FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
November 17, 2022
PRESS CONTACT:
Carmel Pryor
press@allianceforyouthaction.org
WASHINGTON — Last night, Alliance for Youth Action Executive Director Dakota Hall joined The Young Turk’s The Conversation with Adrienne Lawrence to discuss the impact young voters had on the midterm elections and how they broke the much-anticipated “red wave.”
From Dakota’s Interview on The Conversation with Adrienne Lawrence:
On young voters backing Democrats in the midterm elections:
“Young people came out and saved democracy in this midterm election. They really highlighted the power of their vote and how seriously they should be taken moving forward.”
“Young voters stopped the red wave, and young voters have proven to the country that they are the most powerful voting bloc right now.”
“At the end of the day, the reason why Black and Latino young voters came out to vote for Democrats is because Democrats talked to them. They included their vision for the country into their policy platforms, and finally learned how to effectively message that to young people.”
“When young people were faced with what the two candidates represented, they saw on the Republican side: election deniers, people who wanted to take away democracy, people who wanted to limit access to healthcare and abortion rights. They also saw people who did not have an economic message for them. I think on the other side, Joe Biden and Democrats came through on many big promises to young people including cancelling student loan debt, addressing the climate crisis and taking further action to make sure they’re going to protect abortion rights in the next Congress.”
On young voters helping elect John Fetterman:
“John Fetterman ran a campaign that engaged the many college students within that state. I’m hoping that the many campaign promises are followed through—I think that’s the big thing for Democrats right now. There’s going to be many vulnerable seats up in 2024, in places like Montana, and so if Democrats are unable to hold their promises, we’ll be looking at young people maybe choosing a third-party candidate.”
“I think John Fetterman, and the rest of the Senate Democrats, right now have a really big job in terms of being able to still pass a bold agenda while the House is still up in the air.”
On Gen-Z representation in Congress and public office:
“Max Frost is just one example of how many young people in this country are taking towards civic engagement, running for office, taking over school boards, and running for city councils and state assemblies.”
“The Gen-Z generation is really showing that they are a force to be reckoned with, that they are electable, and that they can take this country and move it forward.”
“It’s time to follow young Millennials and the Gen-Z generation to ensure that this country lasts, that democracy is preserved—making sure that we are fighting for basic human rights for everyone, and making sure that everyone has a chance to thrive in our country.”
On Year-Round Youth Civic Engagement:
“Civic engagement doesn’t stop. Young people need to be consistently engaged. Even days after the election, we are still on college campuses, and we are still knocking doors in communities to talk about: What does it mean to now legislate?”
“This is the important work that young people are leading. We’re not just electing people, but we’re telling them how to govern—and govern on the values that we believe in to make sure they’re representative of our communities.”
“We [The Alliance for Youth Action] operate in 18 different states. These are political homes for young people that can really help them take their skills from an activist to an organizer.”
“We look forward to building a movement for all people, led by young people.”
If you’re interested in learning more about the Alliance for Youth Action or scheduling an interview with Executive Director Dakota Hall, please reach out to Carmel Pryor press@allianceforyouthaction.org
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