PRESS RELEASE: Alliance for Youth Action Network Organizers Lobby Their Legislators, Engage Young People in the Civic Process

For Immediate Release:

May 18, 2023

Press Contact:

Carmel Pryor

press@allianceforyouthaction.org

WASHINGTON –  Alliance for Youth Action network organizations mobilize young people to engage with the essential year-round practice of civic participation. During state legislative sessions, organizers held “Lobby Days” to meet face-to-face with legislators and show that young people are not backing down. As more young people come to the forefront of tough legislative battles, these opportunities to be in the halls of power prove consequential to creating lasting, progressive change. 

Here are just some of the Alliance Network lobbying work that has happened across the nation:

Asian Community Development Council and One APIA Nevada

Asian Community Development Council and One APIA Nevada, brought over 100 community members to the Nevada legislature. Fifty meetings with state legislators helped ensure the voices of all 389,000+ AANHPI members across Nevada were heard in the state capitol

Chicago Votes

Chicago Votes organizers went to Springfield, Illinois, to advocate for House Bill 39, also known as the Voting in Prison Bill to make noise in the halls of the state legislature about the importance of giving people in prison the right to vote.

Detroit Action 

Organizers at Detroit Action met with decision makers like Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist II about issues ranging from housing justice to mental health. 

Leaders Igniting Transformation

The Wisconsin state budget impacts several key issues for organizers at Leaders Igniting Transformation (LIT), including public education, racial justice, public health, and LGBTQ+ issues. LIT brought young people to Wisconsin’s Capitol for a Lobby Day with legislators to ensure young people’s priorities are represented in the state budget.

MOVE Texas

MOVE Texas and partner organizations mobilized over 350 young voters from 12 cities to meet with their elected representatives and demand progressive change at their Youth Capitol Takeover event

North Carolina Asian Americans Together

NCAAT organized students, young professionals, parents, and community leaders to inform legislators about their diverse constituents and the issues they face day-to-day, as well as the policies that would improve the growing Asian American community in North Carolina.

Ohio Student Association

Bringing with them 20 students from 6 different Ohio campuses, the Ohio Student Association (OSA) took part in Ohio Organizing Collaborative’s “Lobby Day” to meet with lawmakers to advocate for increased K-12 and higher education funding

You can learn about all Alliance Network lobbying efforts here.

If you would like to speak with leaders of Alliance Network organizations about their efforts to build youth power by speaking truth to power, please reach out to Vice President of Communications and Engagement Carmel Pryor (press@allianceforyouthaction.org).

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