By Arin Anderson, WI State Director

Hey y’all, I’m Arin Anderson and I’m the Wisconsin State Director for Rise. My journey at Rise began as a student organizing fellow in 2020 when I joined the organization after facing my own college affordability obstacles. In 2020, I worked to engage other students on campus to find their voices and take part in the civic process. Four years later, I’m leading Rise Wisconsin’s team as the WI State Director, and couldn’t be more excited to energize even more young voters for the upcoming election this November.

Last month, our team in Wisconsin trained nearly 60 students at UW-Madison and Marquette through RISE University, our organization’s civic engagement program meant to bring all students, with or without an organizing background, into the fold. We were able to teach and invest in the next generation of change agents, have inspiring conversations about social movements, learn about the issues students care about most in their communities, and most importantly – build community. We were able to see the REAL IMPACT we have on REAL PEOPLE in REAL TIME!

Students left feeling inspired, recharged, and ready to take action. We were able to connect like-minded individuals that want to make a difference in their communities. One student shared, “Rise University has had a great impact on my life. The event was designed to be engaging and fun for participants. I learned a lot, felt more knowledgable about how to advocate for students in my community and I really resonated with the mission – this is something that I want to be more a part of.” 

Being able to impact the lives of others, create community, and support young people in advocating for themselves are just a few of the many reasons why we do this work. These Rise Universities were refreshing and fulfilling for our students, and for me as a leader of this movement. And this is just the beginning! With a Wisconsin Supreme Court seat open again and critical student issues like reproductive rights at the forefront of this election, we will continue to train and educate the next generation of change agents in our state, and unleash the youth wave right here in Wisconsin this November.