THE MOVEMENT TO RECONNECT OPPORTUNITY YOUTH IS GROWING!  JOIN US! 
In May, more than 50 organizations in the national  Reconnecting Youth Campaign came together to send a letter to the Senate Committee on Appropriations, urging Congress to increase funds for proven federal education, employment, training, and national service programs that engage Opportunity Youth.  

An additional federal investment of $4.1 billion will allow proven programs to expand to reconnect one million young people each year. 

 In May, 13 young leaders from Opportunity Youth United joined the Campaign on Capitol Hill to persuade their legislators to support this investment in opportunities for youth.  

To join this campaign as an organization, contact Jo Ann Paanio at  JoAnn@forumfyi.org . To join as an individual, contact Kimberly Pham at kimmy215291@gmail.com.
  Chicago CAT hosted their first Civic Engagement Youth Expo!
The Chicago OYUnited Community Action Team, organized by the Alternative Schools Network , hosted a Youth Expo entitled “It’s Our Time!” The purpose was for youth and community members to showcase their views, their causes, and their voices. The young people led a panel discussion on various important issues that affect youth in Chicago like gun violence, homelessness, immigration, and more. 

They partnered with 20 other organizations to provide voter registration, a resource fair, a DJ, lunch, and raffles. The event attracted over 150 young people, community activists, and special guest, Cook County Commissioner Dennis Deer.
"Nothing About Us Without Us!” OYUnited Leaders Take Lead at the Aspen Institute’s Spring Convening
OYUnited leaders gathered in South King County, WA for the Opportunity Youth Forum (OYF) Spring Convening. The convening was hosted by the  Aspen Forum for Community Solutions and brought together cross-sector leaders and young people from 24 communities in the OYF grantee portfolio. Over the course of 3 days, participants engaged in critical conversations focused on strategies to deepen education and employment pathways for Opportunity Youth.

Members of the OYUnited National Council of Young Leaders facilitated a workshop, served on various panels, and took on other leadership roles throughout the convening. Members of the OYU Seattle Community Action team (CAT) also led a break-out session to showcase their local youth engagement efforts.
OYUnited Leaders Help Create a Vision to (Re)Connect Opportunity Youth Across the Globe
OYUnited leaders, Lashon Amado and Shawnice Jackson, spent a day in New York City for the (Re)connecting Youth Global Advisory Committee Meeting. The meeting took place at the  Rockefeller Foundation and was facilitated by  International Youth Foundation (IYF). The committee convened to celebrate accomplishments, reflect on lessons learned, and create a 2.0 strategy to strengthen the collective work of the  (Re)Connecting Youth: Exchanging Global Lessons initiative. Lashon and Shawnice are both members of the committee.

(Re)Connecting Youth: Exchanging Global Lessons , is an initiative of the  Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the IYF, to share innovative global approaches for increasing youth connection and resilience with practitioners, policymakers, and funders in the United States.  Click here to learn more.
Resources & Tools
Do You Think We Provide Good Enough Civic Education in the USA Today?
We’re supporting a coalition of civic learning leaders aiming to understand this question by conducting a nationwide survey of students, educators, school administrators, parents, civic learning providers, funders, academics and others. Please share your perspective with us! The online survey will take less than 15 minutes to complete. It will ask you a few questions about who you are, how you personally relate to civic education, and what you think about the state of civic education today.

Click here to access the survey.
Get Ready for the 2018 Mid-term Elections
2018 is an important election year. All federal Congresspeople are up for re-election, plus many Senators, Governors, Mayors, and local officials at all levels. Just because there is not a presidential election doesn’t mean you shouldn’t pay attention, choose the people who represent your views, and then VOTE!!!!  We want you to be prepared to have your voice heard!  

Please get prepared now by checking out our Turbo Vote tool and signing up. It will notify you when your elections are happening, and give you the information you need to vote with confidence. You can sign up to receive election reminders, get registered to vote, & apply for your absentee ballot!
 
In Solidarity,
Lashon Amado
National Coordinator of the Community Action Teams of Opportunity Youth United
Lashon Amado