Symone D. Sanders is a Democratic strategist and the former national press secretary for Bernie Sanders's presidential campaign.

Millions of young people rose up during this election season and declared they cared about the issues - criminal justice reform, climate change, education, the economy and social justice. Those young people, were resoundingly independent in their thoughts and their politics, but engaged with the Democratic Party in an effort to move the needle. These activated millennials demanded they be heard and their issues discussed.

With or without the Democratic Party, young people will organize and act. Party leadership should reach out to bring them into the fold.

Instead, they were met with tales of who fought and died for their right to vote, fear of a Donald Trump presidency and chastised for not readily supporting the Democratic nominee.

For the Democratic Party to move forward and win, young people -- some of the party's most vocal critics -- cannot be shut out of what will be a rebuilding process. Party leadership must bring millennials into the fold with a focus on the issues. Millennials must be brought to the table as equals, their ideas and sentiments valued and their input turned to action. More than just television and radio ads, the Democratic Party must actively show up in communities from Seattle to Oakland, Denver to Atlanta, Minneapolis to Philadelphia, Miami to Baltimore and everywhere in between to extend an offer of partnership to young voters.

With or without the Democratic Party, young people are going to get organized and they are going to act. It was young people who stood up boldly and challenged the presidential candidates to assert that “black lives matter,” have a social and criminal justice plan and to think radically. They did not come to the work empty handed or without direction.

The process of partnership will not be easy. Today, many millennials are more skeptical of the system than ever, but young people are vital to the vibrancy of the Democratic Party. Young activists, protesters and noise makers ... it's time to let them in and let them lead.



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