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(EDITOR’S NOTE: Raeshan Hart is a writer, columnist, author, workshop facilitator and media producer currently based in Texas but born in Pineville, LA. She writes a weekly column for The Baytown Sun and is a contributing lifestyle writer for Greater Baytown Magazine. Raeshan’s mother, Wila Hart, and her family are from Jena, LA and Raeshan has spent much time in LaSalle Parish while growing up. She brings a unique perspective to the importance of voting especially from her and younger generations. Readers may contact Hart at [email protected])
Often, I proudly tell people that I’m “Louisiana born; Texas raised,” when discussing my background. If it’s true what they say, “home is where the heart is,” then I’m proud that parts of my heart, and the roots that run deep, are in still living in the pine tree-filled lands of LaSalle Parish.
My love of writing and storytelling was birth on the porch of my grandmother’s house that sits down a long-isolated road not far from Mars Hill Baptist Church near Jena. Spending time reading books, and writing stories, while sitting with my Aunt Lo, eating pizza she got us from the Old “Ma and Pa’s” restaurant.
My Uncle Robert used to take me to pick up a copy of this very newspaper, The Jena Times, and have me sit on his porch as he sipped his coffee while I read it out loud. Even with the plume of smoke from his cigarette filling the air we sat in, I still could smell the beautiful scent that the pine trees gave off. That smell is something that till this day reminds me of spending summers riding in the back of his truck to go to “Gotta-Go” and get an iced-honey bun and Big Blue soda.
As I grew up, the visits didn’t happen as often. Our journey home to Jena were because relatives passed away, or we were having to evacuate an impending hurricane.
It was during our evacuation for Hurricane Ike, that the branches of our family tree extended, when I gave birth to my son while we were housed at the Townsmen Inn. That baby is now 18. Among the usual ways of celebrating his birthday, we spent time doing things uniquely attached to turning 18.
Registering him to vote was the most important thing we made sure to do.
He asked, “Why it’s so important to do it this exact day?”
I told him how I wanted him to understand the power of his vote; that it’s the way to have his voice be heard. I didn’t want him to become apathetic to what is happening around us, or to agree with anyone who says: voting doesn’t change anything.
I wanted him to understand that progress isn’t enough; we can’t become comfortable with sitting on the sidelines. You can’t complain about the cost of living if you’re not doing something to ensure those who are elected are willing to protect that.
My generation, millennials, grew up with parents who were raised during the height of the greatest movements in our nation’s history-civil and equal rights. By the time we were born, the stories of legalized gender, race, and sexual orientation-based discrimination felt like passages we’d read in history books. I was a child of the 90’s, and our economy was booming! Society began to look like the dream Dr. King had wanted for us. I took for granted the results that came from those who fought for our rights. We all take it for granted.
And now the cost of living is reflecting what happens when people stay home on election day.
Instead of standing in-line to vote, we’ve become the generation that would rather wait online to get tickets to a concert. Maybe it’s the pessimistic energy online that has led to the younger generations believing voting doesn’t make a difference. Voter suppression proves that isn’t true!
Millennials and Gen z, it is our turn to make our voices heard in the voting booth. You must show up to be heard, not just on social media.
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