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Loud and Proud Are you looking to begin YOUR journey in activism? Ready to make some noise?! Our young volunteers built this guide just for YOU — the young changemaker who’s ready to get Loud and Proud in their community.! Whether you’re taking your very first step into activism or you’ve got big, bold ideas and no clue where to start, this toolkit is your launchpad. Let’s get Loud. Let’s get Proud. And let’s get moving! ‼️Check out our tools, resources, and platforms to turn your LOUD AND PROUD ideas into action‼️ Toolkit Accessibility Version Find additional resources from the toolkit below: Writing a Letter to a Legislator Press Release Template Team Roles Template Social Media Planner Template Event Planning Template USYF x FreeRice We are proud to announce that we recently collaborated with the UN's World Food Programme (@wfpfreerice) to create a series of questions about youth civic engagement and examples of how young changemakers have already made changes in the world! Young people learning about healthy civic engagement in a fun manner while feeding those in the world who are hungry seems like a win-win to us! See how many questions you can get correct! Click Here to test YOUR Knowledge on Ambassadors for Change Voices and Vibes A celebration of youth, music, message, and making change in honor of African American Music History Month! NEVER FOREVER by DANDAN (California) This toolkit explains the campaign, how you can get involved, and highlights the ways Black musicians have historically used music to create change. “Never Forever is a gentle reminder that peace can be found in change—that while people, dreams, and paths may shift, there’s beauty in letting go.” Looking for a simpler version? Click here for our Accessibility Version , designed with easier language and fewer complex terms. EACH DAY by DANDAN (California) “Each Day” is a song about each day calling back to you. A reminder to get up, get outside, and reconnect with yourself, nature, and the community." HONEYDO by DANDAN (California) “Honeydo is about capturing a vibe. It’s about being sweet, strong, and unstoppable. I imagine it’s a soundtrack for people to own their power. Soft, but fierce enough to take on anything." 3.14159 by DANDAN (California) "This song is about realizing that the path to achieving dreams is not linear. That sometimes life goes “on and on, round and round” Soul Shattered by Jalen Jaguar (Maryland) "At it's core, this song is meant to convey how it can feel scarier to love wholeheartedly and be vulnerable than it is to isolate yourself from others." Trans Rights are Human Rights We visited 8 major cities across the country to hear your voice! Speakers, workshops, and small-group discussions on... Homelessness in Transgender Youth Trans Mental Health Trans Joy And more!

The United States Youth Forum is a national, youth-led organization that gives youth the chance to raise attention to issues most important to them. FOR YOUTH, BY THE YOUTH By providing resources, opportunities, and a platform for dialogue, we equip students, activists, and young professionals with the tools they need to create real impact. Learn More Get LOUD and PROUD this Giving Tuesday Dec 2nd 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. We raise awareness of issues to educate youth with the knowledge to make informed decision. We encourage youth-led campaigns that empower them to become involved in civic engagement. Learn More Stay Connected With Us First Name* Last Name Email* Subscribe to Our Newsletter LATEST CAUSES Catch a Vibe Peep our Voices and Vibes campaign, where we highlighted young people from across the country who are using their music to spread a message and inspire change. Test Yourself Check out our collab with the UN's World Food Programme and see how much YOU know about youth civic engagement while helping fight hunger! Get Loud Stay informed and educated. We believe in giving our youth volunteers a chance to talk about issues that are important to them. Learn More USYF's VOICES and VIBES This week's highlight features an original song from Asian American artist DANDAN, w hose genre-blurring work draws deeply from the rhythms and spirit of Black music traditions. Her sound is a vibrant tapestry of electronic textures, global influences, and deep, expressive basslines that pay homage to the roots of R&B, hip hop, and diasporic musical heritage. Her music evokes both nostalgia and futurism, described by From The Intercom as a “party on a microchip” where analog soul meets digital edge. Inspired by world music and cross-cultural soundscapes, DANDAN creates sonic experiences that transcend borders and timelines, simultaneously grounded and radically forward-looking. Through her work, DANDAN hopes to inspire people to chase their dreams, heal through sound, and find magic in the small moments. Her artistry is a celebration of movement, memory, and the power of music to connect and transform. NEVER FOREVER by DANDAN (California) “Never Forever is a gentle reminder that peace can be found in change—that while people, dreams, and paths may shift, there’s beauty in letting go.” Check Out More Help Us Create A Voice For Today's Youth Donate Now TRENDING NEWS Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Allyship and Advocacy Celebrating Black Art Our Editorial Site is Coming Soon STAY TUNED! Featuring pieces from our volunteers OUR PARTNERS AND COLLABORATORS

Get Loud and Proud this Giving Tuesday: Amplify Youth Voices Everywhere Want to help young people get Loud and Proud? Your support empowers underserved youth to find their voice, take meaningful action, and participate in civic life in healthy, powerful ways. Donate

