Young People's Alliance

Welcome our new Partnerships Manager, Robert Liu, to YPA! Robert is a sophomore at Stanford University studying history and political science, with experience building youth power in politics and research. He also researches youth opinion on AI and social media at the Stanford Deliberative Democracy Lab and recently served as the youngest delegate representing North Carolina at the Democratic National Convention. At YPA, he’s bringing that commitment to growing our partnerships with other organizations, ensuring more young people have the platform and resources they need to lead. As we expand into more states this fall, we’re excited to support even more youth in making their voices heard and driving the change they want to see to achieve their American Dream.

“Young people feel like they aren't learning anymore because ChatGPT is such an easy crutch.” This is the unfortunate reality many of our members have frequently shared about their learning experiences and the intersection of AI.  AI is already changing how we learn, but it's not necessarily always for the better. It’s becoming increasingly easy for ChatGPT to write your essay and call it a day, but where does that leave us when it comes to actually learning, thinking, and growing? As companies such as Microsoft and OpenAI put a combined 23 million dollars into AI training for teachers, we must realize : many young people already know how to use these tools. Instead, as Sam Hiner, our Executive Director suggests that “this training will have to not only focus on what you can do with AI, but how to avoid some of those very likely pitfalls that are easy to fall into because of the convenience that they offer.” Major thanks to TIME and Andrew Chow for covering this story as well as fellow civil society org Center for Democracy & Technology & Elizabeth Laird. We’d also like to thank educators such as Lois Weiner and Zach Kennelly for coming together as we imagine how AI will shape the future of education and today’s youth. Check out the full story here : https://lnkd.in/dzqgSRFH

The Young People's Alliance is growing! We are hiring paid State Coordinators for California, Michigan, and North Carolina. The State Coordinator will sit at the center of our American Dream campaign focused on how emerging technology like AI will impact affordability, opportunity and community. The State Coordinator will work to expand our grassroots base in their state and lead a team of dedicated student organizers to build an effective movement that changes policy and puts young people at the center of political discourse. They will also work with civil society to build issue alliances that drives our American Dream policy framework forward and organize mobilizations that connects youth voices with lawmakers. The job posting is attached to this post. Apply here: https://lnkd.in/ezquAUXR Please encourage driven young people in your network to apply!

The Young People's Alliance is growing! We are hiring paid State Coordinators for California, Michigan, and North Carolina. The State Coordinator will sit at the center of our American Dream campaign focused on how emerging technology like AI will impact affordability, opportunity and community. The State Coordinator will work to expand our grassroots base in their state and lead a team of dedicated student organizers to build an effective movement that changes policy and puts young people at the center of political discourse. They will also work with civil society to build issue alliances that drives our American Dream policy framework forward and organize mobilizations that connects youth voices with lawmakers. The job posting is attached to this post. Apply here: https://lnkd.in/ezquAUXR Please encourage driven young people in your network to apply!

Confused about the AI moratorium that was defeated earlier this week? Wondering if your voice really matters? The Senate vote on Tuesday, June 1st, proves it does. When young people, parents, and communities organize together, we can protect innovation while keeping people safe. It was especially powerful to see young people step up as leaders in this fight—because this is their future. Check out this short explainer from our member Hannah to learn about the harms we avoided, but more importantly, to see the true power of mobilizing and making your voice heard.

Often, young people can feel like their voices don't matter, but last night, a mobilization of voices achieved a massive legislative win. In a rare 99-1 vote, Senators rejected the AI moratorium provision that would have paused state-level AI protections in this year’s budget bill. This is a huge win for everyone working to ensure states can innovate responsibly while protecting kids, workers, and communities from unchecked AI harms. At Young People’s Alliance, under the leadership of our Advocacy Director, Ava Smithing, we directly advocated the harms of the moratorium to the Senate, uplifted the efforts of 260+ bipartisan state legislators who spoke against the provision, activated over 800 parents as concerned constituents to contact their U.S Senators, mobilized our base of hundreds of students to call and email legislators urging a NO vote, and co-led a letter of 140+ civil society organizations to stand against the moratorium. This victory would not have been possible without our incredible partners at Encode, Fairplay: Childhood Beyond Brands, ParentsTogether Foundation, Design It For Us, NCOSE, Common Sense Media, Americans for Responsible Innovation and so many more. The fight to ensure AI remains innovative and safe for everyone isn’t over, but today’s vote shows what’s possible when young people, parents, and communities organize to keep AI innovative and safe for all. The fight continues on, and seeing young people lead reminds us: this is our future.

