“A huge part of the country is like, ‘Hello?’ We’re funding an ongoing, documented genocide.”

Diana Sham, 26, is a senior psychology major with a JAMS minor at the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee. Diana is an undecided voter and doesn’t want to settle for a candidate that doesn’t align with her values. We sat down to talk about her uncertainty and frustration, what topics are important to her, and what it’ll take for her to decide on a candidate.

Katie Martinez: Are you planning to vote in this election?

Diana Sham: I am planning to vote, yes.

Katie Martinez: Do you feel like you’re currently represented by the candidates? Why or why not?

Diana Sham: Yes, I feel represented, but a big part is not. It’s very contradicting.

Katie Martinez: Okay, can I ask who you’re planning to vote for?

Diana Sham: [breathes out]

Katie Martinez: Is it hard to say?

Diana Sham: It’s so hard to say! Okay, so there’s this other party, but I’m probably not going to vote for them. And a huge issue right now in our country is the funding towards military aid overseas which I’m not a fan of at all. The Green Party candidate is against it, but I don’t know if they’ll be on the ballot in Wisconsin.

Katie Martinez: So, would you consider yourself undecided, or do you feel like you’ve made a choice?

Diana Sham: I feel like I’m still undecided. Kamala’s great, but I feel like there’s a big tension, where she’s only doing it for the popular vote and to gain trust from a specific demographic. A huge part of the country is like, ‘Hello?’  We’re funding an ongoing, documented genocide. As a presidential candidate, I feel like you should know what’s right at this point. If you care about a different country’s opinion about you, then what about us? What about your own country?

Katie Martinez: What values are important to you?

Diana Sham: The biggest one is honesty. You can have al of these great characteristics as a presidential candidate, but honesty is out there. Trump for example, we don’t know what he’s talking about most of the time.

Katie Martinez: What would it take for you to settle on a candidate?

Diana Sham: You know – no one’s perfect, including Kamala and I get that. For example, on our campus when she visited, she responded [to a protester in the crowd] with, “I’m speaking,” she’s been using that same line everywhere. You’re just speaking– are you listening? That’s the biggest thing that’s happening right now, so she can’t just continue to not talk about it.

Katie Martinez: Would you say that you’re tired of the “lesser evil” narrative?

Diana Sham: I am! I am so tired of that. I’m also tired of the “blue no matter who” ideology. Like where is your stance? Where are your core values?

Katie Martinez: What values do you think are important to Gen Z?

Diana Sham: I think hitting all the needs of our people. And just knowing where our money is going is also very important. We have homelessness, food poverty, and healthcare is going down the drain. To be fair, I’ve never been into politics until I learned where all this money is coming from and going towards. Our money going towards this? I didn’t agree to that! That’s one thing that made me get into politics and learn more.

History is watching us. We’re just regular people, but if we’re not talking and fighting about it then what are we doing?