I voted today in the national presidential primary and California state elections. It always takes me longer than I expect; it’s time-consuming to ensure you know all the candidates and initiatives so you can think critically about your voting decisions. It’s never a one day process either—I’ve been thinking about the presidential and legislative candidates for some time, as well as an important proposition on my ballot. The presidential candidates get all the attention, but I think it’s important to remember that it’s Congress who makes the laws. The office of the president has assumed and accumulated more and more power over the past 100 years, but it is our elected officials in the House and Senate who are charged with serving their constituents. The executive branch, in theory, just executes.

There’s always a sense of responsibility when I vote. It’s my civic duty to be informed and choose my government so that it best serves my fellow citizens. I find the misattributed Mark Twain quote thought-provoking, but I reject it. It is not only our privilege and our right, but our responsibility. The future is ours, it is what we make it. We have the power to collectively affect the outcome of history. We can empower our communities. We can change the world. Why sit quietly in the corner or purposefully remain ignorant of the lyrics when we can dance to the music? This is our opportunity. Let’s make songs to be sung long after we’re gone.