What do former president Richard Nixon and Bay Area high school student and youth filmmaker Sydney Matterson have in common?
Answer: both spoke to the silent majority.
In 1969, the silent majority was a group popularized by Nixon. It was an unspecified group, who did not participate in the counterculture movements, but according to the former president, the vocal minority overshadowed their voices.
Like Nixon, Matterson may have also given voice to the 21st century version of the silent majority this past Election Day.
Matterson, a senior at SF School of the Arts, along with the Bay Area Video Coalition's (BAVC), directed a film on Election Day that allowed Bay Area youth to voice their opinions on this year's election and the issues that will have an effect on them.
Across from Oakland City Hall, Matterson set up a "voting" booth, built at her school and equipped it with a camera to document the thoughts of the students interviewed.
For over six hours Matterson filmed student reflections. She invited several high school classes to participate, but the booth was open to all youth under 18 who may have passed by. Students who entered the booth were provided several prompt questions:
• What issue concerns you the most and what do you think should be done about this issue?
• Do you think this election is gong to change the lives of American teenagers? How?
• Why is it important for teenager's opinions to be heard?
• If you could vote, which presidential candidate would you vote for? Why?
One of the consistent concerns offered by the participants, like many adults, was the economy. This revelation may run against the stereotypes that adults hold about youth, seeing them as consumed only with the latest technological advances designed to enhance their personal entertainment.
"A lot of the students we're getting will be 18 within the year or the year after and so the economy will soon effect them directly, Matterson said.
She adds, "It's already effecting their parents and it's going to effect their ability to go to college and they can see the economy going down."
Once edited and completed as a film, Matterson will have the documentary distributed to several film festivals along with to a number of local elected officials throughout the area.
The symbolism of being located in front of City Hall should not be missed. The powerlessness that many young people feel is often silenced by their inability to vote. Age restrictions notwithstanding, Matterson does not believe that alone should be an impediment that prohibits youth from being heard.
It is Matterson's contention that many adults who make decisions impacting young people do so without the benefit of hearing youth voices.
"My generation has been paying close attention to the political scene and has formed educated responses to the many controversial issues," she said.
The young people who participated, today's silent majority, were filled with excitement. There was a shared enthusiasm between the production crew and the participants. Teenagers, who otherwise would be left out on Election Day had their voices heard and were provided a positive forum to have an impact.
What Matterson accomplished with her project was the continuation of the enthusiasm and impact youth voters have had on this year's election. Beginning with the Iowa Caucus in January through the general election in November, young people have demonstrated the power of their participation.
Matterson is laying the foundation for the next wave of participants to cast off the traditional shackles of apathy, by embracing their civic responsibilities.
"The point of this documentary is youth can be heard, and even though it's not going to effect today (the results of the election) youth will feel they've participated in some way." Matterson said.
Matterson should be commended for her contribution to civic engagement. She has created a project that debunks the notion for young people that their voices won't be heard, and she will also ensure that adults who make decisions that impact young people's lives do so while hearing the voices and seeing the faces of the silent majority.