Brexit stole my future. Now, I want it back

One of my ongoing missions is to encourage and include more young people in the world of politics and in the pro-EU campaign. In 2016, I was only 14 and unable to vote but this September’s rally in London will not only be my first political march but also my first time speaking in public

The moment I heard the result of the referendum in 2016 is a moment I will never forget – I was in an English lesson and our teacher told us the news; it was a time of shock and sadness but there was also a lot of anger; anger that my voice, like my peers’, had not been listened to and that we were now the generation who would feel the brunt of such a terrible political blunder.

This anger is a lot of what fuels my passion for Rejoin and is something that has inspired me to speak at the march this September. I want to champion the voice of my generation and make sure that our wishes are respected after so many years of social, political and economic turmoil. Polls alone are showing the huge hunger for Rejoin amongst under 25s but the mission is still on to see this represented in the direct action and discourse of the pro-EU movement.

With many of my peers’ lives hugely impacted by Brexit, I hope to be able to help represent them and my own experiences as a normal young person living in Britain today. This is our future and I feel we should finally be able to have a say in it. The rally in September will be a huge gathering of pro-europeans; sharing hope for a future united and thriving with the many huge benefits of having our place in the European Union back. However, what we still need is more young people to not only feel represented but also to join us at events and days of action, like the annual rally in London.

I urge you to talk and listen to young people in your life and encourage them to take their place in the discussions about their future – young people who may have almost given up hope of politics ever truly being open to them. I don’t want to push the old rhetoric and soundbites; I want and hope my speech will help to galvanise the real people whose lives are being affected by Brexit. I am a normal young person from Liverpool who wants their future to be united and I urge anyone out there who believes young people should be at the heart of real change to come and join us in London on the 23^rd September when we march for Rejoin .

Aged 20, Ceira Casey Sergeant is the youngest speaker at the rally speaking for the first time in public. For all the info, go to www.MarchForRejoin.co.uk