Why do you vote?
My mother immigrated to the U.S. from the Middle East when I was two and my brother was five. She did it because she valued the opportunities America offered. When she arrived, she endured the eight-year naturalization process so we could be Americans, with all the liberties that came with, including the right to vote.

At 21, I started a career in civil service working for the Department of Justice. I saw firsthand how much power elected officials had; they could shine a spotlight on which crimes to investigate, which to prosecute, and which to deprioritize. It was eye opening!

We contribute every day to our local, state, and federal governments as tax paying citizens. These dollars shape our day-to-day lives, the communities we live in, and the future of our country. This is why voting matters, even in nationwide elections like the presidency. Whether we step into a voting booth every four years or not at all, people will be elected, and they will make choices with the money we give them.

At the end of the day, voting to me is so much more than having a voice or choice over how my hard-earned tax dollars are spent, it honors my mother’s courage and her journey to give me the opportunity.