Alliance Network Summer 2021 Plans: Learn ✅ Organize ✅ Rest ✅ 

 

As summer wraps up, we are looking back at the incredible work youth organizers in our network put in to develop strong youth leaders in their communities and to organize young people to fight racist voter suppression all while setting aside the invaluable time to restore through self-care. Here is how the Alliance Network crushed their summer to-do list: 

Alliance Network Summer 2021 Plan: Learn ✅

Left: Black Hogwarts graduation. Right: Forward Montana interns registering people to vote at a farmers market

Network organizations fostered the development and civic education of over 100 young people through internships, fellowships, and other organizing programs. This includes Leaders Igniting Transformation’s famous Black Hogwarts program where young organizers are trained to become the next leaders in Wisconsin, Washington Bus’ summer internship, Virginia Student Power Network’s summer fellowship, and more. These leadership development programs not only help more young people find their political homes, they grow the next generation of young leaders.

Alliance Network Summer 2021 Plan: Organize ✅ 

Ohio Student Association members canvassing for Citizens for a Safer Cleveland Initiative

Online and in the field, we saw organizations continue to do what they do best — organize. Minnesota Youth Collective gathered signatures for the “Keep St. Paul Home” campaign to stabilize rent prices. MOVE Texas kept up the relentless fight to block voter suppression efforts. Ohio Student Association worked in coalition to get an initiative on the ballot that would increase police accountability and create a civilian police review board. It truly was a hot organizing summer.

Alliance Network Summer 2021 Plan: Rest ✅ 

But it was not all hard work and no play! Organizations across the network (including the Alliance staff!) took time this summer to rest and recharge after working non-stop this year to keep their communities engaged and elected officials accountable. In the words of Chicago Votes, “You cannot pour from an empty cup. Resting is radical.” Learn more about how Alliance Network organizations spent their summers in our latest blog post.

 Civic Holidays

With the end of summer we are now gearing up to celebrate the Civic Holidays! The Civic Holidays are days of action that strengthen and celebrate our country’s democracy. They include National Voter Registration Day, National Voter Education Week, Vote Early Day, and Election Hero Day.

For the fourth year in a row, our sister organization, the Alliance for Youth Organizing, is teaming up with the Students Learn Students Vote Coalition to run Campus Takeover — a nationwide effort to mobilize students around elections and create a culture of civic engagement on college campuses on the Civic Holidays.

This summer, the Alliance Network took the time to foster and develop the skills of young people to take action by learning how to effectively testify, march, and fight for progressive policies that will help our people thrive. Youth organizers know that creating political homes where young people can fight for our communities while having a safe space to rest is how we build towards a better future. 

 

This is how we build a movement that is truly of young people, by young people, for all people.

 

Rebecca Gorena

Senior Program Director

Did someone forward you this email? Sign up for our e-newsletter here! 

 

Alliance for Youth Action

915 5th St NW, Washington, DC 20001, United States

 

If you believe you received this message in error or wish to no longer receive email from us, please unsubscribe.