We’re often told the justice system is something to be thought about “later” — after college, after grad school, after we’ve figured out what we’re doing. But if you’re a college student reading this, then you know that justice doesn’t wait.
From protests on campus to nationwide cases of injustice, Gen Z is on the scene. The issue now is maintaining that energy and keeping it consistent, informed and real.
As a high school student, I’ve seen how often young people are underestimated when it comes to legal and political conversations. But I’ve also seen how curious and capable we are when we’re given the tools to understand them.
As the host of “Law of the Empire,” a podcast on how corporations interact with the legal system, I’ve spent the last year interviewing law professors, law students and policy experts on how power really operates in this nation. It’s cemented one thing: we don’t have to wait for a law degree to start working with the system.
There are so many ways for college students to do legal and civic work right now. One of the simplest is local court watch programs. These allow volunteers to observe from the courtroom hearings, track sentencing or bail-granting patterns, and note judicial behavior. It’s one of the most powerful tools for transparency, and many cities welcome college students into these programs.
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Another path is attending city council and school board meetings. They directly address issues like housing, campus policing and education funding. If these activities seem too overwhelming, bring friends. Listen first. Ask questions second. Many council members are surprisingly accessible to young constituents.
If you’re looking for consistent involvement, consider applying to a youth advisory board or city-sponsored civic committee. Many local governments and nonprofits have positions for people under 25. Your perspective is valuable, especially when decisions are being made that affect education, climate or racial equity.
You can also use your school environment to organize discourse. Organize a justice or legal policy club on campus. Have discussions over cases that are of interest to you.
Arrange for speakers. Organize voter registration drives. Civic engagement is not protest or voting, it’s studying how things work and learning how to work within them to exert pressure for change.
This isn’t about being a lawyer. It’s about understanding how the systems that dictate our lives, which dictate who is evicted, who is charged, who gets access to work. If we want a future that is fair, we need to understand how unfairness is built.
The faster we get involved, the more energy we can generate. So whether you are a pre-law student, engineer, biologist or artist, find what matters to you. Our generation has a voice. Now is the time to use it: to speak up, get informed, and step into the rooms where decisions are made.
Reyna is a sophomore at Barrington High School.
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