Hundreds gathered in front of Frederick Douglass Memorial Hall at Howard University to hear the Vice President’s concession speech. This time around, no Stevie Wonder or Beyoncé played on the loudspeakers to greet the crowd. No one was cheering. Just silence. “I’ve never heard Howard this quiet,” a student observed. “It’s like we’re at a funeral.”

The choice to host a watch party on a college campus — particularly one as historic as Howard — underscores the role young people play in our democratic process. It’s a powerful symbol of how meaningful student voices and perspectives are at this pivotal moment in our country’s history.