Our Blog
Up-to-date information about GC and the broader community we serve.
Dec132018Read More >Bay Area Student Changemaker Address
Stephanie, an 8th grader from Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School, on her action project to address neighborhood violence. This speech was delivered at Bay Area Civics Day on December 7, 2018. Good afternoon, my name is Stephanie. I’m from San Francisco and I attend Martin Luther King Jr. middle school. I’m in 8th grade […]
Dec062018Read More >Youth voter participation is not red or blue, it’s universal
I have the privilege of working with middle and high school students across the state of Oklahoma. As a civics educator, I find myself constantly noticing where young people show up. During the build-up to the 2018 midterm election, I saw students where I always do — at the mall, in their schools, at athletic […]
Nov132018Read More >Generation Citizen 2018 Annual Report
We are excited to share our 2018 Annual Report. The report highlights key achievements from the past year, including progress on our three-year strategic growth plan, our advocacy work, and the many ways our students have been at the forefront of positive, real change both in their communities and in our democracy. Click here to […]
Nov082018Read More >Civic Dispositions and School Culture
The conflict between youth civic engagement and anti-democratic educational environments I tried to find a way to start this without invoking the midterm election and all of the reports of “apathetic” voters. I promise I did. But before you stop reading, this might not go where you think it’s going to. I offer a challenge: […]
Nov082018Read More >Drew Brees is a Populist
Stick with me and I’ll explain What’s going on??? Grover Cleveland has just been sworn in to his second term as the 24th President of the United States, of which there are only 44. It is the second time he has been elected, making Benjamin Harrison the answer to the trivia question, “who is the only […]
Nov082018Read More >Voter suppression by adults sends the wrong message to America’s young people
Why restricting participation at the polls might discourage emerging civic actors Voter suppression teaches children that adults are not serious about preserving democracy for the emerging generation of voters. When eligible individuals follow all the rules and still struggle to obtain access to the ballot box, it sends the wrong signal to the nation’s young people. […]
Nov082018Read More >NEW REPORT: Through an Action Civics Lens – Policy and Advocacy to Support Effective Civics Education Across the 50 states
Generation Citizen’s Policy and Advocacy Team is thrilled to be launching a report, “Through an Action Civics Lens: Policy and Advocacy to Support Effective Civics Education Across the 50 States” in tandem with our 2018-2019 Policy and Advocacy Agenda. You can find the Report here and the Agenda here. Generation Citizen’s (GC) founding mission is […]
Nov022018Read More >Lesson Plans for Teachers: NYC City Charter Revision Commissions!
Generation Citizen created this rapid response Lesson Package for teachers to implement in their 8th to 12th-grade classrooms in order to both ensure a more informed local population and engage young people in this important local political procedure. Over the next year, New Yorkers will have multiple opportunities to share their input and shape the […]
Nov022018Read More >Flip Your Ballot: GC Endorses All Three NYC Ballot Proposals
On Thursday, October 25, 2018, Generation Citizen New York City submitted public comments to the Campaign Finance Board endorsing the three ballot proposals on the November 6, 2018 ballot. Read on! GC NYC participated in the 2018 Charter Revision Commission process, including by testifying before the 2018 New York City Charter Revision Commission (Commission) about […]
Nov022018Read More >NYC Local Advisory Board Hype Man Performance
The Generation Citizen New York City’s Local Advisory Board is excited to invite you to a private evening of theater to benefit Generation Citizen at The Flea Theater on Monday, November 12th for the 7pm performance of Hype Man, followed by a wine reception and talk back with the cast. The play by Idris Goodwin […]
Sep202018Read More >We’re hiring a Bay Area Program Manager
Generation Citizen is Hiring a Bay Area Program Manager Generation Citizen (GC) is excited to announce that we are looking for an exceptional leader to join our team as the Bay Area Program Manager of our local “Democracy Coach” Action Civics model, which involves recruiting, training, and supporting college volunteer Democracy Coaches in effectively partnering […]
Aug132018Read More >GENERATION CITIZEN ANNOUNCES AIMEE SPRUNG AS MASSACHUSETTS BOARD CHAIR
Generation Citizen (GC) is excited to welcome Aimee Sprung as the new Chairperson of the Massachusetts Board of Directors. As Generation Citizen Massachusetts enters a phase of rapid opportunity and growth, we are thrilled for Aimee to lead our local site to help us engage exponentially more young people in Action Civics and support the next […]
Jul312018Read More >What We’re Reading | July 31st, 2018