OUR LEADERSHIP Dante Plush, he/him Executive Director Dante Plush is a passionate advocate for educational equity and youth empowerment. He currently serves as the Executive Director of the United States Youth Forum, a nonprofit that helps young people—especially those from underserved backgrounds—become active leaders in their communities and beyond. Dante began his career as a Title 1 public school educator in the Bronx, where he saw firsthand how challenges like chronic absenteeism, food insecurity, housing instability, language barriers, and immigration status can make it difficult for students to succeed. These experiences deepened his commitment to helping young people develop the tools they need to speak up for themselves and drive real change in their schools, neighborhoods, and governments. At USYF, Dante leads national efforts to amplify youth voices through civic engagement and policy advocacy. His work has earned support from leaders across sectors, including Sheryl Sandberg, former COO of Facebook, who contributed to one of his early fundraising campaigns. Dante also serves on the junior board of the Renaissance Youth Center, furthering his dedication to building strong, supportive communities for young people. He has been recognized with honors including Pace University’s Ainsley Adams Memorial Award and a spot in the university’s 30 Under 30 cohort, celebrating young leaders making a difference in education and social justice. Outside of work, Dante enjoys stand-up comedy, playing chess, and challenging friends to a game of Yu-Gi-Oh! Melissa Ballard, she/her Board President & Founder Melissa Ballard is the Board President of the United States Youth Forum. She currently lives in Erbil, Iraq where she works as a teacher and educational consultant. Before moving to Iraq, she lived in Germany for three years where she worked in a consultancy developing an English-language program. She graduated with a double-MA in International Relations from the University of Kent, Canterbury, and the Higher School of Economics in Moscow. Her favorite pastimes involve reading a good book, traveling somewhere new, or staying active through soccer and tennis. Savitha Sithartha, she/her Operations Manager Savitha serves as the Operations Manager at USYF and is a proud Texan! She graduated with a B.S. degree in biomedical sciences with Spanish and psychology minors at Texas A&M University and has plans to attend medical school. Beyond her experience in healthcare, she is committed to being directly involved with the community around her and has over 5 years of experience working in the youth non-profit space. Savitha is most passionate about the issues of health advocacy, homelessness, and providing the resources and support to socially and economically disadvantaged youth. When she’s not scrolling through her YouTube playlist, she loves to sing, volunteer, and binge-watch Netflix shows. OUR ASSOCIATES Tracy Graham, she/her Project Coordinator Tracy brings a diverse background in sustainability, community engagement, and equity-focused outreach to her role as Project Coordinator at USYF. She has contributed to projects spanning environmental justice, multilingual outreach, and global education initiatives. Notably, she contracted to help establish a school library in Bo, Sierra Leone, improving access to learning for underserved communities. She earned an MBA in Sustainability and Social Change and a BA in Spanish. She graduated summa cum laude and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa. As a registered yoga teacher, Tracy integrates mindfulness, meditation, and movement into her approach. At USYF, she hopes to foster inclusive programs that empower youth and build stronger, more equitable communities. Her interests include hiking, skiing, singing, bicycling, camping, and theater — pursuits that deepen her connection to nature and nurture her spirit, body, and creativity. She especially treasures the winter’s quiet beauty, fresh snow, and opportunities for outdoor adventure. Brianna Vanderstelt, she/her Editorial Associate Raised in Michigan (and proud to be!), and currently living in the state of Indiana, Brianna graduated with her BA in Psychology and Criminal Justice from Saginaw Valley State University. Right now, she is finishing her MA degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Social Psychology at Ball State University, and is accepted into Ball State’s 2025 Counseling Psychology PhD cohort. It is through her years of education, experience, and training she has discovered her enthusiasm for all things social justice, advocacy, and mental health. While she is pursuing a career as a therapist, she holds a special appreciation for writing and the power of language as a way to enact change. With USYF, and as the editorial team leader, Brianna aspires to further the mission of empowering youth voices in the political sphere, as well as share her passion across a variety of topics, especially those pertaining to mental health and uplifting underprivileged and historically oppressed populations. For fun, Brianna likes to play video games, explore new places, be outside, and read. Steph Chavez, she/her Digital & Social Media Coordinator Steph Chavez is the Social Media Coordinator at the United States Youth Forum and she’s based in Irvine, California. She creates content that sparks meaningful conversations, maintains the brand’s voice across platforms, and makes sure every visual and story connects authentically with the audience. Steph graduated from the University of California, Irvine with a degree in Film and Media Studies. Outside of work, she enjoys journaling, dreaming up her next creative project over coffee, staying active through workouts, and spending time with friends. OUR IMPACT AGENTS Justice Obisike, he/him Impact Agent A passionate pursuer of social progress, Justice Obisike brings fresh perspectives and proven leadership to youth advocacy. With a foundation in Agricultural Economics and training in project management, Justice excels at creating platforms where young voices can shape policy decisions. Through his blog "Stories of OJ" on Substack and Medium, he harnesses the power of storytelling to inspire personal growth and self-improvement. Justice's expertise in humanitarian principles and strategic communication empowers him to bridge the gap between policy makers and young changemakers. He believes that youth don't just need a seat at the table—they need to help build the table itself. When not championing youth causes, Justice enhances his impact through continuous learning, having earned certifications in project management, humanitarian practices, and digital solutions.

