ANGIE MILES: Long before she was a college student.

OLIVIANNA WATKINS: [ ] Our presentation.

ANGIE MILES: Olivianna Watkins became a political observer.

OLIVIANNA WATKINS: I really got interested in politics right around the Trump and Clinton election, which is kind of weird because I was like ten, but it was like a really cool thing to see because I was like, we might have a female president That didn't happen.

I was very upset, but that's when I really started getting involved.

Now that I'm older, I can vote.

Im in a different area now I'm really excited for this election.

ANGIE MILES: Her excitement she's translated into action on behalf of her preferred candidate.

OLIVIANNA WATKINS: She's already done so much.

Shes become the first female vice president.

We'll finally have a woman leading our country.

I'd be so happy to see that.

ANGIE MILES: When she's not studying here at George Mason University, Olivianna is putting her energy and enthusiasm behind the effort to get Kamala Harris elected.

She says her perspective is informed in part by her strong belief that Donald Trump is unfit to hold office.

OLIVIANNA WATKINS: Especially considering the things he's said about women, people of color, LGBTQ rights, immigrants.

And just like, why is this the person we want running our country?

You're so obviously a very hateful person.

ANGIE MILES: In contrast, Olivianna believes that Kamala Harris is genuine and will deliver policies that protect and uplift average Americans.

And she says the Harris Walz ticket will build on what she considers recent economic successes of the Biden administration.

OLIVIANNA WATKINS: With Biden and Harris working to cap the price of insulin, they really do care about the middle and lower classes in trying to make life more livable and more comfortable for them, especially regarding, honestly life saving medication.

However, former President Trump has tried to repeal Obamacare.

I mean, people are having to choose between getting medication and getting groceries for that month.

ANGIE MILES: When it comes to groceries, gasoline, housing, living expenses that she says many young people have struggled to manage.

Olivianna says she sees how world events have impacted these costs, and she puts her trust in Kamala Harris.

OLIVIANNA WATKINS: When the war broke out in Ukraine, gas prices, everything went up because that's what conflict does.

GROUP: Everyone say, “Young Dems.” Young Dems.

ANGIE MILES: The president of Virginia Young Democrats who's out campaigning alongside Olivianna and others, says he's excited about the enthusiasm and voting power Millennials and Gen Z voters are bringing to the ballot box.

MATT ROYER: About two out of three times, the Millennials and Gen Z voters are breaking towards the left.

What we're seeing is gun violence is a huge part of what people are voting on.

Climate change is another part because we want to be able to actually have a future and a future planet to live on, Royer says.

ANGIE MILES: Royer says Olivianna is emblematic of what his party wants to see in many of Virginia's hotly contested areas.

MATT ROYER: Our college towns are really where a lot of our battleground districts are, so a lot of those districts are heavily Republican.

But all of these students are living there the majority of the year, whether it's out at James Madison in the sixth District or it's the fifth District with UVA, the ninth District with Virginia Tech, or even down in Hampton Roads with any of the colleges in those areas.

If we had more of these college kids voting, we would get so many more votes for Democrats.

And we see that from our college Dems like Olivianna.

ANGIE MILES: Olivianna is not a native Virginian but hails from Michigan.

She intends, however, to make Virginia home after graduation, working in international policy.

She says that President Harris would represent America well on the world stage.

But she says she's hopeful, too, that her choice for president will approach difficult issues like abortion.

OLIVIANNA WATKINS: Most people did not want Roe v Wade overturned.

I want to have the ability to make my own decision about my body and my future.

ANGIE MILES: Issues like gun violence.

OLIVIANNA WATKINS: Having more gun control laws so making it harder to get automatic weapons.

ANGIE MILES: On a host of issues.

OLIVIANNA WATKINS: For gasoline, for example, reduce our reliance on foreign gasoline, but also not damaging the environment.

ANGIE MILES: She's researched and studied and decided that parties are arguing about topics she says should be not partisan at all.

And for this election cycle, she says, Harris is the way to a better future.

OLIVIANNA WATKINS: If I didn't think these things were so important, I would not be sitting here right now.

This is going to have a big factor in the next few years of my life and I want to be able to have a role and a voice in deciding that.

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