Our favorite articles from recent weeks Every few weeks, GC picks out a selection of articles that are relevant to our work and to the civics education space as a whole. We at GC love to expand our learning in every aspect of what we do, and we hope you enjoy our selections! How […]
Jun182018Read More >Announcing the Hasbro Change Maker Award Recipients
This year, Generation Citizen and the Hasbro Children’s Fund collaborated to create the Hasbro Change Maker Award. Awards were given out in the form of mini-grants to fund and support student ideas on how they could make their communities a better place. Across five schools in Providence, RI and the surrounding areas, volunteers from Hasbro […]
Jun142018Read More >Generation Citizen NYC Executive Director, DeNora Getachew, Testimony to Joint Hearing of New York City Council’s Education and Youth Services Committees
Testimony delivered by DeNora Getachew, New York City Executive Director of Generation Citizen to Joint Hearing of the New York City Council’s Education and Youth Services Committees regarding Youth Civic Engagement Opportunities. Read on! Good Afternoon Members of the City Council’s Education and Youth Services Committees: My name is DeNora Getachew and I’m the […]
Jun142018Read More >GC Student, Samara Henry, Testifies at the New York City Council Executive Budget Hearing
On May 24th, 2018, Samara Henry, a student at the Bronx Academy of Letters, testified at the New York City Council Executive Budget Hearing. Here she explains the crucial role of Action Civics. Read on! Good afternoon. Thank you for the opportunity to testify at today’s hearing. My name is Samara Henry and I […]
Jun142018Read More >GC Student, Anyhara Garcia, Testifies to The New York City Council Education and Youth Services Committees
On June 13th, 2018, International High School of Health Sciences student Anyhara Garcia, submitted a public testimony to the New York City Education and Youth Services Committees. Here she explains the crucial role Action Civics has in effectively addressing New York City’s civic participation problem. Read on! Good afternoon. Thank you for the opportunity […]
May302018Read More >Civics Day: A Movement of Youth Civic Engagement Across the U.S.
Watch: “Youth voices are the key to change for the future.” Justice Paraiso-Caceres and GC Students Share Why Youth Voice Matters Generation Citizen students are leading in their communities by tackling head-on difficult issues that impact their everyday lives: pollution, bullying, gun violence, school funding and many more. At Civics Day, our end-of-semester showcase event, […]
Jun072017Read More >Democratizing in the Digital Age
Democratizing in the Digital Age A defense of the internet’s role in politics By Monica Roman, Operations Associate Apps like Countable give you direct access to elected officials and the bills they’re voting on It is easy to get caught up in the narrative of the internet as a chaotic force in politics these days, with it […]
May152017Read More >The New Civic Activism
The New Civic Activism A view from Brooklyn By David Pechefsky, Senior Advisor Since the presidential election, my Brooklyn neighborhood has seen a big surge in liberal activism. Under the banner of “Get Organized Brooklyn” our local Council Member has been convening monthly meetings attended by as many as a thousand people. After the first meeting in […]
May052017Read More >Door Knocking: A Love Story
Door Knocking: A Love Story Why face-to-face conversations strengthen our democracy By Nora Howe, NYC Program Associate One long driveway away, my next house waited. The Iowa sun beating down, I was getting ready to knock my 90th (or was it 91st?) door of the day, and still had 30 more to go. My shoes […]
Apr262017Read More >Did you just miss a chance to vote? An update on April 2017 Municipal Elections
Did you just miss a chance to vote? An update on April 2017 municipal elections By Brandon Klugman While hotly contested special elections for Congressional seats in Kansas and Georgia have dominated most discussion of elections this month, it is important to remember that springtime also marks local election season for many cities across the […]
Apr242017Read More >When is Enough Actually Enough?
When is Enough Actually Enough? A Michelle Branch-induced breaking point. By Scott Warren Last May, I sat in a café on 24th and Valencia in San Francisco, gathering my thoughts after a fruitful meeting, ready to walk into a gorgeous San Francisco morning for a day full of more productivity: meetings with Board members, foundations, […]
Apr172017Read More >“Change-making” in Process
Eli Emigh, Generation Citizen’s newest New York Program Associate, reflects on some of his first experiences in the classroom. I began my role as a Program Associate with Generation Citizen’s NYC team at the start of February 2017 after working as an organizer with the Oregon Student Association. I was excited to continue working […]
Apr062017Read More >Yasmine Mahdavi: Does My Voice Matter?
Does My Voice Matter? After years of promising to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare, the repeal bill was pulled from the House floor on March 24. This was a surprising turn and a prime example of successful civic engagement swaying our representatives. One of the reasons it didn’t […]
Mar272017Read More >San Diego Union-Tribune: Is today’s political engagement a fad or the new reality?
