Hi, I’m Anna Soper, and this is Teen People, the podcast that shares the stories of folks who appeared in Teen People magazine as young adults. My next guest was in the November 2000 issue of Teen People, in a story featuring young voices in American politics.

At the age of 18, Derrick Seaver told Teen People, “I see the job of being a citizen as the most important job in our democratic system.” He was profiled by Teen People during his historic campaign, as he ran for a seat in Ohio’s House of Representatives. In November 2000, he won his seat by less than 250 votes, and became Ohio’s youngest state legislator. This, if you’ll remember, was the year George W. Bush beat Al Gore and Ralph Nader for the presidency.

At that time, in an interview with Dayton Daily News, Derrick’s father said his son’s candidacy would mobilize the youth vote. “I think there are a lot of young people who want to be heard,” he said. For his part, Derrick told CBS News, “A lot of things have become so partisan lately. Plus ça change…

Derrick is the grandson of a steelworker. Today, he lives and works in the heart of Silicon Valley. He represents that shift from America’s industrial economy to an information and service economy that bears little resemblance to the US heartland of another age.

Derrick spoke with me about his faith in the democratic process, and his hopes for the future.

Podcast Notes:

If you’re an American: https://www.usa.gov/how-to-vote.

Find me on Twitter and Instagram (TeenPeoplePod) and www.annasoper.ca.

Intro music: © Anna SoperOutro music: © Apple Inc., used on a royalty-free basis.

Teen People is recorded in Kingston/Katarokwi, the traditional territory of the Anishinaabe, Haudenosaunee and the Huron-Wendat.