(18+) Make a Donation if you’re an adult who believes in our work and approaches, and want to help us succeed, make a donation! Your gift will aid us in supporting our young volunteers as they learn how to make the changes in the world they’d like to see. Donate Become a Youth Action Ambassador (YAC) Tell your story! Be a changemaker, grow your leadership skills, network with like-minded peers, share your voice, attend workshops, and lead campaigns. Partner With Us If you are an individual or part of a youth-led organization and would like to work with us, be a guest speaker, or co-host an event – we would love to hear from you! We believe that young people should combine their strengths to achieve their vision of a better future. Become a Volunteer Want to take action and make a difference? Join our national network of youth volunteers leading change in their schools, communities, and beyond. Whether you're organizing events, mobilizing voters, creating content, or supporting behind the scenes, there’s a role for you. Email Us *Send us a resume and cover letter to contact@unitedstatesyouthforum.org VOLUNTEER TESTIMONIALS I strongly believe in directly helping people in my community. I fell in love with USYF's mission early on to provide the resources and underserved youth and giving them a voice to talk about the issues that matter to them the most. It's been incredible to see people of all backgrounds come together to make this happen. One of the first things that comes to mind for me is that USYF I can confidently say is one of the few spaces were my voice has always been heard and welcome and valued. As a minority women, unfortunately, that is not always guaranteed. It's a great feeling to be a part of an organization that not only gives me that feeling, but other young people that feeling. It's authentic and inspiring, and it gives me a lot of hope for the future. I love this team and what we've accomplished together and all we continue to do. I've learned so many different skills: personal development, leadership, teamwork, outreach, fundraising, and much much more. "I just started working with USYF and it has been such an honor to do so. I am more than happy and just grateful to be a part of an initiative that focuses on minority youth in such different ways: through sexuality, through race, through economics. It's just been an honor to do that and focus on initiatives and get the word out there about what our rights are and what we can do to make change in this country. Interested in some USYF swag? Support the United States Youth Forum in its vision of empowering youth voices and strengthening youth networks. With your purchase, you contribute to and represent a more secure, safer, and healthier future for the young people of America! *All proceeds will be given to USYF and its mission.* Shop Now

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How Does Intersectionality Shape Our Understanding of Womanhood? Written By: Lauren Winkleblack Publishing Date: March 7, 2022 What is intersectionality? International Women’s Month originates from Women’s History Week, which began in 1981 as a national recognition of the accomplishments and progression toward liberation for women. As we celebrate the fight for gender equality this March, it is important to acknowledge that the intersecting identities of women influence the way they experience and are perceived by the world. Kimberle Crenshaw coined the term “intersectionality,” defining it as an intersectional approach (to feminism) that shows the way peoples social identities can overlap, creating compounding experiences of discrimination. Recognizing historical oppression toward women with marginalized identities is critical to understanding the importance of intersectionality. Inequalities women experience tend to intersect, such as living below the poverty line, racism, or being a member of the LGBTQ+ community. Why do we need intersectionality? White women dominate conversations regarding the liberation of women as a whole. Intersectionality ensures that the oppression of women with other marginalized identities is addressed through the feminist movement and included in societies conception of womanhood. For example, Black women may experience misogyny for their gender, but they may also experience racism, thus making their experience in the world very different from that of a white woman or a black male. It is dangerous to assume that the loudest voices in the fight for gender equality (often from White, middle-class, able-bodied, straight, etc. women) define the oppression of all women. Noting the way intersecting identities of women influence the way they are treated and uniquely discriminated against ensures that all women can achieve equality by eliminating the identity-specific ways in which they are oppressed. How can we strive toward practicing intersectional feminism this Women’s History Month? Practicing intersectionality requires introspection, an examination of our own mental and emotional processes. When using introspection to consider our current relationship with intersectionality, we can first take account of our own identities such as our gender identity, race, class, or sexuality, and determine how these identities are received or accepted by others in our own lives. We can also make a commitment to use more inclusive language and be intentional about describing oppression, ensuring our words reflect the experiences of more than those with the most privileged identities in society. For example, if you are a White woman, you can choose to be more mindful about how you extend your experiences to speak on those of Black women, lesbians, trans women, etc. You can commit to listening more and talking less, being open to hearing about the oppression of others and the ways in which their identities influence their relationship to, or even hesitation with, feminism. Considering how your definition of feminism might be insufficient, or even detrimental, to the securing of rights for other women is key to understanding the importance of intersectionality in ensuring all women can experience equality. Sources Previous Next

An Interview with USYF founder Melissa Ballard and Santiago Mayer from Voters of Tomorrow < Back An Interview with USYF founder Melissa Ballard and Santiago Mayer from Voters of Tomorrow Publishing Date: January 5, 2022 Interviewee Name: Santiago Mayer (Founder and Executive Director at Voters of Tomorrow) Interviewer Name: Melissa Ballard (Founder of United States Youth Forum) Transcription By: Eva Munkittrick (Editorial Assistant at United States Youth Forum) Contact Method: Zoom Date: January 5th, 2022 List of Acronyms: MB = Melissa Ballard, SM = Santiago Mayer [Intro] MB: Santiago Mayer, a political commentator and young activist, is the Founder and Executive Director of Voters of Tomorrow, as well as the Chairman of the Board. Santiago moved to the United States from Mexico in 2017, and is currently enrolled at California State University, Long Beach, where he studies Mechanical Engineering and Political Science. MB: Santiago, thank you so much for joining me today. I'm really excited to have the chance to interview you, and I want to thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to sit down with me. I really appreciate it. SM: Thank you for having me. MB: Of course. I was hoping that you could tell me a little bit more about the Voters of Tomorrow project, which you founded and are the executive