The Big Q&A With Rep. Maxwell Frost

Rep. Maxwell Frost, our first Gen Z Congressman, takes questions from George Takei about organizing the next generation of voters and leaders.

Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-FL) speaks at a press conference on Gun Safety legislation outside the U.S. Capitol Building. Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images.

Rep. Maxwell Frost is the first member of Gen Z to be elected to Congress and represents Florida’s 10th Congressional District. He brings a fresh, progressive perspective to an institution once deemed out of reach for young, working Black and Latino Americans like himself.

Rep. Frost got to work at just 15 years old after the tragic mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary claimed the lives of 26 innocent people. He has dedicated his life to fighting against gun violence and empowering communities to get behind gun reform.

Rep. Frost now serves on the powerful Committee on Oversight and Accountability where he battles Republican extremism. He is working tirelessly on issues of housing affordability, healthcare, abortion rights, LGBTQ+ rights, voting rights, transportation, justice reform, climate change and more. I am thrilled to have him on The Big Picture as a guest. — George

Congressman, you are famously our first Gen Z member of Congress. What sets your generation apart when it comes to political leaders, and can we expect more to come in 2024?

While I'm honored to do my best to represent Gen Z in Congress, I always say I don't claim to speak for every member of our generation. I see my role as one of inspiration, encouraging others to bring their unique experiences and passions to the table to get things done. I believe that when we empower one another, we can forge a new generation of fearless leaders who will shape the future of our nation.

But as a member of Gen Z, I can say that our generation was born into a world of rapid change and unprecedented challenges, witnessing mass shootings in schools, navigating the pandemic, and seeing first-hand the consequences of the climate crisis and so much more. Our generation brings a fresh perspective to the political landscape because we've grown up witnessing tragedy and turmoil, and we're determined to turn that pain into power. This generation is one based in love, and we’re not going to accept the status quo.

As for 2024, I'm hopeful we'll see even more Gen Zers stepping into their passions and speaking truth to power. The potential for positive change when we vote, organize, and run is limitless, and I have no doubt that our generation will continue to be a force for progress.

You’ve been such an outspoken organizer and mobilizer of young voters. How do you think Gen Z is going to surprise the political class next November?

We've seen over the past couple of elections Gen Z turnout like never before, and I think we'll continue to see that number rise exponentially. What we'll also see is Gen Z run for office at record-breaking numbers, each person making history in their own way. They'll come from different backgrounds and have different personal experiences that will shape how they lead, making them a force to be reckoned with. 

It was such a shock to people when I was elected because I am not what people perceive as your 'typical politician.' In 2024, we'll continue to see and reinforce the belief that anybody who really cares about helping their community can be a leader. But we have to ensure that politicians don’t take the youth vote for granted.

As a survivor of a shooting yourself, can you speak to how that motivated you as an activist and candidate for office?

I was first inspired to join the fight to end gun violence following the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School when 20 students and six faculty members tragically lost their lives. For me Sandy Hook was a turning point in my life and my call to action to get involved. But it’s one thing to be an ally in the fight to end gun violence and to be a survivor of gun violence.

The experience that I had in my hometown, witnessing and surviving gun violence in Downtown Orlando on Halloween, reinforced my belief that the ability to be impacted by senseless tragedy does not discriminate. And when you see firsthand the pain of family members and entire communities impacted, when you live through that fear and hurt yourself, you begin to challenge why it is that we have to live this way in the first place. 

Why is it that parents have to be fearful every time they send their kids to school? Or that folks don’t feel they can ever be fully safe in a grocery store, movie theater, or shopping mall? When you question why that fear has to exist, it forces you to look at the root causes of this violence and at the politicians who have truly been committed to offering change and the ones who can only offer us thoughts and prayers. 

When lives are on the line and the people we elected to keep our best interest at heart decide their hands are tied, that’s motivation enough for you to wake up every day and fight for the world you deserve, one free of gun violence.

What have been the most surprising things about serving in Congress? One a pleasant surprise, and perhaps one not so pleasant?

Serving in Congress has been an eye-opening experience in many ways. One of the most pleasant surprises has been just how much everyone truly cares about doing right by their communities and their constituents. From the outside looking in, I think it’s easy to look at other members who I might not agree with and believe that they don’t care about doing the right thing. But that’s not always the case. It’s been eye-opening to see everyone’s different experiences and perspectives and to see how they shape the way they represent those folks in the halls of Congress.

On the other hand, one of the less pleasant surprises has been the degree of partisanship that permeates Congress. It's clear that the political divide is substantial. But since taking office, I've been shocked by just how much division is built into the institution – as a freshman member I was surprised at how something as seemingly non-partisan as our orientation to Congress was divided among party lines. This has been a stark reminder of the challenges we face in finding common ground and working across the aisle because that kind of unity is sometimes just not built into our procedures. So, it really forces you to go out of the way to find and create positive relationships with members from the other side of the aisle.

As the House remains paralyzed as a result of Republican infighting, disarray, and incompetence, is there a nugget of optimism you can share with our readers in this moment?

While the American public sees a lot of dysfunction due to Republican infighting, it's important to remember that we are still fighting to hold the line on our values. Look, there are things we can discuss and compromise on with House Republicans, however, there are going to be things we cannot agree to disagree on. Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid are things we cannot agree to disagree on. Ensuring that we protect important programs like food stamps are things we cannot agree to disagree on. And above all, Democracy is not something we can agree to disagree on. So, despite what chaos folks may see on the news, please know that there are people who are on your side and fighting every day.

Something else that gives me a lot of hope, believe it or not, is the gun violence prevention movement. Thanks to the movement’s efforts, last year we saw the first piece of gun violence prevention legislation be signed into law in over 30 years – the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. That gives me immense hope.

I’ll also share that the first bill I introduced as a member of Congress was the Office of Gun Violence Prevention Act, which was something I advocated for along March For Our Lives years before being elected, and just a few weeks ago, we saw the White House heed our calls by establishing this office and choosing to staff it with leaders and survivors from the movement. That gives me hope.

I say this all to say that I continue to believe that when we organize, we have the power to change the world. Despite the chaos we see happening, despite the setbacks we feel that we are dealt, we have to keep our heads high, and we have to keep fighting for the people we love. Because when we fight for the future we truly deserve and believe in, I think our history has proven that there’s nothing we can’t accomplish.