Closing out our 20th year of building youth power

Written By Isabela Villarreal

December 14, 2022

20 years ago, as the Bus Project, we began building youth political power in Oregon. Our work redesigned our election systems, breaking down systemic barriers and leading Oregon to become one of the easiest states to vote in — with consistently top youth voter turnout.

The Bus Project taught us that young people can be trusted with power – not as “future leaders,” but as leaders of today. Today, as Next Up, we continue that work, investing in youth leadership, civic engagement, and advocacy that shifts power and strengthens our democracy.

As we close out the year, we want to say a special thank-you to those who came to last week’s “Bus Reunion,” where we gathered with some of the people who built the foundation of this organization. It was so sweet to see people reunite, some after many years! Check out some adorable photo booth photos from the night.

Thank you to our Bus Reunion sponsors

  • Christine and Dave Vernier

  • Dan Torres

  • Courtney Graham

  • Noah Manger

  • The ACLU of Oregon

  • Anonymous donors

Shout out to our amazing support team

  • Sophie Thomson for hosting us at Hey Love

  • Mariana Lindsay, Samantha Gladu, Mac Prichard, Nolan Lienhart, Nikki Fisher, and Amy Sample Ward as MC and co-hosts

  • Jax Ko for custom artwork

Isabela Villarreal
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