CFB Spotlights is our blog series dedicated to interviews with various staff members from the New York City Campaign Finance Board (CFB), the home of NYC Votes. The CFB is a nonpartisan, independent city agency that empowers New Yorkers to make a greater impact on their elections by increasing voter engagement and participation, enhancing the role of small contributors in funding campaigns, reducing barriers to running for city office, diminishing the corrupting influence of money in city elections, and informing the public about candidates and elections. Learn more about us at www.nyccfb.info.
Every summer, NYC Votes is joined by a new group of young New Yorkers looking to make a difference and help register, inform, and engage voters in our city. Together, our interns, known as the NYC Votes Street Team, lead our community outreach efforts and help us establish and maintain partnerships with other organizations. Street Team members are trained on how to lead voter workshops and register new voters at events all around the city like community fairs, block parties, festivals, and naturalization ceremonies, providing information about upcoming elections and helping citizens register to vote.
Today, in the second installment of our CFB Spotlights series, we’re talking to our 2019 Street Team about their work, the issues they care about, and what they’re hopeful for!
Olivia Brady
Tell us a little about you.
I’m a rising senior at New York University studying Politics and Gender & Sexuality Studies in the College of Arts and Sciences. During my time at NYU, I have been involved in civic engagement projects and public transit advocacy. Starting in the Fall I will be the Democratic Access Policy Coordinator on the National Student Leadership team for the Roosevelt Institute. In my free time I love going to museums, cooking, and exploring the city.
What does civic engagement mean to you?
Civic engagement means the ability to participate in all areas of one’s community. While voting and access to voting is essential to being civically engaged, not every member of a community has the ability to vote. Staying informed about your local government and neighborhood issues, talking about these with your family and friends, and making sure not only your voice is heard, but the voices of those around you are crucial to maintaining a healthy democracy.
What are some issues that you think your generation is most passionate about? What are some issues that you wish people would pay more attention to?
My generation has recently been on the forefront of activism, which is really exciting. Climate change, gun control, and criminal justice have been just three of the biggest issues my generation has been particularly vocal about. We are all highly concerned with creating a better future for everyone, and it is invigorating to be surrounded by that energy. One area I hope gains more traction, especially outside of New York City, is the issue of public transportation. Drastically altering the way we travel is going to be a key battle in mitigating the effects of climate change, but even more so, access to affordable and reliable public transit is intrinsically linked to a whole host of other issue areas.
What are some actions other than voting that young people can take to make an impact on the issues they care about?
This question is really exciting to me, and something that the Street Team is tackling this summer. I mentioned earlier that I believe civic engagement expands far beyond just what happens at the polls, and there are countless ways to make an impact outside of voting. Calling your elected officials, showing up to lobby days, and protesting are all effective and important means of inciting change. The small ways we take care of our community members, however, are just as important. Whether that be educating your family and friends about current issues, donating a few dollars to a local organization, or sharing a warm meal with someone in need, these interpersonal actions tie the rest of the work we do together.
What makes you hopeful for the future?
Over the last year, fellow intern Maya and I have had the pleasure of co-facilitating an elementary school student council. Working with the kids and seeing how eager they were to learn and make positive changes in their school communities has made me extremely hopeful for the future. One of our students—who is only nine years old—worked with a staff member to bring Halal food into their lunch room for the first time. We get to work with the kiddos again in the fall, and I am beyond excited to see what projects they think of. Additionally, I am always impressed with the enthusiasm and kindness of my two younger brothers. One is heading off to college in the fall to study marine biology and work towards saving our oceans, and the other is starting high school. I am so thankful for being able to watch them grow into mature, intelligent, and most importantly, caring young adults. Their dedication to helping others makes feel confident that our future is in good hands.
Emily O’Hara
Tell us a little about you.
Hi! My name is Emily. I am 20 years old, going into my senior year at the University of Connecticut. I’m double majoring in Political Science and English. Currently, I’m on the pre-law track, though I’m also considering graduate programs abroad. I am really passionate about advocacy, and moved to New York City for the summer to encourage civic engagement on a much greater platform with NYC Votes. When I’m back at school, I organize with the Student PIRGs, coordinating the New Voters Project. I’m the incoming Chapter Chair of UConnPIRG, and I will also be competing on the Moot Court Team at UConn while serving as a Journal Editor for the Law Society. I also love to write, and work as a writing tutor at the UConn Writing Center.
What does civic engagement mean to you?
To me, civic engagement means activation and efficacy, especially in advocacy. To be more specific, I think civic engagement means having a sense of agency in your community and acting on the issues and concerns you care about. People can be engaged just through having conversations, or through grassroots action and running for office. Civic engagement doesn’t always have to focus on voting, but voting can be the first step towards more action to produce a better quality of life.
What are some issues that you think your generation is most passionate about? What are some issues that you wish people would pay more attention to?
I think my generation is really passionate about affordable education, gun violence, climate change, and overall equity. We’re also a generation full of conviction, which has led to increased awareness and focus on how to effectively communicate with tolerance. I wish people would pay more attention to voting, especially in local elections, because it’s one way to improve government that is all too often dismissed. Also, in my experience as a grassroots organizer, I’ve noticed that not nearly enough time and resources are given to women’s rights advocacy, especially for women of color. These women are fighting the hardest, and deserve much more legitimacy, attention, and support than they currently receive.
