they are next up
Get to know two of the young people at the heart of our programs.
A jokingly self-proclaimed Next Up “nepo baby,” 17 year-old Nicole R. was first introduced to our organization through her older sister, Isabelle.
Nicole watched as her big sister got to intern with Next Up—recalling in particular an event Isabelle helped host called “Step Up Clackamas,” back in 2023. Still in middle school at the time, Nicole didn’t quite meet the Next Up age requirement to participate herself yet. But the second she—“finally,” as she puts it—could? She was on it; checking and re-checking Next Up’s Instagram for the perfect opportunity for her to get involved.
Towards the end of Nicole’s freshman year of high school, she found it: a position opening up on Next Up’s Youth Action Team. It was there, as a member of YAT, that then-15-year-old Nicole was able to turn her budding love of politics into something tangible—learning about the logistics that go into crafting policy, and getting hands-on experience amplifying Next Up’s youth-led legislative agenda.
“When I was first developing my interest in politics, I felt really overwhelmed… I was barely a teenager, [and] whenever I [thought] of politics, I always [thought] of grown ups, and people who have decades of experience in legislative fields,” said Nicole. “I think that being involved in Next Up really opened my eyes to how many of these issues affect youth as well.”
At this year’s Next Up Youth Lobby Day in Salem, Nicole got the opportunity to be a Youth Lobby Lead—overseeing a group of young lobbyists advocating for issues like the Immigrant Justice Package, the Anti-Hunger Package, and the First Time Voters Act. Having been on the storytelling side of the lobby team the year before—nervously scrolling through notes on her phone before speaking to legislative staff—Nicole calls the experience “a full circle moment.”
“I had a lot more confidence going into the legislative session this year. Being able to be in a larger role where I was organizing other storytellers—I felt very empowered… being able to [take on] an instructive role,” she says.
Through her involvement with Next Up and other civic organizations, Nicole came to realize her passion for ensuring people have access to the things they need—from voting rights, to good food, to healthcare in rural communities. So, Nicole has decided to pursue civil engineering, with a goal of ultimately working in urban planning.
Though, she says, her heart really does lie in politics, and she could definitely see herself pursuing politics in the future. After she fulfills her urban planning dreams, of course.
“It takes a lot of willpower to be involved in an industry like this, especially looking at the state of politics right now—it can feel super overwhelming,” says Nicole. “But having really great support systems at Next Up really is motivating—[being] involved in programs like these makes advocacy so much easier and more accessible. And fun!”
Ultimately, however, whether she’s acting as a lobby lead, a storyteller, or even just scrolling through Next Up’s Instagram, Nicole says she’s grateful to be a part of the organization’s commitment to amplifying youth voice.
“Whether it’s giving youth resources to learn how to write testimony, give verbal testimony, or having opportunities like our Lobby Day where individuals are getting to interact with staff or legislators themselves—I think that’s just such an amazing opportunity that not many organizations do, or at least, make as accessible as Next Up [does],” Nicole says. “You can learn so much [about politics] just like scrolling on [Next Up’s] Instagram, and I love how that’s so accessible to youth.”
Meet Nicole r.
A jokingly self-proclaimed Next Up “nepo baby,” 17 year-old Nicole R. was first introduced to our organization through her older sister, Isabelle.
Nicole watched as her big sister got to intern with Next Up—recalling in particular an event Isabelle helped host called “Step Up Clackamas,” back in 2023. Still in middle school at the time, Nicole didn’t quite meet the Next Up age requirement to participate herself yet. But the second she—“finally,” as she puts it—could? She was on it; checking and re-checking Next Up’s Instagram for the perfect opportunity for her to get involved.
Towards the end of Nicole’s freshman year of high school, she found it: a position opening up on Next Up’s Youth Action Team. It was there, as a member of YAT, that then-15-year-old Nicole was able to turn her budding love of politics into something tangible—learning about the logistics that go into crafting policy, and getting hands-on experience amplifying Next Up’s youth-led legislative agenda.
“When I was first developing my interest in politics, I felt really overwhelmed… I was barely a teenager, [and] whenever I [thought] of politics, I always [thought] of grown ups, and people who have decades of experience in legislative fields,” said Nicole. “I think that being involved in Next Up really opened my eyes to how many of these issues affect youth as well.”
At this year’s Next Up Youth Lobby Day in Salem, Nicole got the opportunity to be a Youth Lobby Lead—overseeing a group of young lobbyists advocating for issues like the Immigrant Justice Package, the Anti-Hunger Package, and the First Time Voters Act. Having been on the storytelling side of the lobby team the year before—nervously scrolling through notes on her phone before speaking to legislative staff—Nicole calls the experience “a full circle moment.”
“I had a lot more confidence going into the legislative session this year. Being able to be in a larger role where I was organizing other storytellers—I felt very empowered… being able to [take on] an instructive role,” she says.
Through her involvement with Next Up and other civic organizations, Nicole came to realize her passion for ensuring people have access to the things they need—from voting rights, to good food, to healthcare in rural communities. So, Nicole has decided to pursue civil engineering, with a goal of ultimately working in urban planning.
Though, she says, her heart really does lie in politics, and she could definitely see herself pursuing politics in the future. After she fulfills her urban planning dreams, of course.
“It takes a lot of willpower to be involved in an industry like this, especially looking at the state of politics right now—it can feel super overwhelming,” says Nicole. “But having really great support systems at Next Up really is motivating—[being] involved in programs like these makes advocacy so much easier and more accessible. And fun!”
Ultimately, however, whether she’s acting as a lobby lead, a storyteller, or even just scrolling through Next Up’s Instagram, Nicole says she’s grateful to be a part of the organization’s commitment to amplifying youth voice.
“Whether it’s giving youth resources to learn how to write testimony, give verbal testimony, or having opportunities like our Lobby Day where individuals are getting to interact with staff or legislators themselves—I think that’s just such an amazing opportunity that not many organizations do, or at least, make as accessible as Next Up [does],” Nicole says. “You can learn so much [about politics] just like scrolling on [Next Up’s] Instagram, and I love how that’s so accessible to youth.”
Meet Marae T.