In 1955, Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a Montgomery city bus in Alabama, a beacon of light amidst a sea of discriminatory darkness in America. In 2011, Asmaa Mahfouz posted videos on the web urging her fellow Egyptians to be a voice against growing Egyptian governmental corruption. And before in 2010, thousands of New York Highschool Students participated in city hall gatherings to protest against the removal of free student metrocards. What do these three distinct events from the past have in common? People Power.

Young people are still participating in discourse akin to this today. Standing up to systems in power in order to push for real tangible change in their communities — not as an abstract concept bound to massive history textbooks, but as a force that can produce tangible results. In 1956, Bus Segregation was brought down, with voices like Rosa Parks being one of many leading the march. During the Arab Spring, the Egyptian President resigned after 30 years in power, with common voices like Mahfouz being a reason, and just weeks after, students protested for the protection of free student metrocards. These activists, though not the sole advocates, used the voices they were given to tackle challenges much bigger than themselves. This exact form of pressure is critical to ensure a government that provides positive turnouts for the people.

Now, let’s not underestimate the power voting and connected civic engagement has on the communities. It’s the method many nations across the world use to dictate what occurs internally, but as the youth grows increasingly upset and notices flaws that others are blind too, we must ask ourselves — Will we continue to let politics dictate us? No. New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani said it best: “No longer would politics be something that is done to us. Now, it is something that we do.” His words reflect the harsh truths, for far too long, the power has commonly belonged to the powerful and well connected at the top of the pyramid and not in the hands of the people all over. When ordinary people take one miniscule step, it may seem negligible, but when taken by thousands of people, it can turn a movement into one capable of challenging the status quo and ensuring that the government serves the many rather than the few.

I’ve witnessed this people power firsthand during the June New York State elections of 2026. I saw a vast variety of young students, highschoolers and college students, come together in support of different politicians, whether it be incumbent politicians working to keep New York State vibrant and diverse, or brand new faces trying to change the status quo of neighborhoods in New York City. The large number of students who chose canvassing and “Touching Grass” over a typical highschooler Saturday speaks volumes to the fact that many young people are eager to participate in politics beyond simply casting a one and done vote. During these elections, many political organizations endorsed candidates and conducted outreach, continuously assisting in the mobilization of high voter turnout in communities such as Corona and Woodside. As we push forward in the political landscape of New York and the world, let us not forget about the fruits people power has.

When you use your very own power and organize with others doing the same thing, so much can be done: one fish is prey, but a whole school of them are a force. Despite this, you can’t just join a crowd and expect change to follow suit, you need to use your hands and use your mind in order to get something.

In a 2019 article published by Harvard University’s very own news network, the Harvard Gazette, bookwriter Erica Chenoweth discusses the reasoning of the creation of her book. In this article, the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs at Harvard University (WCFIA) asks about the feasibility of people power with nonviolent resistance to oppose dissatisfaction. In the article, WCFIA asks “How important is the overall number of participants in a nonviolent campaign” where Chenoweth replies “is that a surprisingly small proportion of the population guarantees a successful campaign: just 3.5 percent. That sounds like a really small number, but in absolute terms it’s really an impressive number of people.” Chenoweth makes it evident that it only historically takes a miniscule number of people to produce real change, with about 3.5 percent of the population being a notable benchmark — quantifying it further by stating how if only 3.5% of the United States Population would protest, that number would be 11.5 Million people.

Political Scientist Erica Chenoweth‘s words echo the loud truth many dare to ignore: how people’s power is real. When we use our own two hands, get out into our communities and rally for change we believe will bring nothing but positive impacts, but the detriments must be brought to light. The scenes of the past have shown that mass movements can be manipulated and molded by misinformation or become increasingly radical. The Rwandan Genocide demonstrates the devastating consequences of mass mobilization when political and social forces are organized around dehumanization and ethnic hatred, whilst the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol building demonstrates how misinformation and extremism can mobilize large groups toward destructive ends, not positive good.

These events are not examples of democratic people power in the same sense as the movements discussed earlier but serve as a warning that collective power itself is not inherently righteous. Its value depends on the principles guiding it. Accountability will act as a safety net, if a politician backed and supported by people power enters a position but does not serve the community as promised, continued nonviolent protest, letters to offices and city hall, and powerful voices will assist in amending this error, forcing the people in power to work for the citizens and not their own conscious.

In a perfect world, the political model would be one of the common people stepping up to back politicians and also being active within the community through town halls and vocal uproar whilst maintaining accountability and “Checks and Balances” upon elected politicians. If we want for this model of political prowess to be implemented in cities around America, we must start small. Beginning with local representatives, whether it be your local senator or town mayor, and growing to then citywide, then state, then further. People power without negligence of the politicians nor the neglection of the people… that’s the model of political participation America needs.

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