What it means to be a youth leader in Florida today

(Photo courtesy of Cynthia Medina)

17-year-old Cynthia Medina, is an organizer from Florida, working to make sure youth voices are included in conversations about important issues today such as censorship in schools, racial justice, and reproductive health.

In August of this year, Instagram posts and urgent TikTok messages filled my phone with a myriad of notifications. Flashes of shocking headlines caught my attention, and with one tap, I saw the reality of the upcoming school year. 

“AP Psychology will no longer be offered to Florida students due to material discussing gender and sexuality, joined by AP African American History,” the headline read. My heart dropped. I saved AP Psychology for my last year of high school, and I never thought that my state could take away my opportunity to learn such an important academic subject.

But it was not the first time, nor the last time that something like this has happened in my state. Florida’s legislature has taken on a so-called “war on woke” and stripped us of books and crucial educational materials. Taking away the full benefit of a holistic and diverse education, once valued by people like me, who fully depend on the resources and opportunities of a public education.

In the last year alone, Florida has: banned public school teachers from teaching about sexual orientation and gender identity, allowed teachers to ignore students’ requested pronouns in the classroom, and heavily restricted what could be taught in Advanced Placement courses such as African American studies.

“Political pawns” is what we, as students, were called in my state by the news. We are perceived as puppets to be used for the political gain of our “leaders.” Florida students are angry. The feeling of having a basic right, like an adequate education, ripped away unexpectedly is devastating.  

Yet, as we begin the school year, amidst the despair, a sense of unity and solidarity can be felt through social media, news articles, and simple conversations. Post after post, comment after comment, conversation after conversation; it was then that I knew people my age, in my district, and in my school, felt the same anger at the outrageous legislatures.

Posts on social media called for education to remain independent of indoctrination.  I even heard classmates asking: “Is this really necessary?” or “ How is this beneficial to our learning if it’s taking away from it?”

Even my teachers supported and understood our immense frustration as class after class discussed the new reality of our state. A sudden burst of hope emerged – hope that we can stand up and speak out on injustices limiting us from reaching our full potential. We have been told that we are the leaders of the “future” for years on end, and we must show that the “future” has arrived.

I was the organizer and closing speaker at a New College of Florida rally with Walkout2Learn. I spoke about LGBTQ+ issues, immigrant rights, keeping minority-led organizations and advocacy groups in schools, and keeping AP African American history for youth across Florida. Photo credit: Kevin Ngo.

We began taking action. Whether through social media advocacy, hosting rallies, speaking at local school district meetings, or attending district board meetings — Florida youth are raising our voices in any way that brings us into the conversation. We know it will be hard. The tears and hoarse voices from our chants for educational justice are evident. We face being told to “shut up” and that we don’t know anything because we are young, but we will continue to fight.

To be an activist in my state is to understand that sometimes we will be ignored by the adults who promise to do what is best for us. Sometimes we will struggle and feel immense frustration after a major loss, but we continue to press on knowing that one day, we have to win. The days I spend protesting, partaking in interviews, facing pushback and hate, are building blocks for a better state. 

It will not be easy, but I will continue to push forward because I know it will all be worth it. What we see tomorrow will be a reflection of what we put into today.