Read

User menu

Search form

#WalkOutToVote: Demanding Change, Youth-Led Alliance Brings Power to Polls

#WalkOutToVote: Demanding Change, Youth-Led Alliance Brings Power to Polls
Tue, 11/6/2018 - by Andrea Germanos
This article originally appeared on Common Dreams

With their sights set on making sure Tuesday's midterm election sends "a bold message to politicians and the country," the youth-led Future Coalition—an alliance that includes March For Our Lives and National School Walkout—has organized hundreds of walkouts at high schools and colleges across the nation for Nov. 6 to make sure young people get to the polls in record numbers.

"We refuse to let our government degrade, deprive of dignity, or dehumanize our fellow human beings," said Jaysa Harrison of the Youth Empower Coalition, another coalition member. "We refuse to be relegated to the shadows. We will continue to speak out and lift up those who would be silenced. And, we will wield our power through direct action in our communities, and at the ballot box on November 6th."

On Election Day at 10am local time, a call-to-action explains:

"Students in high schools and colleges across the country will walk out of class and march to the polls to cheer each other on as those eligible cast their votes. By bringing together young people across communities, issues, and organizations, we will ensure young people show up to the polls in record numbers and send a bold message to politicians and the country that young people are unified in our demand for change. Even if students aren't old enough to vote, they are still encouraged to lead and participate in the walkout to help make our message heard."

Senior Jaclyn Corin, one of the founders of the March For Our Lives, frames Election Day as "kind of the culmination of everything we've been working for," while fellow co-founder Matt Deitsch says it's more of a starting point. "We're running a really good race but there's really so much work to do."

The youthful activists have already been quite busy. Among other actions, throughout the summer and into fall March for Our Lives students have been taking part in the Road to Change, a tour making pit-stops in dozens of states and scores of communities across the country.

The goal of the tour is "to get young people educated, registered, and motivated to vote." They say the massive March For Our Lives rallies "showed our politicians that we refuse to accept gun violence as an unsolvable issue. Now, we're turning our energy into action."

In a video from NowThis, Future Coalition organizer Katie Eder explains, "We're the only age group where...the results of this midterm election are going to affect us in 60 years, and we want to make sure that we're safe, and that we're free and that our children are safe and free from climate change, from gun violence."

Students looking to find a locations of walkouts can find them here.

Originally published by Common Dreams

 

3 WAYS TO SHOW YOUR SUPPORT

ONE-TIME DONATION

Just use the simple form below to make a single direct donation.

DONATE NOW

MONTHLY DONATION

Be a sustaining sponsor. Give a reacurring monthly donation at any level.

GET SOME MERCH!

Now you can wear your support too! From T-Shirts to tote bags.

SHOP TODAY

Sign Up

Article Tabs

The recent decisions by two of the most influential national newspapers of record to not publish their endorsements of Vice President Kamala Harris says a lot about how seriously they take Trump’s threats to democracy and his promises of vengeance against his enemies.

On the eve of the historic November vote, it seems important to ask: What's wrong with men, how did we get here, and can we change this?

As Trump’s campaign grows increasingly bizarre, his team appears to be more tightly controlling his movements and carefully scripting his public appearances to minimize the negative impact his erratic behavior may have on undecided voters in swing states.

Throughout history, fascist governments have had a similar reliance on the use of lies as a weapon to take and retain power.

Former President Donald Trump is now openly fantasizing about deputizing death squads against Americans.

The recent decisions by two of the most influential national newspapers of record to not publish their endorsements of Vice President Kamala Harris says a lot about how seriously they take Trump’s threats to democracy and his promises of vengeance against his enemies.

On the eve of the historic November vote, it seems important to ask: What's wrong with men, how did we get here, and can we change this?

As Trump’s campaign grows increasingly bizarre, his team appears to be more tightly controlling his movements and carefully scripting his public appearances to minimize the negative impact his erratic behavior may have on undecided voters in swing states.

Throughout history, fascist governments have had a similar reliance on the use of lies as a weapon to take and retain power.

Former President Donald Trump is now openly fantasizing about deputizing death squads against Americans.

On the eve of the historic November vote, it seems important to ask: What's wrong with men, how did we get here, and can we change this?

Posted 1 week 3 days ago

Former President Donald Trump is growing increasingly deranged, yet the media is asleep at the wheel.

Posted 1 month 3 weeks ago

Former President Donald Trump is now openly fantasizing about deputizing death squads against Americans.

Posted 3 weeks 6 days ago

The 2024 Republican ticket’s incitement of violence against Haitian migrants in Springfield, Ohio, is revealing in more ways than one.

Posted 1 month 1 week ago

Throughout history, fascist governments have had a similar reliance on the use of lies as a weapon to take and retain power.

Posted 3 weeks 18 hours ago

Former President Donald Trump is now openly fantasizing about deputizing death squads against Americans.

As Trump’s campaign grows increasingly bizarre, his team appears to be more tightly controlling his movements and carefully scripting his public appearances to minimize the negative impact his erratic behavior may have on undecided voters in swing states.

Right wing organizations, tech bros, alt finance and big oil are all helping to promote a surge in far right politics that are destabilizing the global order, and could end democracies on both sides of the Atlantic.

Throughout history, fascist governments have had a similar reliance on the use of lies as a weapon to take and retain power.