YOUNG TURKS: Volunteering in record numbers, young people became the superforce of the Obama campaign. Now many progressives hope that these youths' campaign experiences will inspire a lifetime of community service. That's why thenation.com and WireTap magazine partnered to kick off You Voted. Now What?--a series highlighting some of our nation's most inspiring young activists. We begin with an overview of the political landscape in which young people can continue their activism.
Be like Obama: become a community organizer. There are more than 600 youth-led community organizations working on creating green jobs, making college more affordable and organizing for immigrants' rights, among many other issues. Future5000.com, a database of youth activism, offers an easy way to search, by region, for campaigns under way. If you're looking at community organizing as a career, there are fellowships that offer financial support at some of the most effective progressive organizations: the Center for Community Change, Young People For, the Center for Progressive Leadership and PolitiCorps.
Join the national service. In a campaign speech at the University of Colorado, Obama extolled the virtues of serving one's nation and community. What would this service look like? AmeriCorps partners with nonprofit and faith-based organizations to work on issues ranging from public education to environmental cleanup. The Peace Corps, established by John F. Kennedy, sends volunteers around the globe to work with governments, schools, nonprofits and entrepreneurs. Teach for America recruits recent college graduates to teach for two years in schools in low-income communities. And YouthBuild provides education, counseling and job skills to low-income young Americans.
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