Young Voter

Archive for August

From Inside the Rally: ALEC Conference in Chicago

jesseRecently, I traveled with the African American Civic Engagement Roundtable to Chicago to protest the ALEC National Convention. ALEC is the American Legislative Exchange Council, and is made up of legislators, businesses, and foundations from across the country. The members of this council draft policies for various state legislatures and promote free markets, limited government, and federalism at the state level. These same policies often go against worker’s rights, cripple voting rights, privatize our schools, and maintain minimum wage at its current level or eliminating it altogether.

To join the movement for livable wages, sign up here.

When our group arrived at the Palmer House, you could see many of the protesters already demonstrating outside the hotel. As we entered the hotel and began to ascend to the conference room where the ALEC meetings were being held, we were abruptly stopped and told to exit the hotel immediately if we were not guests of the hotel.

Upon my exit from Palmer House, I was quickly approached by a suited gentleman and told that if I entered the hotel again I would be placed under arrest. This was further fuel added to the revolutionary fire burning within. Initially, I was upset and wanted to disregard the threat and go back in but when I saw that on the other side of the hotel there were protesters and a makeshift stage set up in the middle of the street in downtown Chicago, I knew my place was out here among the people.

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9th Annual Put the Guns Down Festival Takes on Gun Violence in Milwaukee

On Sunday, September 1,, the Wisconsin chapter of the League of Young Voters will hold its annual “Put the Guns Down Festival” at King Park (1531 W Vliet Avenue).

Text RSVP to 69866 for more details.

With 23 shootings in Milwaukee in the first week in August, the League is organizing to decrease gun violence in the city. The event will welcome residents of the city of Milwaukee to attend a day of family-friendly fun with local artists, food, recreation area for kids to play and PEACE.

Put the Guns Down Festival Poster

“We are bringing hope back to our communities while providing free food, school supplies, and an amazing performance and video shoot by Milwaukee’s own Ray Nitti,” executive director, Rob “Biko” Baker said.

In addition to Ray Nitti, Former Bucks cheerleader, Destiny Love will teach attendees choreographed steps to be featured in the remix to Ray Nitti’s hit song “Lights Down Low.”

The day will kick off with a parade at 11:00 a.m., followed by the main festival from 12 p.m. until 3 p.m.. After the main festival, Ray Nitti, will perform and shoot the video for his hit song “Lights Down Low” and the festival will conclude with a dance party.

Text RSVP to 69866 for more details.

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#OutWithStudentDebt: Share Your Story

This groundbreaking video submission project aims to help shed the stigma of shame and embarrassment that comes along with intractable levels of student debt by encouraging borrowers to “come out” with their student debt stories.
With over $1.2 Trillion in outstanding student loan debt in America, we know that student loan debt keeps many of you from buying homes or cars, getting married or having kids, starting your own business, or otherwise reaching the American Dream.

If we’re ever to see the types of reforms to the student lending system that all of us believe are needed, it is extremely important that we put human faces to the growing crisis and, therefore; we need your help!

Please record a 1-2 minute video of yourself talking about your student debt - how much you borrowed, how much you now owe, what your debt keeps you from doing, how this debt has impacted your life, etc.

Then, simply upload that video to YouTube using the hashtag #OutWithStudentDebt in the title of the video to have your video automatically entered in the project.

For more information, please visit studentdebtcrisis.
Watch some of the video submissions inside…

#GenYNot: Watch the teaser

Four youth leaders, 21-25, from around the country team up to engage youth and the general public in a thought provoking dialogue regarding the thoughts and concerns of today’s youth.

GenerationYNot,  commonly referred to as GenYNot, will air it’s first episode on August 14, in partnership with the League of Young Voters on youngvoter on August 14th, at 8 p.m. EST.  This web based show will run for 10 episodes to explore youth experiences in the 21st century through storytelling, demographic/ statistical analysis, and political dialogue of current experiences in a range of political and cultural issues.

Everyone wants to know what millennials are thinking, but nobody seems to bother asking them. Rather than have other people speak about the issues impacting young people, it is time to allow youth to speak about the problems themselves- giving them a mic and an audience to share their voice. No singular voice is capable of representing all of us. It is through our aggregate voices that one will find better insight into the experiences of our generation.

Don’t Miss The Season Premiere tonight at 8pm EST! Sign up for show updates!