director of. How did you start the organization? Maybe you can explain its vision or how it operates? SM: I have to kind of go into a bit of backstory. I moved to the United States in 2017, in the middle of the Trump administration, and I came from Mexico and being an immigrant, I was seeing everything going on with the Muslim ban and how that was affecting people. Being in high school, I wanted to talk about it with people in my class and my friends and teachers. Now, I quickly realized that people my age either didn't know what was going on, or those who did, didn't have a really good understanding of it. So, I decided to start tweeting my frustrations for one reason or another. I built a platform, and as we got closer to the 2020 elections, after the midterms, I realized I needed to do something with that platform. So, in the summer of 2019, I started looking for a name; I settled for the Voters of Tomorrow. I registered a Twitter account, and I bought a domain. In December of 2019, we finally started doing some work. The three core goals of Voters of Tomorrow are to educate young voters about what's going on, to engage them, to make sure that they're voting and that they're participating in democracy. And finally, to make sure they are represented in politics and government. We fight to make sure that their voices are heard, that the policy that is being debated and adopted has their input. And that they are elected to office and those who are not running at least have a voice with people who are elected. And we've been working since - we worked during the 2020 election, we worked during the Georgia runoffs, and we are preparing to go work during the 2020 midterms. So… MB: The work never ends. SM: It never ends, we are in a no-sleep cycle. MB: Every election seems slightly more consequential than the last one, or so it appears. I would like to also ask what you find to be the biggest challenge for young voters. SM: I think the biggest challenge for young voters is making sure that they understand that their voice matters and their vote matters. We've seen time and time again that politicians don't like to listen to young voters because, according to them, they're not a reliable voting segment. That could not be further from the truth. I mean, if we look at 2018, or 2020, young voters are a big part of the reason why we're not stuck with a Donald Trump-led fascist movement in power right now. And I think that having young voters be represented is not only good politics for every person currently in office, but it's also just a very important democratic decision. In a democracy, everyone should be represented, and everyone should have a voice. Leaving a segment of voters out of the conversation is simply not acceptable. MB: Are there any policy changes that can be adopted that would better engage young voters and inspire them to vote? SM: We have a few. We are currently pushing for the Biden administration to establish a White House Advisory Council for young Americans and this would bring Gen Z and millennial activists into the White House in order to help advise the President on issues pertinent to young people and youth priorities. We are also pushing for every elected official at every level of government to either convene a Youth Advisory Council or at least have several youth advisors, who are currently in college and high school, who are just entering the workforce and who can provide that youth perspective that politicians very frequently do not have access to. In terms of policy, just listen to what young people are saying; there are a lot of young people with very strong opinions with very large platforms on social media, and they're not particularly hard to find. Politicians can literally go on Twitter and see what young people are asking for, and maybe not take the action, but to at least take [their insight] into account. MB: What do you think engages young voters? What are especially important issues for them, or especially salient issues? SM: Voters of Tomorrow has been doing some research on that area. We partner with Generation Labs, a polling company that specifically focuses on research and young voters. And we are going to be releasing what we call the “density agenda”. It is a list of policies that young people care deeply about and that they want to see action on. We're going to be releasing that probably over the next few months. We obviously know, we're young people ourselves, we have a good idea of what inspires us and what inspires other young people. And it's basically what comes to mind when we want to take action on climate change. We want to have a world to live in. We want gun violence prevention measures because we're tired of seeing every week another mass shooting. We want action on racial and economic inequality, because it is simply unacceptable that a segment of the population continues to be treated as if it is unequal. And finally, we need action to really bring the US into the 21st century. And that goes from everything like infrastructure and public transportation to education and healthcare systems - those three reforms that really give young Americans an opportunity to compete on the global stage. MB: Do some of these issues feel like - not really eternal issues -, but they seem like issues that young people have been fighting for, for a while, or activists in these areas have been fighting for, for a while. It seems like it'd be easy to become discouraged? Because there doesn't always seem to be a lot of movement on these issue fronts. Do you find that there have been some notable successes you've been able to celebrate in the last couple of years? SM: We have seen a lot of gridlock at the federal level. Of course, we are seeing improvements. I think Build Back Better is currently paused. But we know that there is still action on it. And a lot of people are trying to get it moving again. We're hearing whispers that a climate-only bill might be moving forward, that includes some of the largest climate components from Build Back Better that would go into its own separate bill. That would be a big improvement. And we have also seen the infrastructure bill, it gets criticized by a lot of people, but it does include a very large investment in public transportation, to help make the US competitive on that front. And we've also seen a lot of stuff done at the state and local levels. We've seen California, for example, which just became a vote by mail state. And that is something that young people benefit incredibly from because, as we know, young people really don't like to go out to a polling place and stand in line for eight hours. The fact that they can receive a ballot in their mail and just vote from home is incredibly important. There are a lot of discouragements, but, we are also seeing slight improvements and, I think, incremental improvements are better than nothing. We're going to keep fighting until we can get - until we can get the stuff done that young people need. MB: You mentioned the Vote By Mail initiative that passed in California, and how that's particularly beneficial for young people. Are there other changes that might be beneficial to young people when it comes to ways that we can improve our voting system? Are there any systemic challenges that young people face when it comes to voting that perhaps we can change to make it a bit easier for them? SM: There are a lot. I mean, Texas makes it incredibly hard to go and register young people, for