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< Back House Bill 1484 Written By: Carson Watkins Publishing Date: June 21, 2023 Whenever an instance of police overreach makes headlines, citizens and government officials ponder ways to have a system of accountability to prevent future tragedies. In the State of Indiana, Representative Vernon Smith recently introduced House Bill 1484 to establish Citizen police review boards in Indiana. In the legislation, Rep. Smith recommends a board with eight members, four within each political party, and lays out the guidelines to respond to claims promptly with proper due process. (House Bill 1484). Police review boards started in early America but gained traction in the 1970s as African American communities began to receive expanded political power. The United States Justice Department’s 2001 Report on citizen review boards received positive reviews from police chiefs around the country, praising the boards for assisting in community relations and oversite. (Finn, 2001, P. 10). While these Boards receive positive feedback from some officers, they have faced scrutiny from citizens and law enforcement for ineffectiveness. At the Lake County Sheriff's Office, James Dilimone, a detective, found that these boards can be helpful but need reform. Dilimone cites Police Assessment Resource Center Executive Director Merrick Bobb, who calls it “one of the weakest models of police accountably” and can lead to mistrust due to the members of the board not being adequately trained to review instances of police violence. (Dilimone, 2019, P. 5). Despite this pushback, Dilimone found that the panels can be an effective deterrent to police overreach, saying, “The policy recommendations, the discipline review, and citizen complaint review are motivating factors. These results and conclusions have helped administrators draft and develop policies consistent with their communities. (Dilimone, 2019, P. 12). With police boards gaining traction, recommendations on how to utilize these boards have come from outside influences. Kelly Moore at the American Civil Liberties Union recommends Independence, Meaningful disciplinary power, transparency, and a proper budget. In his report, James Dilmone mentioned that distrust could be sowed in Police Review Boards. Moore believes that if guidelines are agreed upon, communities' trust in the boards will increase. Moore says, “These would require the ultimate disciplinary authority for police in town (typically the police chief) to apply those disciplinary guidelines in every case when the CRB finds misconduct.” (Moore, 2020). Currently, the legislation has been referred to Committee on Veterans Affairs and Public Safety. Citizens Police Review Boards can effectively provide overwatch and strengthen a community's relationship with the police department and make meaningful differences in the communities that police swore to protect. Sources Dilimore, James (2019) Effectiveness of a Citizen Review Board, Florida Department of Law Enforcement https://www.fdle.state.fl.us/FCJEI/Programs/SLP/Documents/Full-Text/Dilimone,-James-paper.aspx Finn, Peter (2001) Citizen Review of Police: Approaches and Implementation United States Department of Justice https://www.ojp.gov/pdffiles1/nij/184430.pdf House Bill 1484, Session 123, (IN,23) https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2023/bills/house/1484#document-5cf0f424 Moore, Kelly (2020) FOR CIVILIAN REVIEW BOARDS TO WORK, THEY MUST AVOID PAST MISTAKES, ACLU Connecticut https://www.acluct.org/en/news/civilian-review-boards-work-they-must-avoid-past-mistakes Previous Next

The effects of climate change in the United States are vast, and youth activism has grown. Join the conversation. < Back Climate Change The Climate Science Special Report from in 2017 predicted that, without a major reduction in emissions, there could be a 9°F (5°C) increase in annual average global temperature relative to preindustrial times by the end of this century. These rises in temperature are expected to increase the intensity and frequency of extreme events. According to the U.S. National Climate Assessment, the impacts will vary depending on the region. This includes, but is not limited to: decreased water and food security caused by constrained freshwater supplies, effects on agricultural practices due to increased demand for water and energy, and heat waves and coastal flooding as a result of rising sea levels and storm surge. Climate change is increasingly damaging to indigenous populations across the U.S. due to decreases in water quality caused by legal issues associated with tribal water rights and land-use policies and practices. The effects of climate change are becoming clearer and more dangerous by the day, impacting populations and regions across the United States. It is vital to educate ourselves and fight for legislation that will reduce the nation’s impact on the environment and improve the quality of life for future generations. OTHER TOPICS Gender Equality Healthcare Inequality Immigration LGBTQI+ Rights Labor Rights Medical Autonomy Mental Health Racial Justice Social Class Discrimination Voting Rights What can I do about this? 1. Become more consciously aware and look for ecofriendly alternatives/solutions. For example, try and save energy at home by making it more energy-efficient. Perhaps try taking public transportation more often, and cut down on waste. 2. Stay up-to-date on policies and take the step towards voicing your concerns and fight for legislations that will help improve our current environment. USYF CONTENT An Interview with Delaney Reynolds from the Sink or Swim Project by Melissa Ballard External Resources Indigenous Environmental Network Citizens’ Climate Lobby ConservAmerica US Climate Reliance Toolkit An Introduction to Climate Change and its Effects by Amanuel Bahru, Fatima Javed, and Savitha Sithartha Previous Next

