Undergraduate Student Ashley Rhodd is from Miami, Florida. While volunteering at a Thanksgiving food drive with friends in 2019, she realized through a conversation on social justice just how passionate she was about the subject. Almost a year later, Ashley, who is currently a junior, is a social work major with a minor in education.

When she discovered the opportunity to work with the Florida Public Interest Research Group (Florida PIRG) on their New Voter Project encouraging Florida students to vote, she jumped at the change. “I really believe in this project, and I think it is important for everyone eligible to vote, to register and to make sure their voice is heard,” she explained. “People take the right to vote for granted, but the people we elect to office have the power to make an enormous impact on the lives of citizens across the United States.”

This project appealed to Ashley as a social work student, as advocacy is crucial to the field. She took her role as a social worker and as an advocate seriously for her clients, including encouraging clients to empower and advocate for themselves. “If we care about policies that impact our clients and us, we need to make sure that we are all voting and electing leaders that feel the same,” she stressed. 

Statistically, she pointed out that 70% of participating voters in the U.S. are more than 60 years of age, which is more than three times the participation of voters between 18 and 29. Younger adults tend to not show up at the polls and this population has enormous potential to change the political narrative when they vote, she also noted. She is incredibly passionate about noting that many people of her generation have shown themselves to be unafraid to speak out about social injustice.

As an intern with Florida PIRG, Ashley seeks to harness that power. “I think that students think that their voice doesn’t matter and that their vote doesn’t count,” said Ashley. “This couldn’t be further from the truth.” In her internship, Ashley has been forced out of her comfort zone to engage with other young adults. This includes the concept of phone banking, a process used to reach out to people via phone calls or text to encourage them to vote or to register to vote. Ashley and other Florida PIRG members also provide information to young adults about where to vote, including the website https://studentvote.org, which walks users through the entire voter registration process.

Working closely with community organizers and other volunteers at Florida PIRG, Ashley has also been connecting students with these resources through digital platforms like social media, text and chat groups, and clubs and organizations on Florida State University’s campus. The organization has also asked educators to pledge to spread the word about voter registration in the classroom. In an election year, the need to engage at all levels is critical.

After graduation, Ashley will continue to advocate for others through her work with young children and adolescents. She hopes to work as a school social worker in under-resourced and underfunded schools to empower students.