Friend:

Hope. Believing in the power of our voices. Before Tuesday, I was thinking a lot about whether people would find their hope and believe in their ability to affect change. I know I don’t have to tell you how tough these recent years have been – a global pandemic, rampant gun violence, the overturning of Roe v. Wade, the constant chipping away at church-state separation and the threats to our democracy. 

So while this week’s midterm election results appear to be a mixed bag, one of the outcomes I’m celebrating is Generation Z’s dogged optimism in the face of so many challenges. Young adults in their 20s showed up for this election and demonstrated why they’re a force to be reckoned with – and why we at Americans United are investing so heavily in this next generation of leaders, activists, lawyers, legislators, journalists, teachers, judges and more.
 
In an interview on NPR the day after the election, Jack Lobel with the progressive organization Voters of Tomorrow described why he and so many of his peers voted, many of them for the first time: “I voted for democracy, I voted for abortion rights, I voted for our future.” Lobel said the Supreme Court decision to abolish abortion rights – and his fear that many more rights could fall at the hands of this ultra-conservative Court – was a major motivator to vote.
 
At AU, we understand that supporting and engaging young people like Jack is critical to protecting church-state separation, our freedoms and our democracy. That’s why we are dedicated to youth outreach and leadership efforts like the new Legal Academy, our Youth Organizing Fellowship program and next year’s Summit for Religious Freedom.
 
Generation Z has the hope and the drive to change the course of history, and I believe that they will. And I’m not just saying so because my three kids belong to Gen Z, though I’m pretty proud of them too. AU is committed to working alongside this new generation of activists because we want to bolster them in every way we can and also learn from them how to shape the future. It will take all of us working together to achieve our vision of a nation of freedom without favor and equality without exception.
 
To learn more about how you can support Americans United’s efforts, and to hear more of AU’s analysis on the midterm elections, please join me for the first in our Summit for Religious Freedom (SRF) Webinar Series on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. ET. This free, virtual discussion will include several AU experts talking about the results of the midterms and their impact on all of the issues we care about. I look forward to seeing you there!

With hope and determination,

Rachel K. Laser
President and CEO