Adrienne Maree Brown

Finger on the Pulse

The issues which will make or break the youth vote in the 2006 elections are already emerging. Let's just look at the work of the League of Young/Pissed Off Voters as a case study close to my heart.

The League was a scrappy underdog in 2004, but the community organizing we worked on for the last two years is flourishing into strategic campaigns in our third year.

We were the youth arm of the Maine Won't Discriminate campaign when most of the country was trying to avert their eyes on the issue of gay marriage. This year, the
League is working to ensure Maine youth get a financial incentive to stay in state at least 4 years after graduating from college with a College Loan Forgiveness Loan Ballot Initiative!

In 2004 while folks were pushing disparate campaigns and slogans at urban youth, a new civil rights movement bucked the pressure and launched the campaign their community needed, a Campaign Against Violence, in Milwaukee.

The result?
A bluer Wisconsin.

The movement has continued into 2006 with a recent victory against an anti-youth ordinance targeting 'loitering' - identified as any young people standing outside - and then a massive community mobilization in response to the acquittal of a white cop after his assault on African American Frank Jude, Jr.

In Pittsburgh, the League agitated to get a special election date changed to make sure college voices were heard. A few short weeks later, Governor Rendell vetoed HR 1318, which would have stripped many voters, particularly formerly incarcerated Pennsylvanians, of the right to vote.

In fact, young voices have become so powerful in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania that League organizers have met with Governor Doyle's staff and Governor Rendell himself.

So what are the common themes with these issues, along with my former post on immigration?

Simple.

Young people have our fingers on the pulse of our communities. We are using similar combined strategies to impact diverse policies in different communities. We know our victories mean life or death for our people. We've always been fun, but the effect of our commitment is fierce.

If you're on our side, you should be excited as we turn our local eyes towards issues we have in common nationally - rising gas prices and the unending war behind them, tragic 'natural' disasters fueled by rampant environmental abuses.

We see the moment, and we have the energy, perserverance and will to stand, and then go on the offensive.

Can you feel what's coming?

Adrienne Maree Brown: Author Bio | Other Posts
Posted at 9:08 PM, May 05, 2006 in Progressive Agenda
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