example. If you've ever tried to do a voter registration drive in Texas, you will find that not only are you not allowed to go and register people without being certified yourself, but the actual process of registering is really complicated. There are also states that require voter ID. And many college students who don't have a driver's license - in Texas, again, for example, you can use a hunting license, but you can't use a student ID, which is just absolutely insane when you think about it. But that's the law. And that makes it really hard for young people who don't have that opportunity to go get a driver's license, for example, to go vote and exercise their constitutional right. There are a lot of challenges. There are also systems that make it incredibly complicated to request an absentee ballot, so, if you can’t go vote for whatever reason, you simply aren't allowed to vote because you can’t vote in any other way. And again, that is, in my opinion, something that's deeply anti-democratic. And we should be instituting systems that make it easier, not more difficult. MB: Is there a way to get an ID that would work across basically any state that wouldn't be subject to these kinds of minute laws - such as whether a hunter’s license would work versus a student ID - maybe an overall ID that would work in a way that young people can easily access it and that they will be able to use? SM: I don't know if it's a specific ID. I know, for example, in the For the People Act that is currently being debated in the Senate, there is a requirement that an ID be present. There are a lot of states that require IDs, and there are a lot of other states that do not, so this would regulate that. It would require an ID in every state, but it also includes a list of IDs that are acceptable, including a student ID, for example. It's not exactly something that would fix the problem entirely, but it would make it a lot easier, specifically for young people who might not have a driver's license or a hunting license, to go and use their student ID as proof of identity. MB: Okay. So keeping voters engaged, even after the voting process is over, is a big goal that you have with Voters of Tomorrow. What does that look like to you? How do you go about keeping young voters engaged? SM: Yeah. So all three goals are equally related. And that means that in order to make sure that young voters are engaged, they have to be educated. And in order to make sure they're represented, they have to be engaged. The way we do that is we try to use those in a circular fashion, and that allows us to keep voters engaged through presentation. When there's a lot of elections, we're making sure that every person that we know is calling the representatives and is making their voices heard about different issues. We're sending out petitions that we then deliver to elected officials to make sure that they know we're against their stance on different issues. We're also encouraging them to take action and join protests and go out and do voter registration drives. As we start heading into another election cycle, we encourage our chapters to host candidate forums and bring candidates to their school so that people in their schools can hear from candidates directly. We encourage them to organize town halls with their elected officials, and make sure that the elected official is held accountable by their young constituents. There are a lot of ways that we do this. I think that those are probably the principal ones, but they're definitely not the only ones. MB: Okay. So one of the initiatives that I saw on your website that I found really interesting was your “Prom at the Polls” initiative. Can you tell us what the inspiration behind that was? And what exactly did it look like? SM: I graduated from high school in 2020. As we were heading into the election, Alyssa Milano brought me and some other young activists together to kind of think through some ideas about how to get the young voters out to vote. What we realized is that a bunch of us had graduated in 2020 and none of us had a prom because of the pandemic. And we knew a lot of people who had been really excited to go to prom and had purchased their outfits and had some cute dresses and some cute, slick suits. And then, they were now stored in a closet and would not be used. What we realized is we could tap into that energy and take the prom to the polls, and encourage young people to ask their friends to go vote with them, and do a prom proposal to get other young people to go with them. We encouraged them to go dressed up and get the use out of those outfits that they purchased. And also just bring attention to it, because if I was personally driving out to a polling station, and I see a bunch of high schoolers dressed up, I would be more likely to stop by and go see what's going on. And if I'm there, why not vote? That was the idea behind it. It was really successful. We ended up getting participation from the Grey's Anatomy cast and the cast of Station 19. We had Yvette Nicole Brown ask Chris Evans to go to Prom at the Polls with her, which I personally found incredible. The highlight of my life was when Mark Hamill participated. I'm a huge Star Wars fan. And [to hear] Luke Skywalker say that he would go to the polls with Harley Quinn and Tara Strong was the best thing that I could ever ask for. That was amazing. MB: Yeah, that's incredible. It sounds like you built a big movement behind that. Do you see [Voters of Tomorrow] recreating that in the future as well? SM: Yeah, so Voters of Tomorrow is planning on doing a sort of sequel; it's not going to be the same, as we're hoping that by the time the midterms come around, we won't be in a pandemic anymore, at least not in this stage of the comeback. But we are planning on doing some other school-centered events. And we're going to be announcing some details on those soon. Stay tuned! MB: That sounds exciting. I want to switch gears a little bit and kind of go into your background. You emigrated from Mexico to the United States. And you mentioned this a little bit at the beginning. I want to hear a little bit more about what the process was like for you to become engaged in the American political scene. You're studying political science now at university. What was it about American politics that really engaged you specifically? SM: In Mexico and middle school, I used to do Model United Nations. I've always been a big United Nations and international politics fan. Once I got to the U.S., I realized the larger ramifications that the Trump administration was having on international relations. There was a lot of talk about him exiting NATO, and talk about him potentially leaving the United Nations altogether. That, to me, as someone who had been a team member in the MUN international relations team for a bit, that was deeply concerning. That kind of piqued my ears and pulled me into the absolute clusterfuck that you guys had going on here. As I got more and more engaged, that's when I started realizing the deeply xenophobic policies that were being implemented with things like the Muslim ban. That's really what triggered my political nerd to come into full fruition and to start tweeting out about politics, and that kind of just led down a rabbit hole that led me to where I am right now. It's been an interesting process. MB: Yeah for sure. You're new to university right now. You're studying political science and mechanical engineering? SM: Yes. MB: