The midterm elections are less than one week away. As part of the Hip Hop Caucus' "Respect My Vote Campaign", TV personality and activist Karamo Brown of Queer Eye recently sat down with singer Dawn Richard to discuss why young Black people deserve to make their voices heard.

Despite the work Brown has done in electoral politics, even with figures such as former President Barrack Obama, he shares that his sons gave him pushback when he urged them to register to vote. At the time, they told him: "No one cares."

Brown says that he's seen that attitude reflected in many Black youth, explaining, "You don't think that your voice matters. You don't think that what you have to say worth enough."

Because of the systemic challenges facing them, Brown believes Black communities often feel too disenfranchised to engage in politics.

"As people of color, we are taught very early on, that when it comes to systemic things, that we don't have power. So, why even try? Why even go through it? Why go to the hassle? Just survive, and deal with it," he continues. "And that's part of voter suppression."

Brown convinced his sons, now 21 and 25, to make their voices heard through voting. But before they were able to value their vote, they had to boost their self esteem.

Brown says: "It was me telling my sons to respect their voice first, so they could understand how to respect their vote."

He urges people of color to look inward and to not settle for solutions or politicians that are less than they deserve.

"By understanding what I deserve, it allows me to feel powerful enough to go out and get it," Brown says. "And I think it's important, when we're talking about election cycles, and understanding that whatever you feel like you deserve in your community. ... I know that I deserve more, and thus I'm going to use my voice and my vote to get it."

Brown adds: "We are still vulnerable, and we must fight. Our rights are always constantly being challenged."