OUR MISSION At the United States Youth Forum, our mission is to empower underserved youth by normalizing youth-led civic engagement as an essential part of community and societal change. We strive to create accessible, inclusive opportunities for young people to develop leadership, advocacy, and community organizing skills. Through volunteer opportunities that align with their talents and passions, we enable youth to actively shape change, build movements, and make informed decisions, fostering a healthy, ongoing relationship with the process of creating positive change in their communities. Contact Us The United States Youth Forum is an organization where youth voices come together to form a collective, regardless of sex, religion, ethnicity, race, sexual orientation, or partisan identity. USYF’s focus is not only on raising awareness of issues that impact youth in America, while advocating for consequential change. OUR VALUES Youth in Dialogue with Each Other No Bigotry, No Hate Forward Thinking Civic Engagement Community Collaboration Youth-Driven Youth-Led Non Partisan and Inclusive Abundance Mindset Long-term Impact Inclusive Equity

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Written by: Micah Benjamin Today's world is seeing the need to understand diverse perspectives from underrepresented individuals in their present community, environment, and so forth. Diversity can be viewed from many different perspectives; Mckinsey & Company addressed the description through gender, age, ethnicity, physical ability, and neurodiversity. It is essential to understand the wide range of defined aspects of diversity. Equity is the equitable treatment for all individuals through knowledge that the norms present are neither identified nor predict the individual's success. McKinsey and Company address the difference between equality and equity. "Equality is giving everyone the same pair of shoes. Equity is giving everyone a pair of shoes that fits. (Rise, n.d.)". Inclusion is embracing oneself in the current environment, community, workplace, etc. Inclusion aims to comfort all individuals and ensure all voices are heard. All three are values that are closely linked in order to incorporate a space for all progressively. Origin of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Past and Present Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is not a recent movement; it has been defined in the United States since the start of the 1960s civil rights movement. Prepared by Margo Edmunds, Ph.D., and Dorcas Lind, MPH, provided a glossary to help cultivate knowledge regarding social justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion through the support of the DEI Advisory Group. The movement has grown to include gender, sexual orientation, religion, country of origin, and other identities, concluding a sense of intersectionality. We have seen movements such as #MeToo, #BlackLivesMatter, and #StopAAPIHate, which has sparked the need for representation and compelled Americans to reflect on the social inequalities in our nation (Dong, 2021). In addition, the growing DEI understanding shows a growing market for professional leadership roles. Spark of a New Profession Due to the rise in the need for representation in all areas, DEI programs have given rise to significant investment to improve overall performance and retention. According to Indeed data, the demand for diversity, inclusion, and belonging (DI&B) roles has increased significantly over the past year (Murray, n.d.). Through the decline of the U.S. economy in the Spring of 2020, the DI&B market has recovered significantly, with a job rise of an astounding 123% between May and September. In addition, due to the events of a nationwide protest, industries have expressed support for the Black Lives Matter Movement, enforcing equality in and outside the workplace (Murray, n.d). With the drive for incentives and programming to increase and cultivate DEI, we must understand that there is no shortcut to establishing the change needed in one's workplace and, most importantly, in society. As a result, we must continue to advocate to make the environment more diverse, equitable, and inclusive. What is diversity, equity, and inclusion? (2022, July 15). McKinsey & Company; McKinsey & Company. https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/mckinsey-explainers/what-is-diversity-equity-and-inclusionEdmunds, M., & Lind, D. (2021). Glossary of Definitions and Core Concepts for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Prepared by. In Academyhealthorg. https://academyhealth.org/sites/default/files/publication/%5Bfield_date%3Acustom%3AY%5D-%5Bfield_date%3Acustom%3Am%5D/deiglossary_nov_2021_1.pdf Dong, S. (2021, June 2). The History and Growth of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Profession. Global Research and Consulting Group Insights; Global Research and Consulting Group Insights. https://insights.grcglobalgroup.com/the-history-and-growth-of-the-diversity-equity-and-inclusion-profession/ Murray, J. (n.d.). Jobs in Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging Have Risen 123% Since May—Here’s How To Get One. Indeed Career Guide. https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/diversity-inclusion-and-belonging-jobs-rise