You’re rather young and you've already started this huge project, what is next for you, then? Where do you see yourself going into the future? SM: I actually don't know. At Voters of Tomorrow, it was always meant to be youth-led. At some point, over the next few years, I will age out of Voters of Tomorrow. And at this point, I've been so focused on building up the organization into something that can stand by itself. And we're slowly getting there. And it's becoming more and more so, and so that I really don't know what comes next. I'm really excited to see where I'm headed and how I can keep getting people involved at every age and every aspect of life. Everyone should have their voices heard. MB: Absolutely. You've also interned for several politicians, and you've talked to some of them on your podcast as well. I'm curious what discussions you've had with these elected officials, especially in regards to how they engage young voters. SM: Yeah. So I've interned with politicians at the state and local level. What I've found is that if youth interest is low about federal politics, youth interest about state and local politics is even lower. What we've figured out is that I should help these politicians and these elected officials make that outreach to their local young constituents and make sure that they knew that they had a resource in that election. For example, with my state senator, the way that this translated was, we brought him to our high school, we had him give a speech about how he got involved in politics and how he became an elected official. In that same event, we registered voters. We gave them a hype speech about how we could improve things. And then right after that, we went around the room to register voters. And that proved to be really successful. We registered about 200 voters there, and the event had about 220 people. So that is a very good ratio. That's one action at the local level. I mostly talked with the candidate about how he could improve his outreach and that not many young people knew anything about city council or anything that happened at city council. I encouraged him to go into high schools and talk with high schoolers, and to make sure that they understood all the important work that happens at the city level. If there is a car crash at an intersection, because there is not a stop sign or a traffic light, that is not something that your congressman or your senator can fix. That is something that the city council has to fix. And that is something that many people simply do not understand, and the media, in general, has created this weird idea of an all powerful mayor, that is simply not real. We wanted to make sure that people understood all the actions that they can take, and also just how accessible a lot of these people are. Other people think about politicians - they think about all these security guards and being guarded by the Secret Service. And for most politicians, that is simply not the case. It's very easy to go and get in touch. I know a lot of local and state politicians that will literally give you their cell phone number and give you their home address and say, “if you ever need something. come knock on my door”. That is, at the end of the day, how stuff actually gets done. You talk to people, you understand their needs. And you talk to them, you engage them. So that's part of what I talked to them about and what I did while I was interning at their office. MB: Bringing the local aspect of politics back into the public view, because it can be very easily over-stripped by what's happening at the federal level, which is so far out of reach for a lot of people I imagine. SM: I mean, I think the issue is that the politics at the federal level is just so shiny; it attracts so much attention and you see it in the news, you see it in the headlines, you see the drama. It just brings your attention towards it. People have to remember that that is not all there is. There are state politics and local politics. And honestly, as important as federal politics are, they're not the things that impact your day-to-day life, at least not in the day-to-day political conversation. I think that having a discussion about how to improve a state school system, for example, is something that is a lot more tangible to a young voter in any state. Being a part of that conversation, and having their voices represented there is definitely essential to any democratic society. That is something that we encourage, and that is something that I talked to them about on outreach. MB: Young people are often on the move, though. A lot of young people are in college in a different state. They're not feeling completely tied back to where their home area is, do you find that also to be kind of an issue with young people? Just on the move, you know, not just geographically but career wise, just in general with their personal lives? Do you find that to be difficult for them to engage into that local scene? SM: That's an issue at every level, actually. The reason is, mostly just because a lot of these people simply do not have the time, or the energy, or the ability to even think about a lot of these abstract concepts. I hear a lot on Twitter, for example, about, “oh, how can these people, these young people not be tuned in, we're in danger of losing our democracy”. And I always go back to, yes, but that is something that you and I can think of, because we have the privilege to do that. A college student who is living in their car because they can't afford tuition, or they can't afford to stay in the dorms, and who is struggling to figure out where they're getting their food from for the next week - thinking about something as abstract as democracy is not going to be high on their priority list. What those people want to see is action that will tangibly improve their lives. That's why I keep encouraging, and Voters of Tomorrow are encouraging politicians at every level, to pass legislation that will have a tangible impact on people's lives. As important as it is to protect democracy - and I think it is definitely one of our top areas right now - most voters simply won't feel that. If you want to engage people, you need to do stuff that they will feel in their day to day lives. So passing something like free community college, like California did, or passing something, such as forgiving student loans, helping have affordable housing, all those things are something that will directly impact people. These people will feel that in their lives and it will directly improve their lives, and then people will feel like they need to vote to make sure that those [things] stays in effect, that they remain a thing. MB: That makes complete sense. And that, like you said, that goes to all demographics and all age levels. When you're living in the moment, you're looking for policies that directly impact your life and improve your life. Oftentimes, you don't have the brain capacity to think about these abstract things like democracy, which are important, but if you're just an average person living out your life, you're looking at, what are they doing? What are the politicians doing to actually improve my life, and the lives around me?..For young people who are a bit more engaged at the political level, what are ways that they can engage politically? I mean, outside of voter registration and voting? What are other political acts you can do as a young person? S:: I definitely think that making sure you stay in touch