This essay is a finalist in the 2024 Retro Report Civic Engagement Challenge, a student contest supported by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.

By Sylvie Raab

At first, we sat in awkward silence during our weekly visits. As an intern at my local community center for the elderly, I often saw Ruth, a regular at the intergenerational story hour and fiber arts classes. We knit together week after week, tentatively asking each other questions as we got to know each other. Eventually, we found a rhythm, and I was reminded of how powerful it is to speak to another person, to share your story and form a connection. Civics happens wherever people work to build a more inclusive, caring community.

In New York City, with a population of eight million people, how can anyone be lonely? Yet according to the U.S. Surgeon General, loneliness poses a public health threat as serious as physical illness. Civics, in its essence, is about fostering a society where no one feels forgotten and everyone can participate. The more we connect with people, learn about their experiences, and share values, the stronger we become collectively—and the healthier our democracy becomes.

As Ruth and I worked on crochet one day, she asked what else I was doing that summer. I told her about a program I had joined to educate Gen Z about activism, civics and democracy.

“Democracy is the most precious value we have in this country,” Ruth, who emigrated to the U.S. from Isabel Peron’s Argentina, told me. “But I can hardly get up to turn on the news, much less get to the polls and vote.” Her words resonated with me, underscoring the barriers that older adults face in participating fully in civic life.

Inspired by this and subsequent conversations, I founded GenBallot, an intergenerational coalition that unites young people and older adults to eliminate barriers to voting. Through my work at the community center, I began collaborating with staff and other teens to host town halls to discuss current events, organize voter registration drives and escort elderly voters to the polls. Our team combines the energy and activism of Gen Z with the wisdom and experience of older adults like Ruth, working together to protect democracy by making voting more accessible.

In New York, obstacles to voting affect both young and older citizens. Strict absentee ballot requirements and early registration cutoffs prevent many from casting their votes, particularly first-time voters and those with mobility challenges. Through GenBallot, we work to ensure that everyone—young or old—can participate in the democratic process.

The community center, a hub where people of all generations come together, is where I’ve witnessed civics in action. It’s where I’ve learned that meaningful connections, advocacy and democratic participation all intersect. As we approach the next election, I remain committed to empowering my community, fostering engagement and ensuring that no voice goes unheard.