As a parent and the founder of Common Sense Media, I’m deeply alarmed by what #Congress is trying to do right now, and I know many of you are too. Tucked into a federal budget bill is a small but dangerous section that would ban states from protecting kids, families, and all consumers from #AI harms…until the year 2035. That means states would be restricted from taking action against known dangers, like AI-generated sexual material, manipulative AI “companions” chatbots targeting teens, AI tools collecting families' personal data, discrimination in housing and health care, and more. This provision is a gift to large tech companies and a major threat to kids and families everywhere! Families aren’t staying silent about their need for Congressional support. More than 60,000 Americans have signed a petition that we just sent to Congress, demanding that the Senate remove this reckless ban. Our message is clear: parents want protections, not a decade of inaction. Today, we’re standing with our partners and Americans in all 50 states: Consumer Reports, Public Citizen, Accountable Tech, Americans for Responsible Innovation, The Tech Oversight Project, Mothers Against Media Addiction, All Girls Allowed, Young People's Alliance, Encode, Design It For Us, Jonathan Haidt , Center for Humane Technology, and ParentsTogether Foundation. Senators across the political spectrum must listen to the people they serve, not the tech lobby, and strike this provision from the budget bill. No one can wait for AI safety for 10 years, and especially not our kids. #SafeAINow #KidsNeedAISafety #Leadership #SocialMedia https://lnkd.in/gAjmUwbB

We're excited to announce the second grantee cohort for the Moderate Power Venture Fund (MPVF). Our class of 2025-2026 stands out for their commitment to raising the volume, capacity, and strength of the center left. Learn more about them. ⬇️ 🎣American Hunters & Anglers will leverage their MPVF grant to grow their nationwide network of middle-of-the-road voters, educate and call their followers to action, and hold elected leaders accountable. https://t.co/flrQaxYcWa 💡Beacon Coalition will use MPVF funds to support their flagship initiative—the Equilibrium Project—which fights against the rise of extremist ideological pressure in the Democratic Party by building a pipeline of principled local leaders. See their work: https://t.co/dVpPkTgR77 🗳️Blue Cities/Red States Coalition is a national coalition of mayors leading cities in conservative states. MPVF’s investment will allow the Coalition to formally establish its organizational infrastructure—helping them to bridge divides and build trust. https://t.co/GTqUCvJyCT 🤝The Juno Fund is a donor collaborative that helps women navigate the political ecosystem and funds pathways to strengthen our democracy. Their MPVF grant will go toward operational support as their group continues to expand. https://t.co/rBNHPqNPiH 🏛️ReNew Democracy Foundation seeks to open doors for future leaders from diverse backgrounds who want to make a difference in in center-left congressional offices. The organization will use their MPVF funding to expand its fellowship program. https://t.co/EQvVsEpnbW 🎓In their second year in the program, Young People's Alliance will use their 2025 grant toward: • Sustaining their Youth Opportunity Campaign • Expanding its chapter network to community college • Producing youth-focused research Read more about their work: https://lnkd.in/ezSM_zY2 You can read the full announcement and find more information about our MPVF class of 2025-2026 here: https://t.co/Tp3sV24LHk

We have another new addition to the team! 🎉 YPA is proud to mark our first intergenerational partnership with Julian Hernández as the Young People’s Alliance’s new Development Director. Julian brings over 20 years of marketing and lead generation experience, along with a decade of major gift fundraising expertise. His passion for storytelling, strategic relationship-building, and data-driven donor care makes him the ideal leader to grow the organization and support the next generation of changemakers. Welcome, Julian, we’re so glad to have you on the team!

This week, 260 state lawmakers from all 50 states have stood up and said enough. In a bipartisan letter, led by SC Rep. Brandon Guffey and SD State Sen. Liz Larson, state lawmakers are urging Congress to oppose the recent budget reconciliation measure that would preempt all state laws regulating artificial intelligence (AI). Without significant federal safeguards, banning state action on AI leaves seniors, children, consumers, and the public open to the harms and emerging risks of current and new AI systems. That means no local action to protect students, artists, workers, or voters. No ability for states to respond to emerging risks. No space for laws that reflect the values and needs of our communities. This letter follows a similar warning from more than 40 bipartisan Attorneys General, who raised the alarm about what we’d lose if states are forced to stay silent on AI. Let young people, and our states, shape the future of tech. Let communities lead. https://lnkd.in/eeMCU7FH