Your update on news, developments and opportunities for action from OYU
January Newsletter
National News
OYUnited Leaders in Georgia Boost Youth Voter Turnout and Get Featured in TIME Article!
The city of Atlanta witnessed historic voter turnout in the most recent presidential election, particularly among young voters. In fact, youth voter turnout in GA was the highest across the nation, making up 21% of the state’s total votes, compared to the national average of 17%. OYUnited leaders, Shanice Turner and Daniel Rosebud, along with organizations like New Georgia Project, Campus Vote Project, and Students for 2020, were all given credit for the massive efforts across the city to motivate young people to show up to the polls.
Shanice and Daniel were grantees of the Carolina Fund that collaborates with OYUnited, and awarded over 1.5 million dollars to support eleven OYunited CATS, 4 Community Leaders, and six of our partner organizations to increase voter turnout in fifteen states in the presidential election and the Georgia run-off election for the Senate. All of the grantees put forth innovative approaches to make civic and voter engagement more appealing to young people, especially young people in low-income communities who have an historically low turn-out rate. Examples include virtual events, community resource drives, social media campaigns, phone banking, canvassing, and more.
The Atlanta individual leaders and organizational partners are still pounding the pavement to keep the momentum up for the upcoming Senate runoff election on January 5th. One of our major partners is Unite Inc., that is working with four HBCU’s in Georgia.
Check out the TIME article to learn more!
Local Action
Boston CAT SPEAKS UP to Address Gun Violence
Check out the Boston Community Action Team as they host a panel to address gun violence in their community. “The Culture of Gun Violence: In Music, Media, and In Our Communities,” was a conversation about the impact of gun violence on young people, and how music and media perpetuates its occurrence.
Check out the recorded session here!
Montgomery CAT Receives Grant from USA TODAY Network
Congratulations to the Montgomery CAT for receiving a Community Thrive grant from the USA TODAY Network. The $5,000 award will be used to invest in a fellowship for the young leaders of the CAT.
Check out the Montgomery Advertiser article to learn more.
Gainesville Community Action Team
We are happy to announce that Project YouthBuild has agreed to serve as the anchor organization for the OYUnited Gainesville Community Action Team (CAT)! Please check out their website to learn more about their organization.
WELCOME TO THE MOVEMENT, GAINESVILLE!
Resources & Opportunities
Know a Youth Leader Who Should Serve on A Board at America’s Promise Alliance?
The Future We Need is a social media video profile and first-person series made by and for young people who are demanding, organizing, and leading transformative change across the country.
The Future We Need empowers young people working across a multitude of intersecting issue areas, including racial justice, youth employment, justice reform, gun violence prevention, education, civic engagement, health, immigration, environmental justice, and belonging.
WAYS TO GET INVOLVED:
For questions and inquiries, please email, Marlen ([email protected] )
Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation Youth Grants
Deadline: January 22
1 in 6 people (more than 50 million people), including 1 in 4 children (approximately 17 million children) in the United States are experiencing food insecurity in 2020. This is a problem that can be solved, and kids are a part of the solution! YSA (Youth Service America) and Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation are looking for the best ideas from young people about how they can help meet immediate needs caused by the coronavirus pandemic and/or help prevent childhood hunger in the future.
Grants of up to $500 will support youth leaders ages 5-25 across the U.S. to turn their ideas into action and make an impact on the issue of childhood hunger. New this year is an option for a fundraising match grant, which includes $100 for fundraising-related costs and a $400 matching grant to a local hunger relief organization of your choice.
Learn more and apply by January 22 at www.YSA.org/SodexoYouth
