Annual Youth Initiative Contest
Be Empowered. Every Vote Defends Democracy

Eliana Arriaga

University of Texas

College Winner
Art
Second Place

Artist’s Note:

Be Empowered. Every vote defends democracy.
Two simple sentences, yet they carry the weight of generations whose struggles made them
true today.

When I think about being empowered by my vote, I think back to the suffrage movement and to
changemakers like Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, and countless others who
endured discrimination and hardship. I think about the work, sacrifices, and determination it took
for them never to give up. Their efforts culminated in a pivotal moment in 1920, when women
secured the right to vote and the League of Women Voters was established, marking a
triumphant victory for women across the country.

Yet these words can be easy to overlook. It has been 105 years since women gained the right to
vote, but many of my peers take that right for granted. Polling places are nearby, yet
participation is low. Too often, people doubt that their vote matters, yet are unable to imagine a
time when their voices were silenced. They were not there when it was necessary to form the
League or to celebrate its courageous victory for freedom. However, I stand firm in remembering
history and that not long ago, freedom of speech was not a given right. To forget that history is
to risk losing what was so fiercely earned.

When I think about what empowers me to vote, why I research every issue on my ballot, and
why I serve as a 19-year-old election judge in Bexar County, I think of the courage and bravery
of those who came before me. Their spirit inspires me to remain strong and to continue their
work in my own way.

That same spirit inspired my drawing. When I imagine the women who defied every expectation
of their time, I see a lion, a symbol of bravery, strength, courage, and perseverance. I draw this
lion in remembrance of them, in honor of those who embodied the symbol of courage. It reminds
me to be fearless, to stand up for what is right, and to carry forward the strength of those who
roared before me.

- Eliana Arriaga