In the midst of a time of seemingly heightened political engagement across the country, a record low number of citizens turned out to vote in Los Angeles’ local election. Generation Citizen co-founder and CEO Scott Warren reflects in this op-ed, published in The San Diego Union-Tribune. How do we reconcile the fact that millions of […]
Mar272017Read More >Vote16 on Ozy: To Bridge the Political Divide, Let Minors Vote
“Our political challenges may seem insurmountable. But let’s remember that in addition to building bridges across the aisle, we need on-ramps to participation.” This piece tells the story of one of Takoma Park’s first under-18 voters, and argues that extending voting rights to more 16- and 17-year-olds can help reinvigorate our democracy. Read more on […]
Mar132017Read More >Yasmine Mahdavi: GIRLS AND WOMEN HAVE THE RIGHT TO THINK FREELY AND TO ACT ACCORDINGLY
Yasmine Mahdavi, Generation Citizen’s Measurement and Evaluation Fellow, responds to a recent opinion piece published in the Wall Street Journal. Ideally, girls and women should have the freedom to advocate for themselves and others in any way they choose. But, when we dictate or ideologically critique the way in which they choose to express themselves we […]
Jan272017Read More >Shifting the Age Curve: A Smart Approach to Increasing Voter Turnout
We have a voter participation crisis in the United States – most agree on this. The US ranks 31st out of 35 OECD countries in voter turnout. In the 2016 election, four out of ten eligible voters did not cast a ballot, similar to the rate in 2012. Turnout in midterm and local elections is […]
Nov162016Read More >Dana Harris: Action civics education is more important now, than ever.
Dana Harris, Generation Citizen’s Advocacy Manager, shares her perspective on political disillusionment – and how you can help us change it. I grew up with the belief that in order to make real change in this country, I had to work around government, not through it. I spent my high school years committed to […]
Sep272016Read More >Why We’re Going to Texas: A Former Austin Teacher Shares Her Powerful Story
Meredith Norris, Austin native and former teacher, is leading the effort to bring Generation Citizen to Central Texas. Here she tells us why. I started my teaching career in 2012 in the San Francisco Bay Area. Debates over Common Core and teacher evaluation ran rampant. Standards and test scores were valued above all, but the […]
Sep122016Read More >4 Reasons Why You Should Vote in New York’s Primary Election
4 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD VOTE IN NEW YORK’S PRIMARY ELECTION By Bonnie Mills and Nora Howe, Generation Citizen New York Program Associates Tomorrow, September 13th, New Yorkers will have the opportunity to vote for their State Senator and Assemblymember, all of whom are up for reelection in the state primary election. But why should […]
Jun282016Read More >Young People Could Have Stopped Brexit
In the aftermath of last week’s globally consequential Brexit referendum, in which voters in the United Kingdom decided to historically break away from the European Union, much of the analysis has centered on the imbalance between the opinions of young people and the ramifications of the vote on their futures. Yet a comprehensive statistical analysis […]
Nov052015Read More >Ellie’s Eighth Grade Endeavors, Episode 3: Why Community Engagement Matters
Oct152015Read More >Ellie’s Eighth Grade Endeavors, Episode 1: Democracy Coaches Learn Too
- Oct062015Read More >
Should Politics be Fun?
Should Politics Be Fun? As the 2016 elections approach, the missing youth electorate is becoming an increasingly prevalent story. Despite a slight upwards tick of youth participation in President Obama’s victories in 2008 and 2012, the 2014 midterms saw the lowest youth voting rate in the last forty years, with only 19% of […]
Oct132016Read More >450 Students Take Part in Generation Citizen Launch at Lowell High School
Lowell High School brought together 450 students on Wednesday, September 28th to launch Generation Citizen at their school. This year, these 23 classrooms will work to make meaningful change in their communities through the Generation Citizen program. The Lowell High School launch event, held at the school located in Lowell Massachusetts, kicked-off with an exploration […]
Oct042016Read More >Justin Kang: Why Civic Tech Challenge and Why Now?
Why Civic Tech Challenge and Why Now? Q&A With Boston’s Leading Young Civic Innovator and Creator of the Civic Tech Challenge, Justin Kang Justin Kang is the founder and Executive Director of City Awake, the civic innovation lab of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, widely hailed as a leading voice for millennials in Greater […]
Sep222016Read More >What We’re Reading
Every other week, GC picks out a selection of articles, videos, or podcasts that are relevant to our work and to the civic education space as a whole. This week we are focusing specifically on local news and issues in some of GC’s program regions. We at GC love to expand our learning in every […]
Sep132016Read More >Civic Tech Challenge Greater Boston Registration is Open!
