photo: Bernard Pollack/ BY-NC-SA

Around the country, young people may be reluctant to go to the polls—but that isn’t stopping some youth from encouraging their peers to be more involved in this election.

Keylin Rivera, 21, Vice president of the College Democrats of North Carolina at UNC Greensboro,was recently appointed as a youth Delegate for the Democratic National Convention. She says her main goal is to mobilize and recruit young people to volunteer at the polls; especially her Latino peers who, Rivera claims, are excited because of Obama’s recent immigration reform.

"It’s had a huge impact. So many Latinos are really enthusiastic. Even my parents—my dad for the first time this past week went out and did some phone banking for the president. A lot of my friends once they heard of this, although they are undocumented, they want to volunteer for the campaign. So it’s really big--even people who can’t vote are out here helping to reelect the president which is great."

And as for the young people of North Carolina who seem apathetic towards this election, Rivera isn’t worried. She says she has a charm with people that makes them want to get involved.

"I just let them know the importance of voting, and you know if you can do just one hour a week that’s great. So a lot of my friends, people who have never been involved before, are out here doing voter registration next to me, phone banking for the first time. And they love it, they just had no idea it would be fun," Rivera said. 

Rivera says it’s a dream come true to be a youth delegate at the DNC and plans on continuing to advocate for youth.

"And just letting them know, that if I can do this, you know there are so many other people that can do it as well."

Stay tuned as Youth Radio profiles Keylin Rivera during the DNC on her position as a youth delegate.