The first political op-ed I wrote was done in crayons; at seven years old, I wrote in my journal about how much I wanted to vote in the 2004 election. With a colorful illustration and creative misspellings, I stressed that my candidate was the one who would support people like my parents: hardworking Colombian immigrants determined to prove their worth in their new home. I began my journey of civic and community engagement then, working with them to learn the customs and history of this country leading up to their citizenship exam. A decade and a half later—and with a more sophisticated manner of expressing my thoughts—I never lost the spark of passionate curiosity I had about identities and voting behavior.