FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Atlanta, GA – Rise, a student and youth-led nonprofit organization, is thrilled to announce the launch of its groundbreaking campaign, “Unleashing the Youth Wave.” This campaign is designed to amplify the energy and influence of over 40 million young voters across the United States, empowering them to make their voices heard at the ballot box in the upcoming 2024 elections.
“Now, more than ever, young people have the potential to influence our democracy. The ‘Unleashing the Youth Wave’ campaign is about channeling the energy and passion of millions of first-time voters to address the issues that matter most to them, from climate justice to college affordability. We are excited to partner with Headcount, America’s Promise Alliance, and youth-serving organizations across the country to create lasting change by empowering this generation to make their voices heard at the ballot box.” – Mary-Pat Hector, CEO, Rise
With nearly half of the 2024 electorate under 50 and 40 million first-time Gen Z voters, Rise is mobilizing young people to address critical issues such as college affordability, debt relief, climate justice, and more. “Unleashing the Youth Wave” aims to inspire and equip a generation of lifelong voters through a multifaceted approach that includes voter registration, voter engagement, and in-person and digital outreach.
CAMPAIGN GOALS AND INITIATIVES
With the support of America’s Promise Alliance, the Youth Wave campaign brings together over 30 youth-serving national nonprofits to engage their young voters and elevate their voices around the issues they care about most. Organizations who have signed on to support include: Artists 4 Democracy, Black Youth Vote, Climate Power, Emergency Contraception for Every Campus, Georgia Coalition for the People’s Agenda, The National Coalition on Black Civic Participation, It’s Our Turn, Music Forward Foundation, National Action Network Youth – Las Vegas, Vote Pro-Choice, Vote Run Lead Action-Georgia, We Will All Rise, World Savvy, and Veterans for Nevada Voters.
“America’s Promise Alliance is proud to partner with Rise, alongside several of our Alliance Community member organizations, to collectively increase democratic and civic engagement among young people across the country. As with so much of the work we do within our Alliance Community, the Youth Wave campaign offers an opportunity for nonprofits to come together to tackle opportunities that are too large or too complex for any one organization to address on their own.” – Mike O’Brien, CEO, America’s Promise Alliance
With the support of this multi-org collaboration, Rise is committed to the following ambitious goals for 2024:
- Register 50,000 young voters.
- Help 250,000 young voters make a plan to vote.
- Reach 1 million Gen Z and Millennial voters nationwide.
IN-PERSON AND DIGITAL ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Rise will deploy hundreds of student field organizers to engage young voters through authentic connections on college campuses and within communities. These organizers will conduct community canvasses, door-to-door outreach, and participate in local events to reach young voters at the margins.
In collaboration with Headcount and over 30 grassroots organizations, Rise will also leverage digital platforms to engage and educate young voters. The “Unleashing the Youth Wave” website will provide resources for voter registration, mail-in ballot requests, and an AI-driven tool to inform voters about the issues on their ballots. Notable influencers including Alicia Luncheon, Atif Hashwi, Da’Vion Tatum, Horace Gold, Ermani Monet, George Lee Jr., Julieanna, Kelton Allen, Tanaïssa Dee, Tatiana Mitch, and Tyiana Lee have signed on to create content and share the campaign leading up to Election Day.
“At HeadCount, we believe that the voices of young people are the most powerful tool in shaping the future of our democracy. The ‘Unleashing the Youth Wave’ campaign is an extraordinary opportunity to ensure that millions of new voters aren’t just registered but engaged in our democracy and ready to make their voices heard. We are proud to be the official digital voter registration partner for this campaign and work with Rise and America’s Promise Alliance to educate and empower the next generation to take charge of their future through active civic engagement.” – Lucille Wenegieme, Executive Director, HeadCount
#YOUTHWAVE x RUN WITH IT GRANTEE PROGRAM
Rise cannot build the #youthwave alone, which is why Rise launched its Run With It Grantee Program to award 30 partner organizations and RSOs (registered student organizations) up to $15,000 per grant to mobilize 5,000 voters between the ages of 18-27 between now and November 5th. The program builds on Rise’s work with hundreds of partners nationwide including student government, fraternities and sororities and other youth-led programs in our focus states.
Run With It grantees include:
- Black Youth Vote
- NCNW Morris Brown Collegiate Section
- EQUITY FOR ALL
- Omega Psi Phi Fraternity – East Carolina University
- Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority – North Carolina A&T
- University of Nevada Reno Women’s Rugby Team
- Local 212 MATCBelieve in Students FA
- Georgia Values Action
- Solutions for an Independent Arizona
- Cobb County Democracy Center
- Camilla Black Cultural Awareness Committee
- Organizing for Grady County Inc.
- Foster Care Chamber of Commerce
- INSPRE Inc.
- Duke Votes
- SOWEGA Rising
RISE UNIVERSITY AND BLACK THE VOTE
Rise University, a large-scale civic education training program, will engage 3,500 young people, equipping them with the knowledge and skills necessary for lifelong civic engagement. Additionally, the “Black the Vote” initiative will focus on training 1,500 Black students from HBCUs and predominantly white institutions, ensuring their voices are amplified in the electoral process.
JOIN THE MOVEMENT
Young people have always been the backbone of social change. With freedoms now under threat, it is crucial to mobilize the youth to fight for the issues that impact millions. By participating in the “Unleashing the Youth Wave” campaign, individuals and organizations can help shape the future of our democracy.
For more information about Rise org and the campaign, please visit www.RiseFree.org and the campaign landing page at www.headcount.org/youthwave. To get involved, please reach out to Liz Conn, COO, Rise, at [email protected]. Help amplify on social media using the hashtag #YouthWave and by following @RiseFreeOrg on TikTok and Instagram.
ABOUT RISE
Founded in 2017 by students, Rise is a nationwide nonprofit dedicated to building political power among young people by advocating for college affordability and mobilizing voters around the issues they care about most. Through its programs, Rise has engaged over 1 million young people, trained 5,000 youth leaders, and significantly impacted college affordability advocacy.
CONTACT:
(310) 948-4921
