I am not alone in seeking change. The extreme political polarization in the United States is dividing our nation. Political candidates often portray their opponents as corrupt, creating a sense of "us" and "them." Members from each political party tend to view people with differing opinions as a threat. This hatred of the other side and devotion to one's own causes us to tolerate more immoral behavior from political leaders. In turn, this damages our democracy, increasing partisanship at the cost of quality and quantity of passed legislation.

With a spirit of inquiry, compromise, and transparency, our generation can end this political violence to enact real change.

This is how Bank of America is making America moral again.

The Bank of America Student Leaders program supports students who seek to make a difference in the community. Student Leaders are awarded with paid summer internships at local nonprofit organizations and participate in a week long leadership summit in Washington, D.C., all expenses paid, with other Student Leaders from across the country. At the summit, students learn how government, businesses, and the nonprofit sector work together to address critical community needs. The Close Up Foundation teaches Student Leaders valuable civic, social, and leadership skills as they visit historic monuments, memorials, and museums, engage in meaningful discussions with guest lecturers, and represent their communities to members of Congress.

I was a 2019 Student Leader, and the experience changed the course of my life forever.

Bank of America connected me with 282 of the most passionate and diverse individuals from across the nation. Meeting our country's leaders and discussing critical issues together was empowering, but for me sitting in a room surrounded by future leaders was even more powerful. We all traveled to Washington, D.C. from different communities, representing a wide range of ethnicities, races, religions, gender identities, and sexualities, yet we were all able to listen respectfully to each other's diverse views on controversial topics. We bled red and blue, and everything in between, yet we still valued unity and compromise as key to making positive change in our society. Why can't the so-called leaders today?

Even though the democratic foundation of the U.S. is currently crumbling with the weight of political violence and hatred, I have hope for tomorrow. Soon the fate of this country will rest in the hands of my generation. As we step into leadership roles, we will bring with us the same unity we shone with on the steps of Congress. Together, we will challenge the nation to rise above these bitter political divisions. We will boldly set a new standard for what democracy should look like.

Thanks to Bank of America, we come equipped to change the world.