize that the time and effort I put in has a much greater impact – happiness. Service has helped me find myself and answer the question, “What do I stand up for?”. Like the great man Mahatma Gandhi once said, “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”

ACA10: Vote Early; Vote Often

As years pass by, things change very fast - from people, to technology, and beyond. However, we do not crack under the pressure of our progressive world. Our brains adapt to these changes, and comprehend new ideas. For example, when I was born, there was nothing even close to a smartphone, but now, only a few years later, everyone has one, and has learned their ins and outs as well. Moreover, many people, including the youth, are even developing apps. I, myself, created a prototype app called Allergy Proof, which alerts consumers about allergens that could be found in their food. Because of this, I was featured in a Google campaign, known as #InspireGirls.

My inspiration is Malala Yousafzai, a Pakistani teen activist and the youngest-ever Nobel Prize laureate, who stood up for women’s education. I feel that standing up for what you believe in is indeed very important. At such a young age, Malala got involved in politics, and even spoke at the United Nations. This is why I felt just like a mini Malala when I testified in favor of the Assembly Constitutional Amendment 10 (ACA10) bill at the Capitol in Sacramento.

ACA10 bill is authored by Assembly Member Evan Low (D-Silicon Valley), and is a proposition to lower California’s voting age to 17. It has already passed the Assembly Elections Committee with a four to one margin, and the Assembly Appropriations, and is now on its way to the full Assembly floor.

Research by the California’s secretary of state’s office shows that only 8.2% of Californians age 18-24 actually voted in 2014 general elections. This is often because many 18 year olds are usually in a time of transition – graduating from high school, going to college, or getting a job. Lowering the voting age to 17 will catch youth at a time when they are still connected to their school, their home, and their community. Research has shown that the earlier in life one votes, the more likely they are to form a lifelong habit of voting. As a result, there has been a nationwide movement to engage youth earlier in the electoral process. 

“We need bold ideas to reinvigorate participation in the democratic process,” says Assembly Member Low. “Lowering the voting age will help ensure the next generation is engaged and empowered to hold their representatives accountable.” Additionally, he states that the majority of 17 year olds have some sort of job, and they pay income tax; so it is unreasonable, to exclude a law-abiding, tax paying citizen from voting. Mr. Low likes to call this “taxation without representation.”

I was ecstatic when I was invited to testify for the bill in early spring. I along with another Bay Area teen, Maya Bodnick, presented our views on why the voting age should be lowered, in front of the Committee. It was a very memorable experience to see activism up close, and speak about a topic that I recently started learning more about. Personally, I agree with all of Mr. Low’s arguments. 18 year olds are in a state in transition and have so much more to worry about while entering college, so voting becomes their last priority. If we want more voters, we must catch them while they are still connected to their communities, which means when they are 17. Also, they are definitely mature enough to make informed political decisions. I am part of my school's environmental club, the Greenkeepers. This club was started in 2012, when a group of middle schoolers successfully saved three 50–year old trees that were scheduled to be cut down by writing letters, and attending and speaking at numerous School Board meetings. We were even featured in the San Jose Mercury News article titled Activists Get Lesson in Democracy. Now, we are 50 students strong team and regularly engage in environmental community services. I am the youngest member of the Campbell Youth Commission, where we introduced a Social Host Ordinance to crack down on underage drinking and drug abuse. Last summer, I attended a Model United Nations camp where we learned about immigration reforms, and even had a mock parliamentary debate. And, I’m not the only one; there were almost 500 students that attended the Model UN camp and we have 15 Campbell Youth commissioners and as many, if not more, in other cities. Recently, youth commissioners from Campbell, Cupertino, and Saratoga cities organized Pizza and Politics event where we discussed topics like gun control, higher education, LGBT, and creepy clown menace with city mayors and district 15 candidates. If my peers and I can debate on such important topics, and ordinances, then we can definitely make a mature decision when it comes to voting, because in the end, it affects our own future.

I do understand that there is some resistance to lower the voting age because some feel that 17-year-olds lack civic sense. However, instead of just shunning the idea, we should empower teens. That is why Mr. Low also proposed bill AB189, which adds a service learning component to high school curriculum to prepare teens for voting. Just like when new technology (smart devices, social media, etc.) came out, no one knew how to use them. But instead of just getting rid of them, we embraced them. In fact, other Campbell Youth Commissioners and I hosted "Teens Teach Tech" event where we taught the elderly how to use technology. Quoting Confucius, “I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.” If we want to enhance teens' civic engagement, we need to take the next step. 17 year olds hear about the elections, some see it, but they won’t understand it until they actually participate in the process. So, the main point is to embrace the change, get ready for it, and be part of the process.

In my view, it is extremely important to have the voting age lowered to 17. At this age, we pay taxes, we are mature, can make informed decisions, will be able to contribute to the society and shape our own future. I would definitely like to vote when I’m 17!