YOUNG POLITICAL ACTIVIST: MARQUETTE, MICH.

By Jordan Denari, 17

Pryce Hadley, 18, from Marquette, Mich.


Besides the fact that John Edwards, the candidate you were supporting,
wasn't on the ballot, why didn't you participate in Michigan's
primary?

It was useless to vote because the primary votes weren't going to
count. Now Hillary is really advocating to have Michigan's votes
count because she was the only Democratic candidate on the ballot so
she obviously won…but I really don't think that is fair because the
results would have been potentially different if Obama was also on the
ballot. (This question was posed before the decision was made on how
to seat Michigan's delegates.)

Though you've supported Democratic candidates in this election, you
still identify yourself as an Independent. Why?

I wouldn't vote Democratic just to vote Democratic. Being from
Michigan obviously we have different ideas about gun control than the
average Democrat would. So I have some slightly conservative ideals
about things like that, but the majority of my beliefs would be more
liberal. I can't totally side with all Democratic platforms and
really can't side with all Republican platforms, so I really like to
have that choice.

Describe your political protest art and what you're trying to convey through it.

I've made T-shirts with different slogans on them and illustrations of
my take on political socialization—the way beliefs are processed and
how we're given certain beliefs. One T-shirt I have is people going
on a conveyer belt and having beliefs kind of implanted in them. And
then I've also done collages taking pictures of different politicians,
and then expanding, drawing from them, and including little short
sentences or fragments of my thoughts at the time.

What is one piece of advice you'd give to American youth who might not
be as politically active?

Student and youth in general see politics as something that is beyond
their grasp because they say, "Oh it's just in Washington, D.C." But
really, it's everywhere 'cause that's part of a divided government;
it's at every level and it's on the local level as much as it's on the
national level. And it's easy to get involved in local government.

Through nonprofits and other advocacy programs, you can really make
changes that affect you and your community. If kids get involved at a
local level, they'll be more likely to advance to regional and state
and national. …I think that it's really important for them to know
that they can affect their current situation.