At a press briefing hosted by the Center for Cooperative Media on Monday, October 13, Senator Andy Kim spoke about the challenges facing young New Jersey students.

“For me, education is paramount,” Kim said. “Education is literally what brought my family to the United States. It’s so important that we give people that chance, but it’s difficult.”

Kim, whose father immigrated from South Korea as a student, said that educational policy is deeply personal to his family: “My father came to the United States a little over 50 years ago as a foreign student to try to build more opportunities and a family here.”

The senator expressed concern over recent cuts to the U.S. Department of Education, saying they threaten vital programs. “We’re seeing efforts right now to try to dismantle and abolish the Department of Education,” Kim said. “They just fired a bunch of workers […] who support children with disabilities. These programs are so depended on by so many communities in New Jersey.”

Kim noted that he personally benefited from federal aid. “I was a Pell Grant kid,” he said. “My family got support through the Pell Grant. I was also work-study. This administration has been gutting Pell Grant, has been gutting work-study support.”

He mentioned he’s already fought to reverse that trend, pushing for legislation that would expand financial aid and lower student loan burdens. “I’ve tried to put forward legislation that would dramatically increase the number of Pell Grants we give as a country, as well as raise the amount that one can get per grant,” Kim said. “I’ve also supported efforts to reduce interest rates on student loans and tie repayment to income so people aren’t choosing between paying loans and paying rent.”

Kim acknowledged the economic pressures many young people face. “When I hear from this one college grad saying that he doesn’t think he can ever afford to buy a home because of just how expensive they are […] I hear that from a lot of people,” he said.

As both a senator and a father, Kim said he feels a responsibility to advocate for future generations. “I think it’s important to have the voices of parents of young kids in the U.S. Senate that can talk about this firsthand,” he said.

Despite those challenges, Kim encouraged students not to lose hope or disengage from politics. “I would first say to younger people […] it doesn’t have to be this way,” he said. “I hope people feel empowered that things can change.”

He urged students to see participation as the foundation of democracy. “The opposite of democracy is apathy,” he reminded. “It’s when we feel a sense of helplessness.”

Be sure to vote in New Jersey’s upcoming gubernatorial election, either by mail-in ballot or at the polls on November 4.