Dear John, 

While we know election season can be stressful, we want to take a moment to provide some hope.

Gen Z and millennial lawmakers are continuing to defy the odds and build a healthy democracy.

Learn more about what we've been up to recently and see what's coming soon: 

Join us for the 2024 Rising Star Awards

On November 20th, 2024, Future Caucus will recognize the work of young legislators and changemakers for political bridge-building and future-focused leadership during our seventh annual Rising Star Awards. 

This year's lawmaker recipients include: Representative Tory Blew (R-KS), Assemblymember Alex Bores (D-NY), and the Pennsylvania Future Caucus. 

2024 On the Rise Report

On the Rise is a comprehensive, data-driven, biannual election-year report -- the only one of its kind -- exploring the trends and statistics that underlie Gen Z and millennials' path to political power on the national scale. 

Some of this year's findings:

• One in four congressional candidates is a millennial or Gen Zer.
• From 2020 to 2024, the number of millennials on the general election ballot increased 79%. 
• More than one in three state legislators on the ballot for Congress are millennials. 

Read the full report to gain deeper insights and understanding into the next generation of elected leaders. 

Election Resources

As part of Future Caucus’ mission to bridge partisan divides, overcome toxic polarization, and build a healthy democracy that empowers public servants and serves Americans from all walks of life, we are dedicated to ensuring that our lawmakers are well-equipped to navigate the excitement—and divisiveness—of this election season.

The resources below include nonpartisan data and cross-partisan insights for Future Caucus members navigating the unique dynamics of the 2024 election cycle. We hope they can serve as useful tools in the weeks and months ahead.

Experiential Learning Trips for the 2024 Innovation Fellows

This fall, our first cohort of Innovation Fellows went on three experiential learning trips across the country.

To kick things off, our Healthcare Innovation Fellows joined us in Detroit, Michigan to meet with experts in maternal health and childcare, gaining first-hand experience of the work being done locally and around the state. To wrap up the trip, we went on two field trips to Starfish Family Services and Birth Detroit!

Our Strengthening Democracy Innovation Fellows spent two days in Denver, Colorado learning from experts on the frontlines of election reform and security at Unite America, the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), Dominion Voting, and Boulder County and Jefferson County election officials.

Lastly, the Energy and Environment Innovation Fellows joined us in Denver to meet with experts from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Think Microgrid, and the Rocky Mountain Institute. 

Steven Olikara Joins the Advisory Board

Steven founded Future Caucus in 2013 as Millennial Action Project and served as its President & CEO until 2021. Through his latest work as the President of Bridge Entertainment Labs, Senior Fellow for Political Transformation at the USC Schwarzenegger Institute, and contributor to national and local media, he continues to tackle the root causes of polarization. Steven’s dedication to our mission has been unwavering, and we are so excited to have him return in this new role, where his vision and passion will continue to drive our work forward.

The 19th Collective

Our first-ever affinity group, The 19th Collective, has held its first meeting!

They were joined by Sonja Bomhoff, a certified Life & Leadership Coach, for conversations on giving yourself permission to succeed and understanding yourself and leadership style through your Enneagram.

Town & Country Magazine and Philanthropy Summit

We're incredibly honored to share that Layla was profiled in the November issue of Town & Country Magazine!

Reimagining Political Leadership: The Outlook of Young Americans

We partnered with the American University Sine Institute of Policy & Politics, along with The Close Up Foundation and Generation Lab, for the release of their third annual survey focused on understanding young Americans’ unique perspectives on political leadership and engagement.

Aspen ThinkXChange: The National Forum on 2Gen Approaches

Layla joined Anne Mosle of the Aspen Institute, Julie Sweetland of FrameWorks Institute, Reggie Bicha of the American Public Human Services Association, and Daniel Williams of the Steelcase Foundation for a panel discussion the idea of future-proofing. She discussed how we can build the political will to implement effective policies through future-proofing. 

Must Reads

“It’s not just an absence of ambition or passion—there’s also real institutional barriers that keep young people from running for office,” Congressman Maxwell Frost (D-FL) said. 

Since his election to the Connecticut General Assembly in 2015 at age 30, Rep. Devin Carney (R-CT) has dedicated his political career to passing legislation that makes his state a better place to live and work, particularly for younger people.

“A lot of times, the legislature does not make up the demographic of the state or the communities because most people can’t afford to do what we do,” Rep. Ajay Pittman (D-OK) said.

The U.S. turns 250 years old in 2026. The Youth250 Bureau invites young adults ages 18-30 to create, contribute and consult institutions nationwide on plans to commemorate the United States’ 250th anniversary in 2026. 

"We're seeing more and more young people decide to throw their hat in the ring and be a part of the solution," said Layla Zaidane, President and CEO of Future Caucus, to The Hill when discussing the 2024 On the Rise report.

We can't do this work without you. Support young lawmakers in their efforts to bridge the partisan divide and donate today!

Contact Us 

[email protected]

Future Caucus
1701 Rhode Island Ave NW
Washington, DC 20036
United States  

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