Danielle Allen on Youth in Democracy

The truth of the matter is that the actual diagnosis of what's wrong in the world around us starts with us. And it starts with young people. And if there is any message I could drive home the most forcefully today, it would be namely this-- that really, young people, they see the shape of our world presently. I think they have a better understanding of it than any other generation. But we are not letting young people set the agenda for the issues we pay attention to. And

So I think hearing young people's diagnoses, activating them as diagnosers is the first and most important thing to do. And then, yes, policy experts can come in and help think about the specific diagnoses that have been put on the table and listen to ideas about solutions and work with young people, work with other people about those solutions and bring their expertise to bear. But that diagnosis is most powerful when it is a truly democratic process really bubbling up and when the voices of youth are heard.