Ashlynn Whitley is planning to major in psychology at Southeastern University. She is motivated to participate in politics because the current government will affect her future children. She believes social media is an important way to engage younger people in politics. Whitley learned that Texas has a higher crime rate than other states, possibly due to stricter laws, and may become more politically liberal in the future. One major issue in Texas is a new abortion law banning abortions after 5 weeks, which has angered many women who believe the law restricts their bodily autonomy. As a large state with a big population, Texas plays a huge role in influencing the federal government through its political decisions.

1. PARTICIPATION
IN POLITICS
PROJECT
MY NAME IS ASHLYNN
WHITLEY, AND I AM
PLANNING TO MAJOR IN
PSYCHOLOGY AT
SOUTHEASTERN THIS
UPCOMING SEMESTER.

2. MOTIVATION
• ONE THING THAT MOTIVATES ME TO WANT TO BE AN ACTIVE PARTICIPANT
IN OUR POLITICAL SYSTEM IS THE FACT THAT WHAT IS HAPPENING NOW
WITHIN OUR GOVERNMENT, WILL BE WHAT EFFECTS MY CHILDREN IN THE
FUTURE. WITH THAT BEING SAID, I LIKE TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT ALL IS
HAPPENING IN THE POLITICAL WORLD.
• I THINK ONE THING THAT FOR SURE NEEDS TO STAY THE SAME, IS THE
AMOUNT OF COVERAGE THAT POLITICS GETS ON SOCIAL MEDIA IN THIS
GENERATION. I THINK THIS IS AN AMAZING WAY TO REACH OUT TO
YOUNGER PEOPLE AND TO GET THEM MORE INVOLVED IN POLITICS.

3. WHAT I LEARNED THIS SEMESTER
• ONE BIG THING THAT I LEARNED THIS SEMESTER, WAS JUST HOW
DIFFERENT TEXAS IS COMPARED TO OTHER STATES. FOR ONE, THE CRIME
RATE SEEMS TO BE MUCH HIGHER HERE IN TEXAS BUT I BELIEVE THAT IT HAS
SOMETHING TO DO WITH HOW STRICT THE LAWS ARE HERE COMPARED TO
THE OTHER STATES.
• I ALSO GOT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW TEXAS COULD VERY WELL
BECOME A BLUE STATE IN THE FUTURE. WITH THE EVENTS THAT HAVE
HAPPENED IN THE PAST COUPLE YEARS, AND THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE
AGAINST SOME OF THE NEW LAWS BEING PASSED, I SEE A MAJOR CHANGE
IN OUR PERCENTAGES FOR PARTY SUPPORTERS SWITCHING UP.

4. POLITICAL ISSUE IN TEXAS
• I BELIEVE THAT ONE OF THE BIGGEST POLITICAL ISSUES
THAT IS HAPPENING IN TEXAS RIGHT NOW IS THE NEW
ABORTION LAW THAT JUST RECENTLY PASSED. THIS
NEW LAW STATES THAT NO WOMAN THAT IS OVER 5
WEEKS PREGNANT IS ALLOWED TO HAVE AN
ABORTION. THE RELEASE OF THIS LAW CAUSED A HUGE
UPROAR FROM WOMEN ALL OVER THE STATE,
EXPRESSING THEIR ANGER AND THAT NO MAN
SHOULD HAVE CONTROL OVER THEIR BODIES. I DO
AGREE THAT THIS IS UNFAIR, AND WILL CAUSE MORE
PROBLEMS IN THE FUTURE IF TEXAS CONTINUES TO
PASS LAWS THAT STATES WHAT A PERSON CAN AND
CANNOT DO WITH THEIR BODIES.

5. ROLE TEXAS PLAYS IN
INFLUENCING THE GOVERNMENT
• I THINK THAT TEXAS PLAYS A HUGE PART IN
INFLUENCING OUR GOVERNMENT. I BELIEVE
THIS SOLELY BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT
TEXAS IS THE SECOND LARGEST STATE, WITH
ONE OF THE BIGGEST POPULATIONS. I FEEL
THAT IN THE PAST, THAT TEXAS POLITICAL
DECISIONS HAVE INFLUENCED OTHER STATES
TO ACT THE SAME.

6. •I THINK THE BIGGEST THING I TOOK FROM THIS CLASS, IS JUST HOW
IMPORTANT IT IS TO STAY ACTIVE IN POLITICS. IT IS SO IMPORTANT
TO UNDERSTAND THE REASONING BEHIND WHAT IS HAPPENING
WITH OUR GOVERNMENT. I BELIEVE THAT IT IS ABSOLUTELY OKAY TO
NOT AGREE WITH EVERYTHING THAT MIGHT BE HAPPENING WITHIN
THE GOVERNMENT, BUT IT IS CRUCIAL TO STAY KNOWLEDGEABLE
ABOUT THESE THINGS SEEING HOW IT WILL AFFECT OUR CHILDREN
AND THE FUTURE GENERATIONS.