As we mark our 20th anniversary, we are reaching out to community members who share our vision for bold youth organizing. Our goal is to raise at least $1,000/month, helping us expand our cohort programs, civic engagement and advocacy work at a critical time. Plus, this week is the Alliance for Youth’s monthly donor competition, where we… Read More
News
Charter Reform will be on November 2022 Ballot
Dear friend, We are thrilled to share that Portland voters will have the opportunity this fall to consider a change to our city government. On June 14, the Portland Charter Commission voted to advance a measure amending the Portland Charter to the November 2022 ballot. There was strong support on the Commission, with 17 of… Read More
Primary Election Wrap Up 2022
With your ongoing support, we’ve been busy fighting for values-aligned candidates and boosting voter turnout in Oregon’s primary elections! Voting is a critical way for young people to be civically engaged, and we know that it’s not only a truly impactful way for young people to have a say in issues that affect our everyday… Read More
Welcome Charlie to Next Up
Joining us as of June 2022 is Charlie Ducharme, who will be helping our team as the new Development and Operations Coordinator. In this position he will prioritize grounding his work in equity and social justice – fostering a sense of belonging and collective power. You can get to know a bit more about Charlie below…. Read More
2022 May Primary Election Endorsements
We are thrilled to officially announce our slate of candidates who have earned Next Up Action Fund’s endorsement for Oregon’s May 17, 2022 primary election. We want to elect leaders that come from our communities, share our values, and will fight for young people in Oregon. The people elected to local offices make crucial decisions… Read More
2021 End of Year Report
In 2021, with our community’s support, we invested in youth leadership and built youth political power! Our work included: running four cohorts for young people ages 13 – 35 to learn organizing skills and how to fight for social justice hosting 23 educational events that bolster political education and civic engagement for critical opportunities such… Read More
2022 Endorsement Process
💥 It’s true, our endorsement questionnaire is now live and accepting responses until March 8th at 5pm Our endorsement committee makes decisions based on questionnaire responses, interview responses, and the overarching goal to amplify and support young people in Oregon to be leaders in their community. We are particularly interested in races that include candidates… Read More
2022 Legislative Session Priorities
During the 2021 legislative session, we supported and championed bills that addressed breaking down systemic barriers to civic participation. We were able to support the passage of numerous bills rooted in racial, gender, and economic justice, such as updating ballot postmark date to election day, the voter language access act, ending slavery, child care for… Read More
Welcome Iya and Erin to Next Up!
We’re so excited to welcome two new amazing people to the Next Up organizing and youth leadership development team. Iya McSwain (they/them), has joined as the Youth Leadership Organizer, and Erin San Antonio (they/siya) is the Community Engagement Organizer. Read more about each of them below. Iya C. McSwain Youth Leadership Organizer Iya (they/them) is… Read More
Highlighting Community Stories from Next Up
Our board and youth leaders are the core of Next Up’s community. We’re so grateful for everything they contribute to Next Up, and we want to uplift their voices to our extended community! Below we’ve highlighted six board of directors and youth action team members who shared their stories with us. We also conducted one… Read More