The Greater Boston hackathon will take place on Saturday, November 5, 2016 Sign-up to Participate in the Civic Tech Challenge Hackathon Buy Tickets to the Civic Tech Challenge Awards Reception Generation Citizen’s Civic Tech Challenge brings together top tech innovators and passionate middle school students for a day-long hackathon that will create solutions to tough […]
Sep082016Read More >Join Us: Stories of Grassroots Change
Join Generation Citizen and the Boston Debate League for this inspiring storytelling event. Local activists and aspiring young leaders involved in contemporary grassroots change campaigns in Boston will share their stories of struggle, success, and advocacy insights. Attendees with their own stories of grassroots change can also sign up to share by selecting “Storyteller” on the […]
Aug152016Read More >WE ARE TEAM GENERATION CITIZEN
Last week, the Generation Citizen team traveled from all across the US to attend our annual retreat at the Wisdom House in beautiful Litchfield, Connecticut. This retreat is the one time a year when all GC staff can come together in person to collaborate and engage meaningfully with each other and our varied work, and […]
Aug032016Read More >Join Us: Community Change Fellows Graduation Celebration
We’re excited to announce that Generation Citizen’s Community Change Fellowship graduation celebration is right around the corner. Join us in celebrating these young civic leaders! The GC Community Change Fellowship is an internship opportunity for high-performing GC high school alumni to continue their community engagement after the semester in a professional political environment. The evening […]
- Aug012016Read More >
Young Leaders Gather for GC’s Democracy Education Youth Summit
Generation Citizen is thrilled to be bringing 26 young people (ages 14-18), together the first week of August for our first-ever Democracy Education Youth Summit. The participants hail from 14 states across the country and will congregate in New York City for three days of activities, workshops, and collaboration. The goal of the summit is […]
Jun302016Read More >GC’s Expanding to the Heartland
We are excited to announce Generation Citizen’s expansion to Central Texas and Oklahoma City in the fall of 2016. When we passed Generation Citizen’s four-year strategic plan two years ago, expanding to new sites was a top goal, both to test our model in new geographies and to make a more effective case for the […]
- Jun172016Read More >
Join Us: Democracy Education Youth Summit
Generation Citizen is organizing a Democracy Education Youth Summit this summer and we want you to join us! We will bring together young people between the ages of 14-18 from across the country for this training and leadership convening, taking place Monday, August 1st – Wednesday, August 3rd in New York City. All expenses will be covered for attendees, but you must apply. The […]
- Sep102015Read More >
GC Welcomes RI Program Associate Molly Cohen!
Hello! My name is Molly Cohen, and I’m excited to be joining Generation Citizen as the Rhode Island Program Associate. I first developed an interest in community empowerment as a student at Vassar College. I was lucky enough to be able to study the impact of structural inequality academically as well as experientially, […]
- Feb222015Read More >
GC Launches Demand-Building Efforts Through Advocacy Briefing Webinar
Generation Citizen is excited to share a recording of our Advocacy Briefing Webinar, which focused on our newest workstream: building demand for action civics. We were thrilled to be joined by Ford Foundation Program Officer Sanjiv Rao. In addition to continuing to strengthen and grow our direct programming, GC will now engage in targeted advocacy […]
- Feb112015Read More >
How Do We Educate to Improve Our Democracy?
How do We Educate to Improve our Democracy? As Generation Citizen matures as an organization, we’ve realized that it’s not enough for us to solely focus on our in-school programming. We continue to improve and iterate our action civics curriculum and teacher and volunteer training, but we have also recognized the necessity of building […]
- Feb112015Read More >
Defending Social Studies Funding in Massachusetts
On March 9, 2015, Greater Boston Advocacy Manager Leila Quinn gave testimony before the MA Foundation Budget Review Commission in defense of funding for social studies and civics courses. Below you will find an abridged version of her testimony. State law charges our schools with a civic mission that we must revive. Students often learn […]
- Feb112015Read More >
GC Boston Class Helps Passage of Homeless Youth Services Law
By Kristen Lobo Before leaving office, Massachusetts Governor Patrick signed the Unaccompanied Homeless Youth bill into law providing shelter and services to homeless youth on Tuesday, January 6th. According to the law, a homeless young person is defined as “a person 24 years of age or younger who is not in the physical custody or care of […]
- Feb112015Read More >
CCF Fellow Miajia Speaks at the Ford Foundation
On January 23, 2014, Generation Citizen co-hosted an event at the Ford Foundation called “Educating for Democracy: The Role of Young People in Re-Invigorating our Democracy.” During this event, as part of the “Scaling Civic Learning” panel, GC alum and Community Change Fellow Miajia Jaware spoke as a youth participant. We could not be more proud […]
- Feb102015Read More >
NYC DCs Reflect: Haikus from Training Day
At the end of two longs days of training, we asked our NYC Democracy Coaches to reflect on the experience in the form of a haiku. Lots of mixed emotions – from excitement to anxiousness to plain old fatigue after a long day. Boston, Bay Area, and Rhode Island DCs: you’re not alone! We’re all […]
- Mar142014Read More >
Summer 2014 Internship Openings
We are excited to announce two new summer internship positions opening at GC! Please read below to learn more about the Development Internship and National Program Internship. Development Internship Generation Citizen (dev-generation-citizen.pantheon.io/) is an innovative, quickly scaling non-profit that seeks to strengthen our nation’s democracy by empowering young people to become engaged and effective citizens. […]
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