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Allyship and Advocacy Written by: Grace Brock Allyship and advocacy are two words that are often used interchangeably but they have very different meanings. While both concepts refer to individuals becoming civically engaged by supporting initiatives that align with their values, they differ in terms of the type and amount of support they expect an individual to provide. It is therefore important that young people learn the difference between the two concepts so that they can identify the nature of their actions as well as those of others. In an article by the global non-profit Catalyst allyship is defined as the process of actively supporting people from marginalized groups. An example of an initiative that has many allies is the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement. This is demonstrated by the fact that on June 2nd, 2020, following the brutal murders of black individuals such as George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor many people chose to post black squares on social media to demonstrate their support for the BLM movement. When distinguishing advocacy from allyship Catalyst discusses how the former involves proactively taking action and building relationships within and across groups to drive positive, structural change on a systemic issue. When looking for societal examples of advocacy, we can look to the BLM movement again. This is because, while millions of people were posting black squares on social media platforms, a smaller yet powerful force of individuals were taking to the streets and protesting in an attempt to change the ways that government and law enforcement treat black individuals. For example, an article from the New York Times discusses how the protests peaked on June 6th, 2020, when half a million people turned out at just short of 550 places across the U.S. While allyship is an excellent way to provide a basic level of support to marginalized groups, advocacy takes this support to a new level and facilitates the possibility for significant, positive change. Although being an advocate often requires more time and effort than being an ally, it is a rewarding experience and a great way for young people to ensure their voices are heard. I would therefore encourage every young person to find a cause they are truly passionate about and start taking steps toward becoming an advocate. Below are two of my top tips for doing so: Find a bill you support then call your congressional leaders Upon first glance, contacting the offices of your senators and representatives can seem daunting, but a phone call can take as little as two minutes and is extremely effective at prompting your leaders to support the bill you care about. This is because congressional offices keep track of how many people in their district support a bill, and senators and representatives are more likely to back it themselves if a number of their constituents do. You can explore legislation by going to the bills introduced section of Congress.gov and finding bills you support. From here, the next step is to find out who your leaders are. Each state has two senators, and, alongside this, you will have one representative for the congressional district in which you reside. You can then look for your leader's phone numbers, which can typically be found on their official websites. The final step is then to call your leaders and let them know that you would like them to support the bill you have chosen. Join a club or organization that will help support you in your journey to becoming an advocate Joining a club can be a great way to meet like-minded people as well as find opportunities to support an initiative you are passionate about. Many communities have organizations that allow members to become an advocate, though, if you are a high school or college student, you can also explore clubs at your school and see if any organizations will help you become an advocate for a cause you support. During my sophomore year of college, I joined the Amnesty International Club. This aided me on my journey to becoming an advocate for those facing human rights abuses across the globe. Before joining the club, I followed the work of Amnesty International on my social media platforms and occasionally shared their content. However, within a few months of joining the club, I found myself writing letters to national governments about human rights abuses within their borders, as well as organizing and participating in tabling events at my school. In this short space of time, I transformed myself from an ally to an advocate thanks to the support of those around me. With the help of a nurturing group that supports an initiative you believe in you could make this transition too! "Allyship and Advocacy at Work: 5 Key Questions Answered (Blog Post)". (2021, October 14th). Catalyst. https://www.catalyst.org/2021/10/14/allyship-advocacy-questions-answered/ Buchanan, L., Qouctrung, B. & Patel, J. (2020, July 3rd). Black Lives Matter May Be the Largest movement in U.S. History. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/07/03/us/george-floyd-protests-crowd-size.html Legislation. (n.d.). Congess.gov. Retrieved September 2nd, 2022 fromhttps://www.congress.gov/search?q= {%22congress%22:%22117%22,%22source%22:%22legislation%22,%22search%22:%22congressId:117%20AND%20billStatus:\%22Introduced\%22%22}&pageSort=dateOfIntroduction:desc

