With the increase in polarization in recent years, there have been massive leaps in interest in politics, especially in those too young to vote. This interest has been seen in social media posts, t-shirts and mock debates, but most of all in the creation of youth groups.
BlueTeens, a student-led organization founded by Robinson’s own Maya Moore (’27) and Tania Mulay (’27) has risen to prominence after the 2024 election, advocating for issues like the environment, voting rights and other democratic topics. More than just focusing on issues the United States is facing, however, Blue Teens helps introduce students to politics.
“I think BlueTeens is important because so many teens across the US want to be active but don’t know where to start. We’ve gotten tons of applications from students saying this is their first time getting involved in something civics-focused,” Co-founder Maya Moore said. “My favorite thing about it is creating a space where youth engagement in political spaces is real and accessible.”
Political discussions most often happen on social media. Unfortunately, that’s also where they are most likely to turn hateful and violent, discouraging people from sharing their views and opinions for fear of retaliation. Blue Teens combats this by providing a safe, respectful environment where discussion can happen.
“(We) Host opportunities for youth to get involved, like being a Blue Teens blog writer, where you can write about anything in the political sphere on our site,” Co-founder Tania Mulay (’27) said. “We also host outreach days/events like our partnership with the non-profit vote forward in which members were able to write letters directly to voters to encourage them to vote, or webinars like the one we had in July.”
Over the summer, BlueTeens held an online meeting with Congressional Representative Kathy Castor, joining her to talk about issues the bay and the United States were facing, and topics students thought were important.
Youth civic involvement is more important now than it’s ever been. With the rapid invasion of politics into just about every aspect of life and its increasing relevance, it’s crucial that teens get involved sooner rather than later.
“I was motivated to co-found Blue Teens because we, the current youth, are the future of the country, and needed an outlet to access ways to be politically and civically involved with no barriers,” Mulay said.
Whether it’s a family or a community with a different ideology, a fear of being retaliated against or simply just not knowing where to start, there are a multitude of issues that could prevent youth from getting involved. Thankfully, Blue Teens was created to counteract this exact problem. Through webinars, blogs and working alongside other organizations, Blue Teens doesn’t just help students learn about politics; it helps them get involved.