What are some actions other than voting that young people can take to make an impact on the issues they care about?
Volunteering is an amazing way to make a difference. I got my start in advocacy as a volunteer, and it’s surprising what a difference a few volunteer hours can make. Whether that’s door knocking, phone banking, or organizing an event, young people can generate attention. I also didn’t realize how easy it is to call and set up a meeting with your elected officials until this year, so that’s one way to be vocal. With a few free hours and some friends, one person can organize an entire lobby day. Finally, I think all young people who are passionate about their community should consider running for office, especially local office.
What makes you hopeful for the future?
I’m really inspired by tangible action and overcoming adversity. So when I see or read about people my age generating support for a cause, or challenging oppression, I am really inspired. Innovation is happening so quickly, and there is so much momentum behind young grassroots organizing, that I feel reassured that we will make the future a place we want to live in. I know that a lot of times politics can seem hopeless, but I put my faith in the growth of human empathy. There are so many people, especially young people, who dedicate themselves every day to justice, equality, and peace. I think the numbers of those people are growing, which makes me hopeful for my future.
Kevin Suarez
Tell us a little about you.
I’m 20 years old and a rising junior studying Latino Studies and Politics at New York University. I was born in Medellin, Colombia and grew up in the US.
What does civic engagement mean to you?
Civic engagement to me is one of the most active ways to fight for the collective good of society and the most marginalized people within it. Civic engagement begins with the individual but it is done with the intention of wanting a better future for all groups within a democracy. To be civically engaged is to be actively fighting for what you most care about.
What are some issues that you think your generation is most passionate about? What are some issues that you wish people would pay more attention to?
As a generation, I think we are taking charge in leading the conversation around gun control and climate change. As young people, all issues are at an intersection because it is the world we are inheriting. We have to care about climate change, criminal justice reform, police brutality, immigrant rights (protecting undocumented people), reproductive rights, student debt, etc. I wish people cared more about black and brown queer people. Specifically, trans women of color who continue to be erased and murdered.
What are some actions other than voting that young people can take to make an impact on the issues they care about?
Outside of voting, young people can still be very involved in the issues they care about. Just talking about policies, candidates, and election dates with family and friends is productive. There are so many opportunities to Get Out the Vote, phone bank, canvass, or even call the elected officials who represent us.
What makes you hopeful for the future?
I think my generation is going to bring a lot of radical changes not only in the form of policies surrounding issues we care about but in other aspects of society as well. There are a lot of young activists working hard to raise awareness and understanding and bringing our perspectives to the table.
Maya Vesneske
Tell us a little about you.
I’m a rising senior at NYU studying social work and metropolitan studies. I’ve worked in New York City schools for the past three years in varying capacities, but am especially passionate about equitable education for students with developmental disabilities. Most recently I worked as a co-facilitator with fellow Street Team member Olivia at an elementary school’s student council on the Lower East Side. Beyond the various classrooms I spend my time in, I love learning about cities, their architecture and development, creative solutions to affordable housing, and how to make urban spaces and what they offer open to all. In my free time I enjoy writing, swimming, and cooking.
What does civic engagement mean to you?
To me, civic engagement is about being part of the solution, letting not just your own values guide you, but listening to your neighbor and addressing their hopes and concerns as well. Civic engagement is about enacting empathy and compassion, not just interpersonally but systematically. It is about taking an active role in the larger community, and finding a way to do so which suits your strengths and drive.
What are some issues that you think your generation is most passionate about? What are some issues that you wish people would pay more attention to?
I believe my generation is especially driven by an empathy and concern for the future; we see this in the fight for climate action, gun control, immigration rights, access to education, and more. I want to see this same energy extend to other issues as well, including access to quality affordable housing, mitigating the negative effects of urban divides and gentrification, and creating activist and city spaces alike that are more accessible to people with disabilities and of all ages.
What are some actions other than voting that young people can take to make an impact on the issues they care about?
There are a multitude of ways young people can engage with the issues they care about that go beyond voting. You can protest, call your representatives, and find other ways to hold our governments accountable. Going beyond that, one can take action in ways which are more integrated into one’s daily life and serve to help create a more unified and compassionate community: join local organizations or attend local meetings that are relevant to your interest or neighborhood, stay up-to-date with local issues, inform your friends as to what’s going on. Even just helping your neighbors with their groceries goes a long way and helps enforce why the larger actions we participate in are worthwhile.
What makes you hopeful for the future?
What makes me hopeful is seeing the immense amount of empathy and care that young people have for others, and how, for many, the values enacted in young people’s activism are also practiced in our daily lives. The elementary schoolers on the student council are role models for this. Their mission for the school was simply to inspire compassion amongst the student body and create spaces where everyone could express themselves and be heard. They created a “Kindness Campaign”, encouraging teachers to set aside time in their classroom for students to talk about issues they were personally facing, and offering themselves to their peers when their classmates needed someone to rely on. They are inspiring, and challenge all of us to approach our communities and work with the same patience and openness.
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