with your elected official is the most important part of engagement that anyone can do. How it looks varies a lot. It can be calling every day or calling every week, making sure that your senator’s staff knows who you are and becomes tired of hearing your voice. That is something that I personally like doing. There are other ways to do it. And we encourage people to go - and this is not exactly something we can do right now during the pandemic, but hopefully after we're done with this - to go to offices of elected officials and request a meeting. If you're protesting something, to organize a sit-in in their offices or to go with a delegation to lobby for change that you want to see. We encourage people to do demonstrations outside of important buildings. Our Texas chapter, for example, went outside the Texas State Capitol to protest SB 8 and how it infringes on a woman's right to choose. There are a lot of ways to stay engaged. We personally think that making sure your voice is heard is the most important one. And I personally believe that. That is what I want to encourage everyone who is even slightly politically inclined to go do. MB: Do the Voters of Tomorrow have any big projects in mind for 2022? SM: We’re having a huge voter mobilization apparatus. We're slowly building that and we are running out of time for it, so we're starting to put more and more resources into it. We're developing chapters in as many states as we can, we are making sure that those chapters have every resource that they need to mobilize their communities, and that our state districts have what they need to coordinate those actions. We're going to be working with our endorsed candidates to make sure that they recognize Gen Z’s voting power, and that they listen to their priorities. We're going to be moving around a candidate’s pledge, candidates who would pledge to listen to Gen Z, and to at least consider the Gen Z agenda. Like I said, we still have a big event planned to serve as a sort of follow up Prom at the Polls. I can't give details yet, but we will have those soon. MB: Awesome. All right, we'll be looking out for them. The United States Youth Forum organization has a similar vision to what you guys are doing, in that we're also a youth-led organization, and we also want to see our voices represented. I want to ask, what could we do to better engage young people and encourage them to vote? SM: Yeah, I think you are doing really important work. I think content creation is definitely one of the aspects that we would like to be more involved in, but we simply don't have the resources for. The fact that you are doing that is incredibly important. It's filling such an important gap. I always say that the way people fall into the alt-right is because there is a lack of sane, pro-democracy content on social media. You have your Charlie Kirk's creating some batshit crazy videos, you have Ben Shapiro and logical fallacies helping mislead people. You have Jordan Peterson making arguments that are blatantly false, but he speaks in an authoritative voice, so people believe it. There is really nothing like that in what I call the pro-democracy coalition at this point - we can also just call it the sane-world. The fact that you guys are doing that is incredibly important. It fills a void that I don't think many people even realize exists. And it's probably helping save a lot of people from falling down the fascist rabbit hole. I also think just having that content that is an accessible entry point to politics, is the best way to get people engaged. People can't be part of politics if they feel politics is something that is unattainable or inaccessible. The fact that you can go scroll on Tik Tok or go to a website and listen to a podcast. That is the lowest possible barrier of entry, and something that will help young people understand that politics is something that they see everyday, and that they participate in, in their daily lives. And that keeps people engaged. I think you guys are doing an amazing job, and you should keep doing what you're doing. MB: Thank you. Yeah, this is very important, to have young people at the front and center of presenting information to their peers, so that their peers feel like they have people who understand their own struggles and what they're going through to educate them. I think it's very important. Another question I had is, what are ways that people can support Voters of Tomorrow in their work specifically? SM: We're going to be releasing very shortly, a volunteer application for some of our older supporters that might want to help turnout young voters in the midterm elections. That will be out shortly. We're also always looking for young organizers, young activists to join our national team or to go and lead either state districts or school chapters. That is the best way to be involved because at the end of the day, local chapters are the backbone of Voters of Tomorrow. They are our ears and eyes on the ground, they do the organizing work and heavy lifting, and they understand their communities better than we ever could. If that is something that anyone listening is interested in doing, please just go to votersoftomorrow.org and sign up. We'll be more than glad to have you. Even if you don't have any organizing experience, the key to Voters of Tomorrow is that it is an organization by young people, for young people. And we love having people who realize that politics is a thing in their lives, who want to be involved. Come and join us. And we are more than happy to help guide you into that space. MB: Absolutely. Before we end the interview, I want to ask if there's anything you feel is really important to share, something maybe young people should know about the upcoming election, or something they should know about when registering to vote in general, or about Voters of Tomorrow? SM: I think just highlighting the importance of the 2022 midterms. I think, if you're listening to this, that it's very likely that you are aware of everything that went down on January 6 last year, it is almost the one year anniversary of it. And we know that there were several things that played out that day. We obviously had the insurrection at the Capitol. That was the violence from the lower-laddered people who wanted to carry out a coup. We also had people at the higher levels who were planning out another coup, this one in a semi-legal way, to basically invalidate the will of the voters, and install someone that lost the election as president. The fact that that didn't happen was very heavily dependent on the fact that they did not have the votes in Congress to make it happen. As you go and prepare to vote in the midterm elections, I think it is very important to keep in mind that the people who you vote for could very well be the last firewall protecting the US from an authoritarian leader. I just want to make sure that everyone has that in mind when casting a ballot, and that you're just voting for people who support democracy, even if they don't support your specific policies or they don’t support my specific policies, even if I don't like these people. But they have to be people who support the Constitution and who support the democratic transfer of power. Keep that in mind. Make sure you know if you're voting for and make sure you don't just fill in the ballot at random, because these things matter. We very much don't want to live in an autocracy. MB: A follow up question for that. Is there a way for