As the Director for Common Cause Youth Programs, seeing the power and enthusiasm of each new class is a rare privilege . We couldn’t resist the idea of harnessing some of this power by asking our interns and fellows to put their powerful ideas on paper to create this anthology, Writing for a Just World .

These are the ideas that will challenge leaders of today to do what needs to be done to strengthen the people’s voice in our democracy, or step aside . These are the voices ready to fill the halls of power with chants, quiet lobbying, and by running and winning office themselves .

If you want to know what the future of democracy looks like, you’re looking at it now . Read on .

– Alyssa Canty