Young people love Barack Obama. High School Students, College students, young parents, screaming teenage girls-they are all there- at his debates, rallies and appearances, they are there, they are supporting him and (if they are old enough) they are voting for him. So, what makes Barack so appealing to the young crowd?

1. They can identify with him

Barack is not an old man- he has the looks and attitude of an older brother, kind uncle or even a Church youth pastor, young people feel more connected to him because the wall of age is not there as it has been with politics in the past. Young people also feel more connected to Barack because he is the first man in American history to have a real, serious shot at being the President of the United States that has been not only Black, but of mixed race (his mother is white). In today’s society, we live in a world of mixed race and personal ethnic origins for some young people can be very confusing, and isolating. Barack brings this out in the open for them- they feel “he is like me, he knows how I feel.” Identifying with young people is important, but giving them the feeling they identify with YOU is the way to get them listening.

2. He speaks the language of the information age

He’s on Facebook, he’s on Myspace, he’s on YouTube, he’s on Flickr- you can start your own blog on his website! Barack knows how the young people communicate and communicates with them on the same level.

3. He is a celebrity

It was not long ago, Barack Obama was a relatively unknown Senator, and since running for the Democratic nomination he has become one of the most well-known names in the country. For better or worse, this generation of young people worships celebrities like gods and celebrities sing his praises- he has dinner with Oprah, he teams up with singers to make music videos supporting his campaign- through his message, his speeches and the support of celebrities, he has become a celebrity himself, and Celebrity speaks to young people.

Whether Barack will become the Democratic nominee remains unknown at this point, but one thing is for sure- he has awakened an entire generation to the world of politics and proved that one person can do anything he dreams of.