Vikram’s Viewpoint: The True Meaning of Public Service

By Opinion Editor Vikram Mahajan  

 In sophomore year, I received an email from Mr. Macasero, my former Civics teacher, giving me a heads-up on a service opportunity. The League of Women Voters would be organizing a registration drive at MSJ and other local high schools, and were looking for student volunteers to help. I signed up, little realizing I was sparking an experience that would shape my time in high school.

Two years later, I reminisce on that decision as I lead MSJ’s next round of registrations. Since the 2024 drive, I’ve phonebanked for candidates and causes and gone door-to-door canvassing in both political and nonpartisan efforts. It’s been a defining aspect of my time in high school — with the accolades I’ve received but also, more importantly, with the people I’ve met and lessons I’ve learned.

Watching or hearing the news and observing what’s happening around us, it is all too easy to become a cynic, particularly in today’s political climate. It’s tempting to decry public servants as selfish and corrupt, and, on some level, it’s an understandable instinct. I myself fell into this mindset as I became deeply involved in local campaigns; I saw firsthand the mudslinging and vicious attacks leveled by all sides, broken promises of change by candidates past and present.

For someone hoping to go into politics and serve in elected office, these experiences were disheartening. Yet the leaders I met at the League prevented any oncoming crisis of conscience, renewing my longstanding interest and conviction in politics.

These community leaders with decades of experience in activism and advocacy became mentors and role models to me. Valerie Stewart regaled us with stories of her activism during the 1970s, when she protested against the Vietnam War, pushed for the 26th Amendment, and worked alongside leading second-wave feminists. Like Valerie, Julie Dunkle had founded the Youth Voter Movement in the wake of the Parkland shooting to facilitate collective advocacy; she also led the organization of the district-wide registration drives. 

Through their activism, people like Valerie and Julie showed me the true meaning of leadership, reaffirming my own interest in politics and public service. From their examples, I saw a combination of conviction and perseverance, and the tangible change that combination could bring about.

That realization rejuvenated my hopes and consequently my efforts; I pushed forth all the more aware of the positive impact that was possible. Rather than despair over the flaws in local campaigns, I converted those sentiments to action, inviting both candidates to MSJ to speak directly with students. My work in the League, in Civics Club, and on the campaign trail suddenly felt all the more meaningful. Hope proved a self-fulfilling prophecy.

The leaders at the League transformed my thinking on public service, certainly, but also taught me a bigger lesson. In places where it’s easy to paint the whole canvas dark, a single point of light — just one positive example — is enough for a ray of inspiration to emanate, to illuminate the entire landscape.