DeKALB – NIU’s Social Justice Education club held a seminar Tuesday about the importance and impact Generation Z members have when voting.

The seminar was run by two graduate students who are a part of the Social Justice Education club. The seminar aimed to educate students on voting, discuss how to register and where to vote and what to think about when deciding who to vote for.

The seminar was hosted at 3 p.m. in the University Suites room of the Holmes Student Center.

Trevon Smith, a second-year graduate student in the Higher Education Student Affairs program, talked about why this event is important and why it’s necessary for Gen Zers to vote.

“We are just trying to encourage our students more specifically, our younger voters, our Gen Z voters, to get out to vote and understand that their voice matters, and they can have their voice matter through voting. So that’s what we’re talking about here today,” Smith said. “I think oftentimes young folks don’t feel like they are represented by their policy makers, the legislation makers and government officials. So it’s important for them to know that to feel represented, part of that is voting, voting in the people that align with the same values as you and care about the same issues as you, because voting is one way of civic engagement amongst other things, so that’s why it’s important for a vote and represent it.”

At the event there was orange juice and Einstein Bros. Bagels sandwiches with cookies and chips. 

There were two attendees at the event. One of whom was Ana Velazquez, the associate director of Social Justice Education.

Velazquez talked about why she believes this seminar is important and how it can help people understand voting and social justice.

“It was really important for us to create this program to have access and encourage students who don’t feel like their voice is heard or that their experiences are validated in politics, and to let them know that there are students across the nation that are doing this work and they’re creating change,” Velazquez said.

Velazquez also said that this is not the last event that will be held and that they will be doing a people’s organizing week and empowerment retreat during the spring semester, talking about local politics and how students can get involved.

The other attendee, Emma Larsson, a first-year elementary education major, talked about why she decided to come to the event. 

“I was just coming for one of my teaching classes. I had to go to a college event and find out information and then I was looking on the NIU website of all the events and this one really stood out to me, because I just turned 18, so I’m very new to all the voting stuff and all that information,” Larsson said.

To register online and learn how to vote students can visit vote.gov

For more information about Social Justice Education, students can visit their website.