From Vietnam anti-war protests to the Greensboro sit-ins, student voices have been the impetus of political change. This is no surprise because school is the very place students are encouraged to learn, grow and advocate for their beliefs. Two students in particular have made their voices heard by participating in a number of political events and even holding their very own Niles Township Democrats United (NTDU) youth summit. These students are juniors Jade Alao and Ragad Eltay.

Alao credits her family and background for her political involvement.

“I became politically involved because I’m Black, a girl and also an immigrant; my parents are from Nigeria and I was born there.  I don’t hold a lot of privilege in this world, but I know that I hold some type of privilege, especially as a documented immigrant and my family being pretty well off, so I try to use that to help others. I was also inspired by my mother and from her I learned the importance of speaking up for others,” Alao said.

Eltay got into politics after Trump’s 2024 election and is concerned about the immigration policies being enacted. She also says that her background of being Black, an immigrant from Sudan, Muslim and a woman has made her hyper aware of the injustices in America, so she feels it’s her duty to speak for others in marginalized groups.

The pair met during their freshman year, but they grew close during their sophomore year when they talked about what classes they wanted to take, and they realized that they were two of the few Black students in Advanced Placement or honors classes.

They continue to meet up at Alao’s AP African American Studies class, where English teacher and Black Student Union (BSU) sponsor Dillin Randolph welcomes both of them with open arms and has helped them in their political endeavors.

“I think it’s really important that students use their voice, I try to make them understand that their voice is powerful and they should use it to make a difference…I feel like the whole point of [teachers] being here to help [students] is not only to learn but feel like you belong, feel that the school cares about you and create an environment where you want to be here. It’s especially important with students of color because students of color have been historically silenced, so in order to take that power back and say ‘you know I have something to say and it’s important’ is the way to take it back,” Randolph said.

They officially started getting involved after they had a long talk about the Trump administration and what they thought needed to change in government policy. The pair looked up political opportunities and found New Trier Democrats and decided to go to a meeting. They once again found themselves to be two of the only Black individuals in the room, and after some debating on whether to stay or leave, they decided to give it a chance. Through the organization, they found Operation Swing State, which is an Illinois grassroots association that sends volunteers to support Democratic candidates in Michigan and Wisconsin. The two held their NTDU youth summit at Sketchbook on April 19. Alao is also part of Multicultural Student Achievement Network (MSAN) and has advocated for African American Studies to count towards a credit requirement, which would encourage enrollment in the class. Eltay is currently working on getting involved with Skokie’s upcoming Juneteenth celebration. They are also a part of BSU.

Through their work, the two students met Cook County Board Commissioner and Niles Township Democratic Committee member, Josina Morita.

“What makes them such great activists it that they want to be involved. They have sought out opportunities that were not necessarily for them, like in operation Swing State, they were the youngest people in the room, they sought out opportunities to get involved. That initiative is what really puts them over the top,” Morita said.

Randolph also says that their passion to help others is what sets them apart.

“What makes Jade and Ragad special is that they have that passion, passion to ensure that everybody gets what they need or want. They also have tremendous love for the people they want to impact and I hope other students are inspired by what they’re doing,” Randolph said.

Eltay hopes that other students realize how big an impact politics has on their daily lives.

“I hope people learn from my example because I know a lot of younger people don’t take politics seriously because they think it’s boring or they don’t think it affects them or they just don’t think it’s that serious. That’s really far from the truth because whether it be gun violence, or student loans or changes to [Free Application for Federal Student Aid], things young people are impacted by every single day, so I hope my involvement inspires at least a few of them to pay attention, speak up and get involved because you really never know when politics can target you,” Eltay said.

Eltay and Alao hope to hold another youth summit this June.