For December, First Unitarian shares our offering with Next Up. Dedicated to amplifying youth voices from marginalized communities, Next Up develops and strengthens youth-led movements across Oregon. Their advocacy efforts have helped to expand voting rights, including voter pre-registration for 16- and 17-year-olds, while their leadership programs create opportunities for young people to build practical organizing skills.

Nationally, November’s midterm elections saw the second-highest voter turnout in the last 30 years among young people. We’re grateful for this opportunity to support young leaders in Oregon who are working toward an inclusive and equitable democracy.