From Passion to Progress: Use Your Voice this Election Season

“We have power in numbers,” Camila Navarrette writes to me. It’s three weeks after Roe v. Wade has been overturned by the Supreme Court. “That’s the power of our generation—We find community to imagine a better world.” Navarrette is the communications director of the New Era Colorado Foundation, a grassroots, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that engages young people to participate in the political process. Ahead of Election Season, and especially this year, the work is more important than ever.

Back in 2018, I volunteered with New Era to register voters ahead of the Midterm Elections. I remember walking around with a clipboard at the Colorado AIDS walk on an August morning.

“Are you registered to vote?” I asked attendees. I helped register three new voters on my first day.

As part of the LGBTQ community, as an environmentalist, and as a believer of equal rights for all, it would be an understatement for me to say that the last few months have been disappointing in the United States. The Supreme Court, whose agenda no longer aligns with the majority of Americans’ political views, has turned back the clock on decades of progress for abortion rights and body autonomy, blocked vital climate regulations implemented by the Environmental Protection Agency, and suggested additional radical precedent such as re-examining marriage equality.

Despite the frustration many of us are experiencing in this moment, the good news is we are not powerless. We as a unified community have a remarkable ability to change the tides of history.

One organization making waves ahead of this year’s Midterm Elections is New Era. Navarrette spoke with me about New Era’s mission, accomplishments, and what those of us who are ready to transform passion into progress can do today.

What issues are most important to our state’s youth?

In 2021, we traveled across the state to connect directly with young Coloradans on where they want to see bold progress. That includes reducing the cost of higher education and erasing student debt; advocating for policies that protect our health and advance racial, reproductive, and climate justice; decreasing the costs of housing and other barriers to make Colorado a state where young people can thrive (not just survive); and making sure that every person can participate in democracy, regardless of who they are or where they live. What we’ve learned—what we’re calling the Youth Agenda—is guiding our work forward.

How has New Era Colorado been able to advance the Youth Agenda ahead of prior elections?

We’ve built a presence in Colorado politics by registering over 300,000 young voters and pushing for policies that make elections more accessible to our generation. Young people face unique barriers when it comes to participating in elections, including frequent moves, not getting the information they need to participate in the democratic process (democracy is hard!), and a lack of engagement from campaigns that rarely reach out to young voters.

Despite these challenges, we’re proud to say that we’ve had wins at the legislature and ballot box to make voting easier for young people, including:

• Working in coalition to pass online voter registration
• Passing a law to allow 16- and 17-year-olds to preregister to vote (2013)
• Passing automatic voter registration, meaning that people are automatically registered to vote when they get their license unless they specifically opt out, at DMVs (2019)
• Working in coalition to pass the Colorado Votes Act (2019), which included a provision to expand access to polling locations on college campuses
• Turning out young voters in record numbers (2020)

It’s definitely important to focus on progress. Could you tell me about the importance of voting in Midterm Elections?

In the 2022 midterms, there is a lot at stake in Colorado. The redistricting process created more competitive maps, including a new Congressional district and a highly competitive state Senate landscape. People are feeling frustrated after two years of the pandemic and skyrocketing costs of living. Young voters in particular are feeling frustrated that it seems like all of our rights are being rolled back and are angry that we are regressing as a country.

The threats to our democracy, bodily autonomy, health, and climate are clear and constant. It’s critical that we turn out as many young voters as possible to participate in the upcoming election.

As one-third of the electorate and the future of our state, our voices are critical to driving progress. November is a chance for voters, particularly young voters, to let politicians know that we won’t stand for unjust policies that uphold racist and sexist systems. It’s a chance for our voices to be heard and our power to be felt.

Absolutely. What advice would you give to the younger generation who is concerned about important issues such as civil rights and climate change? What can they do to make a difference today?

Young people have amazing energy to drive political change, and it’s crucial that we empower this enthusiasm through the political process. In order to create the change for the more just and equitable society that young people want to see, young Coloradans must use the tools at their disposal.

That means to get involved and stay involved. That means voting down ballot for candidates that champion youth issues and getting involved in local campaigns to drive change in their communities. That means paying attention to what’s happening during an election—and in Colorado, that’s every year—to push for the change we want to see. Outside of the election cycle, it means protesting, testifying, calling representatives, writing letters to the editor, talking to friends and family, and becoming a part of a political home like New Era.

That’s an important reminder of the power we all hold, especially when so many feel powerless. What are New Era’s goals ahead of this year’s election, and how can readers get involved if they are interested?

Ahead of the 2022 midterm elections, we’re hoping to register 3,500 to 7,000 young voters and add 8,000 to 10,000 issue-motivated young people to our base to connect them with the resources needed to vote. This will coincide with some big pushes around National Voter Registration Day and when ballots drop to help people make sure they’re registered at their current address.

You can visit our website to learn about where we’ve been and where we’re going, volunteer to help register voters ahead of the election, and stay in the know by following us on social media or signing up for our email list.

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I wanted to acknowledge that the political process can be challenging and discouraging at times. We often do not get the opportunity to vote for candidates who represent all of our individual viewpoints and values. However, recent events have shown us the vital importance of standing together to elect the best candidate available for every position who will work to protect our rights. Progress often leaps forward and steps back, a reminder that we must continue to stay involved and never become complacent.

On election night in 2018, I felt a momentous sense of pride as I watched Coloradans elect candidates across the board whose platforms included standing up for LGBTQ rights, safeguarding our environment and natural resources, and protecting access to reproductive healthcare.

My vote and my role with New Era’s voter registration drive allowed me to be part of those groundbreaking victories. Historic wins like this that I’ve witnessed during my time are reminders that change is possible and that our voices—and votes—matter.

Let’s stand together, let’s believe in what’s possible, and continue forward as a community. For those of us ready to be part of this movement, there is no better time than now.

Photos courtesy of New Era Colorado Foundation