Los Angeles — It’s been over a year since the invasion of Ukraine. At first, there was no escaping the headlines about the war. But now, I feel like I’m the last of my peers still tuning in to the latest updates.
When the anniversary of Russia's invasion came, I expected my peers to talk about it. Instead, my friends were busy discussing new movies and funny video trends.
I wasn't expecting this. How can others choose to ignore a war that not only impacts so many people, but could possibly affect all of our futures? A war — quite possibly for democracy itself — feels like it’s being forgotten by my friends and classmates.
I try to encourage my friends to understand the importance of the situation. But I also get how they feel. It is sad and upsetting news, which makes it hard to read a lot of the time.
But this is the way I try to do something as a teen living far away. I’m following the updates through major news organizations every few days. By not putting it out of my mind, I’m showing that even people across the world care. And no matter the way the war ends, I will not forget the struggles of the Ukrainian people.