Letter to the Non-Voter

I’m not standing here as a partisan. I’m standing here as someone who spent most of my life on the outside of democracy, looking in. I learned what it is to want a voice and not have one. And I know what it is to finally step into that booth—no music, no fireworks, no cinematic fanfare. Just a private space, a ballot, and a weight settling into your chest that you didn’t expect. Because that’s the moment you understand this was never about ME. It’s about US.