For Immediate Release:
January 25, 2023
Press Contact:
Carmel Pryor
press@allianceforyouthaction.org
“Local youth-led organizations that show up day in and day out — and not just in the run up to elections — to care for their communities are instrumental in connecting voting to issues that directly impact people’s daily lives.”
WASHINGTON – On Monday, January 17th, Democracy Docket published an Op-Ed by Carmel Pryor, Senior Director of Communications for the Alliance for Youth Action, explaining the importance of youth organizing year-round.
Because of the hardworking, committed youth organizers from across the nation, 2022’s mid-term elections delivered many victories for and by young people. As discussed in Carmel’s piece, community care efforts that result in substantive changes build upon a foundation to mobilize young voters in subsequent elections.
Excerpts from Democracy Docket Op-Ed
- “In this midterm election, young people elected Democrats and rejected election deniers backed by former President Donald Trump, despite barriers to the ballot box. And across 18 states in the Alliance Network, youth organizers turned out young voters, leading to incredible victories that will create a better future for all of us — a future where the youth vote will continue to be the deciding factor in our elections and should not be taken for granted.”
- “Local youth-led organizations that show up day in and day out — and not just in the run-up to elections — to care for their communities are instrumental in connecting voting to issues that directly impact people’s daily lives. They see the act of voting as key to changing lives and futures and use their organizing power to turn voters out in droves. It’s how groups like ACDC and One APIA Nevada helped mobilize the second-highest youth voter turnout in a midterm election in the last three decades.”
- “Relational organizing — mobilizing personal contacts within a volunteer’s network — was also key to electoral success for the Alliance Network, a federated network which includes youth-led organizations like Minnesota Youth Collective, New Era Colorado and more.”
- “Minnesota Youth Collective and New Era Colorado, according to Teen Vogue, lead with issues rather than voter registration to engage young people civically. Minnesota Youth Collective has a neighborhood-by-neighborhood organizing program targeting youth dense areas in Minneapolis where organizers talked to young people about what they’d like to see changed about where they live. Minnesota Youth Collective has also expanded beyond electoral organizing by turning its office into a mutual aid hub after police murdered George Floyd in 2020. This community care work and emphasis on substantive issues was an important foundation when it came time to turn out young voters for the 2022 midterm elections, which contributed to Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison’s (D) narrow win.”
- “Local youth organizing also resulted in voting rights wins to protect our democracy. Detroit Action helped Michigan voters pass Proposal 2, a constitutional amendment to establish early voting, pre-empt efforts to enact stricter voter ID rules and expand access to absentee voting. Next Up saw big wins in Portland, Oregon this year after young voters helped pass significant reforms, including establishing city-wide ranked choice voting and implementing a mayor and city administrator. Earlier this year, Forward Montana fought hard in the courts for Election Day registration and won. This led to many more young Montanans utilizing this convenient opportunity to cast their ballots on Election Day.”
If you are interested in speaking with Senior Director of Communications Carmel Pryor and/or youth organizers from the Alliance for Youth Action network, please reach out to press@allianceforyouthaction.org.
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