The following reflection is from Julia Cordova, a Pace University undergraduate who served as the Teaching Assistant for the POL270 Global Politics of Disarmament and Arms Control class in Fall 2025. Students had the opportunity to engage in civic engagement assignments with disarmament advocacy efforts in the context of the UN General Assembly First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) meetings in New York City.

Growing up, I did everything I could to avoid drawing attention to myself. School teaches us to listen to those who are older than us because they “know” better and that the systems in place are fixed and indisputable. I rarely expressed my opinions and never spoke up because I felt like a young voice had no purpose. I always told myself it was okay because one day in the far-off future, when I was more mature, my voice would finally matter, and that is when I could make a difference.

My experience as the TA for the Global Politics of Disarmament and Arms Control course completely changed my mindset. Through this opportunity, I had hands-on experience in the world of disarmament advocacy around the UN General Assembly First Committee. I was able to attend a high-level meeting with UN Under-Secretary-General for Disarmament Izumi Nakamitsu, draft articles on youth and education for Reaching Critical Will’s First Committee Monitor, and even deliver a speech to the First Committee on behalf of Pace University’s International Disarmament Institute.

As I became more involved, the more I realized that I did not have to wait; my voice mattered now. I was surprised by how quickly my confidence grew once I understood that the assumptions I made about the UN and the people who worked there were incorrect. It became clear that the mystique surrounding diplomatic spaces came from the belief that delegates somehow know more, when in reality, they are just people too.

I saw how civil society was able to carve out spaces for themselves in rooms that they were once excluded from. Seeing this showed me that it’s not only possible but important to take up space to create meaningful change. I wanted to do more, so I started asking more questions, taking on responsibilities I would have shied away from, and trusting that my ideas had value.

With every meeting, every draft, and every person I met, I realized that “being too young and inexperienced” was not just something that held me back, but it is also a persistent mindset that has prevented meaningful change from happening in these formal spaces.

This experience showed me that places like the UN do not have to be so rigid or inaccessible. I was able to see that people in the room shaped them. And if given the chance, young people would make a significant difference to the world of disarmament by bringing urgency and honesty to conversations that desperately need it. I was able to see firsthand how young people’s presence brought hope, challenged assumptions, and reminded people why disarmament and education matter.

For the first time, I no longer felt like I was just passively learning about global issues. I was able to contribute to conversations that matter to me and see how my ideas were being heard. I no longer believe that I need to reach an imaginary milestone in my life to be taken seriously. I have finally found the importance of my voice, and I plan to keep using it.