BLAKE ROBINSON: For the next generation: We need Kamala Harris

In August, I got the honor to represent my state as one of Georgia’s 123 delegates to the Democratic National Convention. As Kamala Harris accepted her nomination, I couldn’t help but connect to her story of growing up in a middle-class neighborhood. Just like me, she was raised by a working mother and grew up with household discussions about making rent each month and paying the bills.

Vice President Harris understands the needs of young people because she’s been there. From Day 1, she’s believed in fighting for the people, by the people, and with the people. Back in August, I was proud to cast my vote for Harris to be our Democratic nominee at the DNC. Today, I am proud to cast my vote for Harris and Tim Walz to be the next president and vice president of the United States.

As a young American, the challenges of adulthood can feel insurmountable. From finding affordable housing to making ends meet, there seem to be hurdles on every corner. Young Americans deserve a leader who will prioritize our needs and concerns, and that leader is Vice President Harris. Her policy proposals show us that she understands the challenges facing young people, especially young people of color, and will fight for our opportunities.

As I embark on my life after college, one of my main worries is my ability to make rent today and buy a house in the future – and I know I’m not alone in that concern.

Harris’ plans for housing give me hope that I will one day be able to proudly own my own home. Her proposal to provide up to $25,000 in down payment assistance for first-time home buyers would provide me and every Georgian with the opportunity to build generational wealth and have a safe and secure place to call our own.

But Harris won’t just stop there. She will also fight to establish a $40 billion innovation fund for housing construction, creating more affordable, accessible housing options for young families. These policies would be game-changing for young Americans as we embark on building our own lives.

Not only is Harris running on a vision to chart a new way forward for young Americans, she also has a strong record to back it up. The Biden-Harris Administration led the fight for more than $16 billion to be invested in HBCUs and billions in student loan debt forgiveness. To many recent college graduates just trying to start a new life, this has been game-changing.

Harris is a proven advocate for our ability to jump-start our lives, and Georgia’s young voters know she has their back. However, I can’t say the same about Donald Trump. It’s clear to me that Trump is not in the best interest of young Americans, especially young black Americans. While Harris has announced specific plans to create economic opportunity for black men, Trump continues to incite division and chaos. Four more years of Donald Trump in the White House will be destructive to the dreams and goals of young people across America.

As a proud public school graduate, it scares me that Trump’s Project 2025 includes extreme plans to eliminate the Department of Education and the Head Start program, slash funding for public schools, and roll back student loan forgiveness. With the fortune of having good public schools to attend in my community, I was the first in my family to go to college. That’s the American dream, and yet Trump would take that away from millions of young Americans.

Young voters in Georgia turned our state blue for the first time in three decades in 2020 because of our enthusiastic support, and we’re feeling that same energy we need to win the state again in 2024. We know Vice President Harris is the best choice for a brighter future, where we will hold the keys to economic opportunity. It’s why I’m proud to have cast my ballot early and in person for Kamala Harris and Gov. Tim Walz, and I urge my peers to do the same because our voice matters.