The Round Table: A YVote Podcast

At today's Round Table, Sara Chough and Maggie Yu Interview Jarrell Daniels, Program Manager of the Justice Ambassadors Youth Council at the Center For Justice at Columbia University, building off of our recent Civic Forum on Criminal Justice in NYC . They explore fundamental questions about what is justice, what are the purpose and end goals of imprisonment are, whether these goals are being accomplished and if not, what other options we have, learning about the ecological model of human development in the process. For more background, check out https://tinyurl.com/NGPCriminalJustice

At this week's Round Table, Maggie Yu and Sara Chough chat with longtime educator Nicholas Stefanidis about the protests that have been going on  since June in Hong Kong (six months now!), the role young people have been playing on the frontlines, the power of civility in engendering global support, and the value of creating "good trouble."

At this week's Round Table, Julianna, Maggie, Olivia, and Riya speak with Casey Moore and Marley Duchovnay of Project Divided, a start-up, multimedia initiative working to bridge the divide between Americans of different political views. Casey and Marley share the back story of why and how Project Divided came to be--and came to be based in Bastrop County, Texas; how specifically they're working to combat divisiveness in our country; how their views have (and haven't) evolved through this work; and why it's important to push yourself beyond your comfort zone (and why words really matter!)

At today's Round Table, Jade, Julianna, Maggie, and Olivia speak with Will Creeley, Senior Vice President of Legal and Public Advocacy for the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE), exploring the parameters of free speech in our world today, what's at stake in restricting speech and why it matters, and the value of free speech in the classroom--including perspectives that might be uncomfortable.

At today's Round Table, Olivia and Riya speak with David Greene of Better Angels and explore connections and differences between Better Angels and Next Gen Politics' approach to working across political differences and divides.

At today's Round Table, Jade Lozada--a leader of the Youth Climate Strike in NYC--and Jade Tyra--a leader of the Youth Climate Strike in Oklahoma--discuss the climate emergency, debrief September's Strike and the activism leading up to and emanating out from it, contemplate connections and differences from prior activist movements and historical periods, and share inspiration and frustration about where we are and where we need to head to preserve our planet.

At today's Round Table, Olivia Becker and Riya Mehta interview Maodan Tohouri, the inspiring 16 year old founder of Depolarize about what it really takes to counter hyper-partisanship and why it matters.

At today's Round Table, Olivia Becker, Julianna Davis, and Riya Mehta explore a topic much in the news--impeachment--through some fresh angles, helping equip YOU with what you need to know to make sense of our current moment.  They are joined by guest Nicholas Stefanidis, a longtime social studies and civics teacher, to explore the history and mechanics of impeachment and their implications for today.  (Note: this episode was recorded on Oct 14, 2019--LOTS has happened since...--this conversation, however, is timeless :)

At today's Round Table, Civic Fellows Marc Spenser Bauzon, Clara Medina, and Frank Yang interview Brianna Cea, co-founder of Generation Vote and a Research and Program Associate in the Democracy program of the Brennan Center for Justice, following an exciting Civic Forum in which 75 high school students deliberated seven different voting reforms (things like lowering the voting age, automatic voter registration, open primaries) that could potentially improve youth voting, in New York and nationally.  Civic Fellows engaged in ranked choice voting for their top three reforms; you too can vote here.  Fellows top choices will be shared at a first-of-its kind Youth Voting Rights and Engagement Summit in Albany Nov 8-9, 2019.

Why does this matter? In 2016, voting rates were the lowest in 20 years; only about 55% of voting age citizens casting ballots, and those who voted were disproportionately white and older (only 36% of 18 and 19 year olds voted, while over 70% of people over 70 voted.)  If “did not vote” had been a candidate in 2016, it would have handily beaten Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton and almost the two combined. Gen Z and millennials are a growing part of the electorate--with the potential to transform the political landscape--if they turn out to vote in numbers equal to seniors.

Click here for more framing and background readings and resources on the Civic Forum. And remember to vote if you are 18 and to encourage/exhort all your friends and family over 18 to vote on Tues, Nov 5 (or through early voting if your state provides it!)