Dear President-Elect Trump,

My name is Joy Nuga, and I feel as though the label “college student” is not as all encompassing as its connotation suggests. As an aspiring economist, architect, and logician, I seek to understand our nation’s most fascinating, yet contentious affairs, and hopefully stand at the forefront with future problem solvers whose prerogative is to tackle the issues that plague our nation. Recently, the topics that usually ensue healthy political discourse have progressed to sheer violence and societal unrest. I have witnessed the ramifications our divided nations have inflicted for individuals of all marginalized backgrounds and strongly ask you to consider the following in your first 100 Days in Office.

Despite a mere sixteen years into the new millennium, we have experienced more transformative shifts in sociopolitical, racial, and economic trends than ever before. These shifts do not only directly impact the lives of those known and unbeknownst to us domestically, but also the lives of those in areas of the world far beyond our relative understanding. It is clear that the next few years will be ever so crucial in determining the future trajectory of our country that will ultimately impact my and the next generation’s lifetimes. We need to begin to spur the conversation of what it truly means to be an American, as well as the notion of what it means to be a global citizen. Our world is too intrinsically tied for us to think otherwise.

I believe that the tie that holds us together most evidently is the Internet. Never before have we been able to connect with one another not only across the fifty states and accompanying territories that make up the United States, but also to people across the globe. I ask you to be ever so cautious of what the gravity that the Internet has on every aspect of our lives and pledge to be steadfast and proactive of ensuring that the United States is at the forefront of global citizenship on the Internet. The infrastructures that heat and light our homes, dictate our academic and professional lives, and connect us in ways never before seen directly rely on a safer and regulated Internet infrastructure.

Furthermore, as our cultural and social identities become mutually exclusive with the Internet, I ask you to consider the prioritizing the importance of privacy and encryption. The Internet has been a catalytic tool in the most progressive events in modern history, from criminal justice reform, LGBTQ+ awareness, women’s rights, and immigration reform, as well as the acknowledgement of rural groups – namely the Rust Belt and coal country – who feel that their voices have not been heard. These progressive events would not be possible if we continue to diminish the role of safe cyberspace where individuals – in the nation with fundamental values we hold so dear – are not able to freely express their thoughts and desires for comprehensive change.

Internet governance may seem nuanced and far too technical, but since our lives are becoming more dependent on the digital sphere, I ask you to strongly consider the issue and exhaustively integrate reform throughout every aspect of your agenda. This is not a linear issue, but something entirely interdisciplinary throughout the domestic and foreign policy goals you may seek to accomplish in your Administration. I thank you for the platform of restorative change you pledged to bring, and I hope that the aforementioned issues are acknowledged.

Sincerely,

Joy Nuga