< Back Civic Engagement: How to Contact Your Representative and Why You Should Written By: Devin Weil Publishing Date: December 28, 2022 The Power of Action Contacting one’s congressional representatives plays a crucial role in the democratic process as members of Congress rely on their constituents to make important policy decisions. The majority of Americans underestimate the power that reaching out to their representative has because they feel incapable of persuading them to act on a particular issue. However, youth-led advocacy organizations such as “Gen-Z for Change” have proved how simply using social media as an outlet for contacting a Congressional representative holds power to push specific topics onto the national agenda. For example, direct messaging or tagging a House member or senator in a post enables people to express their concerns to their representative; however, this tactic would work better for members of the House as they oversee a smaller constituency. A growing number of advocacy groups have also facilitated the connection between individuals and Congress by providing writing templates for digital letters sent to Congress. Although other methods such as writing physical letters to Congressional members prove just as effective, social media and digital letters are more efficient means of communication. Additionally, calling one’s district congressional office creates a direct line of communication with staff members working for a Congressional representative. District offices serve important functions as they provide constituents with services and offer assistance on a variety of issues. Nearly all members of Congress have a website where their constituents can find a phone number or email address to contact the representative’s office. Although many Americans might feel incapable of catching the attention of their representatives, interest groups provide another access point for everyday people to voice their concerns. For instance, 19-year-old abortion rights activist Olivia Julianna expressed her concerns about the reversal of the Roe v. Wade decision by encouraging members of Congress to recognize the major threat to the right to privacy. While Julianna held more influence compared to the everyday person as the leader of the organization “Gen-Z for Change,” by utilizing her platform, she took the grievances of young people and captured the attention of many members of Congress. In the end, the young activist raised millions of dollars for abortion funds, positively impacting the lives of those who felt hopeless following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade . Through technology and interest groups, young people now have several avenues to contact their local or federal representatives, making the desire for change a reality. Sources https://www.senate.gov/senators/senators-contact.htm https://genzforchange.org/about/ Previous Next

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We want to educate and inform young people. As a youth-led organization, this means young people are at the forefront of educating and informing their peers, giving them an ownership over the process. How do we do this? Through original content written by USYF volunteers and published on our website and through our social media team. Videos and other multimedia content created by the team. Online webinars and forums. In-person events that are geared towards raising awareness. Young people should be inspired to use their motivation, hunger for change, and desire to make the world a better place. We want to provide a space for them to be inspired and take that first step to becoming more involved or active in their community. How do we do this? Through highlighting the stories of other young people who had the motivation and tools to become involved. Videos and other multimedia content created by the team. Online networking events. In-person events that are geared towards engaging and inspiring youth. Mission & Vision: Mission We want to connect young people together within their local communities, as well as across the entire United States. Youth should feel like belong to a strong and united network of young people. In addition, we want to connect young people to their local communities, in order to build a stronger civic and communal identity. How do we do this? Through the building of local USYF chapters where young people are actively involved in seeing through the vision of USYF within their local communities. Membership with USYF that provides opportunities for meet-ups and online networking events. In-person events that partner with local activists and organizations to include young people. We believe strongly that young people should be included within the power-making space so often closed-off for them. Young people should be centered within dialogue spaces and be a part of the process that determines policies affecting their lives and their futures. We strive to form connections with people in positions of power in order to encourage them to include young people within the process How do we do this? Through building relationships with people in power and and actively engaging them in a co-equal dialogue. Through lobbying activities that are sanctioned by an approved action agenda. In-person events that partner with local activists, organizers, lawmakers, people in positions of power, and organizations.

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