Your update on news, developments and opportunities for action from OYU
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Dear Members of OYUnited,
Thank you! Last week, we all witnessed a historic election and young people played a critical role – SHOWING UP in record numbers! We showed the world the power of young people and the power of our communities.
As we wind down the week, I wanted to send a quick note of appreciation to all of you and recognize you for your hard work last week and all the time leading up to it. I also wanted to share a blog from OYUnited leader - Adam Strong, some highlights of the election, and a webinar to keep the action and conversation going.
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A Message From Adam Strong, OYUnited Founding Member
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OYUnited: Showing Up, Standing Up, and Speaking Up at the Polls
Many people were surprised by these historic turnout levels, but here at OYUnited, we planned on it.Last year we decided that if we wanted to shape the political discussion and have the issues we care about at the center - like the mass incarceration of our brothers and sisters, the lack of investment in our communities, and the lack of pathways for higher education and a living wage - then we would have to mobilize young people across the country to show up at the polls.
Thirteen of our Community Action Teams across the country started planning theirCivic Engagement Campaigns for the 2018 midterms in 2017 and implemented them in 2018, focusing on civiceducation, voter registration, community gatherings, and voter turnout among young adults and all community members. These communities were Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Columbus, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Greenville (MS), New York City, New Orleans, Phoenix, Seattle, San Francisco, and Sacramento. They registered folks to vote, gathered them with candidates to communicate their issues, and drove them to the polls on election day.
Despite the historically high turnout, there were still too many people who chose not to vote, who believed their vote wouldn’t matter or felt that they were not prepared to make informed decisions. There were also too many polling places where lines were much too long, or other obstacles to voting occurred.
Voter suppression is anti-democratic and does not serve the well-being of our nation. We hope this election is just the beginning of a continuing upward trend in active and informed voter participation to strengthen our democracy. We will have a hard time getting the policies we need to decrease poverty in America until the 43 million people living in poverty choose to come forward and be heard and are welcome at the polls!
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Highlights of the 2018 Midterm Election
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Additional information about the historic election results come from our friends at
URGE
. We witnessed a dramatic increase in representation from younger people, people of color, and women. Below, you will find a summary of some of those victories.
Highlights in Congress
- Over 100 women will be members of the U.S. House of Representatives with over 34 of those being women of color.
- Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY) and Abby Finkenauer (IA), at 29, became the youngest two women ever elected to Congress.
- Ilhan Omar (MN) and Rashida Tlaib (MI) became the first Muslim women elected to Congress.
- Sylvia Garcia and Veronica Escobar became the first Latina Congresswomen from Texas.
- Deb Haaland of New Mexico joins Sharice Davids as two of the first Native American women elected to Congress.
- Ayanna Pressley was the first Black woman elected to Congress from Massachusetts.
- Arizona has elected Kyrsten Synema as its first ever woman senator.
Highlights in State Government
- Kalan Haywood, a 19-year-old Black man, became the youngest state legislator in the U.S. after winning a seat in the Wisconsin State Assembly.
- Healthcare rights supporter Laura Kelly was elected governor of Kansas.
- Kristi Noem will be the first woman governor of South Dakota.
- Janet Mills was elected first woman governor of Maine.
- Jared Polis (CO) will be the first openly gay man to serve as governor in any state.
Florida voters also passed Amendment 4, restoring voting rights to as many as 1.4 million people with felony convictions!!!!
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Nonprofit Vote : Understanding Who Turned Out to Vote in 2018
Webinar: November 20: 12:30pm- 1:30pm ET/ 9:30 am - 10:30 am PT
This year's election had the highest turnout rate of any midterms in recent memory, even dating back to 1966 when you had to be 21 years old to vote! So why was there a record turnout this year? What do these numbers mean? Who is driving the voter surge and what could this mean for your constituency?
Join their first webinar post Midterm 2018 as they take a closer look with presenters Michael McDonald, Professor of Political Science at University of Florida (and all-around election numbers whiz), Christine Chen, the founding Executive Director of APIAVote and master trainer/mobilizer, and Abby Kiesa, Director of Impact at CIRCLE and communications and research trailblazer.
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Lashon Amado
National Coordinator of the Community Action Teams of Opportunity Youth United
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