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Across the country, young activists are banding together to fight for a common goal: a nation of equality for all. More than ever, progressive social movements are identifying the intersectionality between the fights. In Georgia, young people canvassed to connect with registered voters about the issues they feel strongly about, including LGBTQ+ issues.
Words by Jose Soto (he/him/his) Photography by Armando Gallardo (he/him/his)
Convened in the historic Fourth Ward park in Atlanta, Georgia, a group of roughly 15 young activists is being prepped and primed to canvas nearby neighborhoods. Many of them have come to Atlanta from other cities during their spring break. They’re coming together for one shared goal: to ensure that registered voters are aware of the issues directly impacting young Americans, one of which is LGBTQ+ equality.
Organized by the Georgia Youth Justice Coalition, a grassroots collective of Black, Brown, LGBTQ+, working class and allied students advocating for youth power and justice, the canvassing event was designed with intersecting progressive movements and issues in mind — issues that impact different demographics and communities alike; women, BIPOC, marginalized minorities, young Americans, LGBTQ+ identified people.
“We can’t talk about workers’ rights or reproductive rights without talking about LGBTQ+ rights,” said one of the canvassers. “Young people, especially those enrolled in any college or university, are taking notice of the many anti-LGBTQ+ measures politicians are undertaking, and that’s not what we stand for.”
As the young canvassers begin walking down streets and neighborhoods, knocking on doors, their dedication to democracy is evident. While they make it clear that many young people do not see themselves reflected in many current legislation introduced across many states, they also demonstrate faith in the U.S. democratic processes. As is very typical and historical of youth culture in the annals of American history, much of today’s youth are not apathetic about the future of the country they will soon inherit as members of society. They are engaged and active with the country’s political system, or lack thereof, and organize and mobilize to set change in motion. Instead of partaking in a more typical spring break, they’ve used their voices to connect with registered voters and discuss what is important to them.
Powered by mobile applications and digital platforms, these young advocates and canvassers are more determined than ever before.
In today’s digital age of vastly accessible information and technology, they are resourceful, tactful, and practical about their time and efforts, making sure that others are aware of what is at stake at the ballots — reproductive rights, the correlation between economic growth and security with environmentalism, the value of uncensored literature and educational content, and the vastly detrimental impact of anti-LGBTQ+ state laws on many of their peers, friends and colleagues.
As they walk up to each front door, they are proactively helping to improve the future of the country; a country whose core values they adamantly believe in: democracy, diversity, and equality. And not just for white, cisgender male America, but for all: all women and queer people, people of color, BIPOC, disabled people, Latines, and everything in between.
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