voters to know which candidates are specifically supportive of our democratic process and our electoral process? SM: Voters of Tomorrow is going to be releasing a guide for most federal offices and governor offices. We will be issuing endorsements and supporting candidates for democracy, even if they don't personally align with what we believe in. As long as they support core democratic values, they can count on us, in that we will help them defeat any fascist opponents. There's also a lot of other resources. If you're looking at Republicans in particular, for example, I think the Republican Accountability Project has an amazing guide that grades every current Republican member of Congress and whether they supported Trump's attempts to steal the election or not, and whether they've supported attempts to hold him and people who support him accountable. I believe their website is accountability.gop, if that is something that you're interested in. We'll have more resources on that as we head into the midterms. MB: Fantastic. Would you have anything to say to anybody who might be cautious or worried about the electoral process in general, the integrity of it, or any other worries or concerns they might have? SM: I think it is important to highlight that we are living in a very perilous time for democracy. But that does not mean that democracy has failed. We saw in 2020, that the institutions and the systems meant to protect democracy held. And the reason that happened is mainly because so many people voted. If the margins had been smaller, if turnout had not been as high as it was, we could have had a very different result. If you keep making your voice heard, and you keep voting, and you keep making sure that you hold your elected officials accountable, democracy will survive. I also think it is very important to make sure that our elected officials are taking action to support and protect democracy. If that is something that you're worried about, please, call your senators and ask them to support the Freedom to Vote Act, previously the People Act and to pass them in any way necessary, even if that means altering senate rules to avoid a filibuster. I think it is very important to highlight that democracy itself is more important than any archaic Senate rule. So just again, keep it in mind as you go forward, and make sure you're holding your elected officials accountable and making sure that they know what you support. MB: All right, well on that action item, we’ll end the interview, thank you again so much for joining me here. I really appreciate you taking the time. SM: I appreciate you inviting me. Thank you. Previous Next

Advice on Summer Employment < Back Student to Employee: Advice on Summer Employment Written By: Summer Clevenger Publishing Date: July 26, 2021 As summer warms up and the excitement of graduation winds down, our attention turns to employment opportunities. A simple search on any job posting board can yield hundreds of results and all those possibilities can feel confusing. To ensure you’re in the best position to start your search, check on these pointers: Edit and re-edit your resume - You should view your resume as an ever-changing document. After listing permanent previous experience, education, and contact information, look at the posting and list relevant skills you possess first. Consider changing up your summary to reflect the qualifications listed in the posting. Pay attention to your LinkedIn profile - LinkedIn is a helpful resource for developing a network and maintaining connections past graduation. Be sure to list any previous employment, internships, or projects you’ve completed relevant to your field. Not only can recruiters find you but you can also search LinkedIn’s job board for recent openings. Additionally, LinkedIn is a great place to research the mission, history, and company culture of potential employers. Keep busy in the meantime - Search the internet for free or low-cost online classes or certifications that may give you an advantage. Google, HubSpot, Coursera, and Harvard provide free education opportunities that will keep you sharp while you look for a job. After you complete certain courses, you can take a test, earn a certificate, and list it on your resume and LinkedIn profile. Meanwhile, look around your community. Are there local nonprofits that need volunteers? Missions and libraries are always in search of extra hands. Service work is both personally rewarding and a good opportunity to make new connections. Be sure add your experience to your resume and LinkedIn! Sources Previous Next

< Back Maryland's Paid Family Leave Bill Written By: Kaitlin Nguyen Publishing Date: April 29, 2022 In Maryland, lawmakers passed SB 275 “The Time to Care Act of 2022” , making Maryland the tenth state to offer job protection for family leave. SB 275 grants Maryland employees up to 12 weeks off paid, job-protected leave for taking care of new children, sick loved-ones, or addressing the needs of military deployments ( up to 24 weeks for a new parent with a serious health issue) starting 2025. The bill covers nearly all Maryland employees , including both full-time and part time workers, private and public sector workers, and with both small and large employers. Workers are paid up to 90% of their income , dependent on their income levels, with those making less receiving a higher percentage of their income. The benefits are dispensed through an insurance pool program that both employers and employees will contribute to. The Bill was passed through the General Assembly and was vetoed by Gov. Lawrence J. Hogan (R) , who declined to support the measure, in part because of the bill’s definition of small businesses (fewer than 15 employees) and other criticisms (“no actuarial analysis, no viable plan for implementation, and leaves the smallest of small businesses vulnerable to insurmountable regulatory burdens”). The bill was approved through a Democratic supermajority, which overruled the Governor’s veto . Currently, only around 17% of U.S. workers have access to paid family leave , forcing many Americans to have to choose between income and family, putting the emotional and physical well-being of many at risk. As more young workers are turning their attention to expanding worker protections and a better work-life balance, the passage of this bill represents a big step forward for employee-oriented work reform. Sources Cox, Erin and Ovetta Wiggins. “Overriding Hogan, lawmakers expand abortion access, create paid leave”, The Washington Post. 9 April 2022. Accessed April 10, 2022. https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2022/04/09/maryland-lawmakers-override-hogan/ Gaines, Danielle E. “Hogan Vetoes Abortion and Paid Family Leave Bills, Allows Climate Measure to Become Law”, Maryland Matters. 8 April 2022. Accessed April 10, 2022. https://www.marylandmatters.org/2022/04/08/hogan-vetoes-abortion-and-paid-family-leave-bills-allows-climate-measure-to-become-law/ Maryland Family Network. “Paid Family Leave”, MarylandFamilyNetwork.org. Accessed April 10, 2022. https://www.marylandfamilynetwork.org/for-advocates/paid-family-leave White, Brian. “Maryland paid family leave program bill passed to governor”, AP News. 31 March 2022. Accessed April 10, 2022. https://apnews.com/article/legislature-larry-hogan-maryland-c9ac4a518f41302de112dd6f9264da8d Previous Next

An Introduction To Climate Change and its Effects

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