You Cannot Win Without The Youth Vote
Session Type(s): Panel
Starts: Saturday, Jul. 15 3:45 PM (Central)
Ends: Saturday, Jul. 15 4:45 PM (Central)
Room: Salon A-4
Ahead of the 2022 midterm elections, many national news sources suggested that the youth would not turn out. In reality, the election saw the second-highest youth turnout in the last 30 years. Gen Z voted overwhelmingly for pro-democracy candidates. Without the youth vote, the “red wave” may have become a reality. Hear from youth organizers on how they helped turn out the vote in November and what they are doing now to prepare to turn out the youth in record numbers in 2024. We’ll discuss approaches youth mobilization and engagement, what galvanized Gen Z, as well as what strategies organizations and campaigns can employ to boost youth engagement.
Moderator
Marianna Pecora
Marianna Pecora is a 19-year-old youth activist and political communications specialist. She started her career in politics working on local congressional campaigns and has since lent her skills to the national youth-led organization Voters of Tomorrow where she served as Digital Director and spokesperson during the 2022 cycle. Originally from San Diego, she is a student at The George Washington University and lives in Washington, D.C..
Panelists
Ashwath Narayanan
Ashwath is an experienced marketing professional and entrepreneur. He also serves as a mentor to various startups. At Social Currant, he’s responsible for the growth and direction of the organization.
Other sessions: From the Field to Powering the Polls: Turning Out Young Voters With Athlete Influencers
Victor Shi
Victor Shi is a Gen Z speaker, writer, and organizer. He currently hosts the daily show “On the Move with Victor Shi” and co-hosts iGen Politics with Jill Wine-Banks. He also serves as Strategy Director for Voters of Tomorrow, is a writer for Resolute Square, and is a rising senior at UCLA. Previously, Victor was elected as the youngest delegate for Joe Biden, organized on presidential, state, and local campaigns, and interned at the DNC and the White House. Victor has appeared on MSNBC, CNN, PBS and has been published by CNN, USA Today, the Chicago Tribune, and more. Victor is a Chicago native.
Other sessions: Fantasy Indictment League Panel & Comedy Hour