Miami teen uses social media to boost political literacy among youth

A South Florida teenager is engaging her peers in politics through social media despite being too young to vote, WSVN 7News reported. Sixteen-year-old Uma Hedge, a high school student, launched an initiative called Before the Ballot to educate teens on bipartisan issues and prepare them to be informed voters once they turn 18.

Uma noticed that many of her friends and other teens either lacked interest in politics or found it difficult to understand. She wanted to help by providing clear, fact-based information through platforms popular with young people, such as Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.

Each week, Uma posts discussion videos about local and global current events and interviews candidates running for office in Florida and nationwide, regardless of political party affiliation. Her goal is to foster political literacy and encourage her generation to care about civic engagement.

Uma told WSVN 7News that she wants to speak to her generation directly, presenting facts and encouraging them to decide which issues matter most to them. She believes this foundation is essential for future voters to participate meaningfully in democracy.