Collin Arthrell sat at a table filled with young people at a luncheon in a middle-class suburban Pittsburgh borough, dressed neatly in a suit with his curly hair neatly cropped.

Four years ago, you would not have seen this many young people psyched about voting in an off-year cycle. But a lot of things have changed since President Donald Trump’s reelection, including some profound cultural changes, from Trump approving U.S. Steel facilities to the gruesome murder of Charlie Kirk.

Many of the parents and grandparents in attendance were multigenerational steelworkers. This included Don German, plant manager for the Irvin Works in nearby Dravosburg, and Scott Buckiso, executive vice president and chief manufacturing officer at U.S. Steel, who began his career at the Clarion Works at the same time German did in the 1990s.

Arthrell, 15, did something you rarely see from a young person at these events. He walked up to the microphone at the podium to speak.

“I am a sophomore, as well as the president of Club America TJ (Thomas Jefferson),” he said.

“First and foremost, I would like to express my gratitude to the West Jefferson Hills Republican community for inviting us here today. So thank you guys. I appreciate it. In 2018, I established a nonprofit organization called Collin’s Elves that focused on supporting military members through care packages, and since that time, I’ve distributed over 15,000 care packages worldwide,” he explained, eliciting gasps from the crowd.

“This journey has taught extraordinary lessons in leadership and has humbled me in recognizing everyday comforts we often take for granted,” he said.

“Following the tragic loss of Charlie Kirk, I felt a strong urge to bring people together and further his mission of truth. In the past few weeks, there was a significant effort required to get our clubs approved within the school district, and I’m thrilled to announce that as of last week, we succeeded, with over 60 students signed up to carry on,” he said.

Arthrell explained that Kirk’s work will never be forgotten, and young people will not waver in their commitment to the future.

“Together, this chapter holds a potential to accomplish remarkable things for the youth in our community. It will not only unite us as conservative students but also empower us to educate ourselves on truth and morals, enabling us to share this knowledge with others,” he said.

“I stand before you today, uncertain of what this new chapter will involve, yet filled with hope.

Arthrell looked around at the crowd, in particular the young people at the front tables, and urged them to step up.

Buckiso said he was blown away and also reminded everyone to continue encouraging young people to discover their purpose.

This event was just one of dozens, not just since Kirk’s murder but over the past year, where young people — particularly young men who have been lost over the past few years as our culture has demonized them — have become much more vocal in their conservatism. The shift began during the dark days of COVID-19, when early precautions turned into heavy control in their education and in our culture.

There are two forces at work here, and it’s a nuanced situation, so it’s easy to miss from 30,000 feet. The overall emotional and economic impact of U.S. Steel’s deal with Nippon Steel caused a collective sigh of relief among workers, retirees, and their children and grandchildren. There is high value given in places such as western Pennsylvania on retaining that connective tissue that allows you to have Sunday dinner with your parents and grandparents.

The other factor, of course, is the young people. As Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-Calif.) plays video games and talks about “Fortnite” and Snoop Dogg to try to win back young people, he’s missing the fact that Trump didn’t win young people by doing any of those things. He won them over with a healthy dose of Vice President JD Vance, as well as by talking right to them and seeing that what they wanted was to know their “place” was going to be OK.

It’s the nuance that many top Democrats and their strategists have still failed to grasp.