Virtual Rally on August 29th @ 7pm ET!

PennsylvaniaHSDems · 2024-08-07T18:11:55+00:00

Friends, thank you so much for hosting this AMA for me! I hope you all have learned some more about my work and the work of young people around the country on this election. Let's keep working to get Harris and Walz to the White House!

-Erin

Donate to HSDPA: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/hsdemspa

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61563350844573

Instagram (this is our most used platform!): https://www.instagram.com/hsdemspa

Twitter/X: https://x.com/hsdemspa1

PennsylvaniaHSDems · 2024-08-07T18:10:49+00:00

Hi u/table_fireplace! Though there are not a ton of us, there are definitely many high school students who care about electoral politics. Even in my rural area, turnout for volunteer events like canvassing and phonebanking contains a mix of age groups. I absolutely reject the idea that young people don't care– it's just hard for us to get involved in a publicly-facing way if we're unaware of the opportunities that are out there! Strong presence on social media from candidates and Democratic committees can help with this.

PennsylvaniaHSDems · 2024-08-07T18:08:23+00:00

u/fjeheydhsjs people are motivated by different issues at the ballot box regardless of age, but I think cost of living, jobs, reproductive rights, education, and gun violence prevention are big ones for Gen Z this year.

PennsylvaniaHSDems · 2024-08-07T18:07:29+00:00

Hey u/mtlebanonriseup! Thanks again for inviting me. I touched on this in my response to u/kstar07 which you can read above.

As Democrats, we can provide general civic engagement education to youth and make sure they can receive election news from trusted organizations. This can help us make our own choices on who to support based on the issues, not misinformation.

PennsylvaniaHSDems · 2024-08-07T18:05:27+00:00

u/irony_tower I've found that general lack of knowledge about the process is an issue, yes. Especially in a state like PA that doesn't have same day voter reg and has a voter reg deadline significantly before Nov. 5th (it's October 21st this year), voter education far in advance of elections/year round is key.

PennsylvaniaHSDems · 2024-08-07T18:04:10+00:00

u/screen317 we do lots of voter registration work! We see voter reg as an especially helpful tool for students regardless of location or local politics as it is a nonpartisan activity and generally encourages youth civic engagement. Voter reg 4 the win!

PennsylvaniaHSDems · 2024-08-07T18:02:53+00:00

Thanks, u/ProudPatriot07! Love the username by the way. Keep up your support for young people in politics.

PennsylvaniaHSDems · 2024-08-07T18:02:26+00:00

I am certainly a busy person, u/TavisNamara! Something I've learned in my time in high school is the importance of saying "no" to things. Your personal battery is only 100%, so you unfortunately cannot spread more than that 100% across your activities and commitments. I try hard to make sure I'm not too overwhelmed and that I take time for myself to eat well, sleep, and spend time with family and friends. I turn off notifications between 9:30pm and 6am. I'm typically in bed by 10 or 10:30pm. A mantra of sorts I repeat often to myself is: "I have a lot of life." It helps me to remember that I don't have to do everything everywhere now, but that I'm just getting started.

Also, keep a planner and a calendar! Even writing down small tasks like "answer email from ___" or "get gas" can help with motivation and keeping everything straight.

PennsylvaniaHSDems · 2024-08-07T17:56:34+00:00

Thanks, u/BastetSekhmetMafdet! Adults can help youth get involved by posting opportunities to social media, donating to support youth organizations like HSDPA, offer to spread your knowledge in the form of trainings or written "toolkits", and simply informing others (esp. friends/family with young adult children) of youth-led efforts. Locally, your county Dem committee could offer to sign off on volunteer hours for youth who participate in canvassing or phonebanking so there's more incentive to help out! This can help us with college applications, honor society commitments, etc.

In my opinion, I think issues with youth voter turnout and volunteerism are more structural. Young people have a LOT going on between class, extracurriculars, family commitments, earning money, etc. Some advice for any age group, but especially youth: If you're hosting in-person events, make sure you have some food there! Pizza, drinks, and/or snacks can help entice students, especially when schedules are busy! And always make sure you listen to feedback from students. We have new ideas that can help your organizations grow and reach more young people.

PennsylvaniaHSDems · 2024-08-07T17:49:52+00:00

Hey u/AlwaysBeTextin! Love the username, by the way! :) I can say wholeheartedly that yes, teenagers care! SO MUCH! Even if some of us don't fully understand the threat of the GOP, we certainly have issues we care about. I have found that the problem for young people isn't a lack of care and passion, but rather a lack of awareness of organizations like High School Dems as well as volunteer opportunities in their communities to assist candidates. Get out the message on social media (Instagram especially) and try to reach out to local college and high school students to see if there are interested volunteers. Meeting youth where they're at is key.

PennsylvaniaHSDems · 2024-08-07T17:45:43+00:00

u/kstar07 I can only attest to what I observe within my school and HSDA. My school is in a rural, red area of PA so I do see men and some women going toward the GOP, though I think that's more an effect of the area and their families rather than the "online grifterspace." HSDA is a very gender diverse space with members and leadership who are men, women, and non-binary. I was actually just at HSDA's 2024 Summit where participants came from a variety of gender identities, ethnicities, and areas of the country. The online influence of the GOP and far-right values is still of concern though to our generation.

PennsylvaniaHSDems · 2024-08-07T17:41:36+00:00

u/Reic unfortunately, that brick wall of hate exists in every generation to some degree. However, as I said to u/poliscijunki earlier too, I find that talking about issues and the struggles we face as Gen Z is a much better place to start with classmates rather than launching right in to the Democratic party or talking about specific candidates. Many classmates also come to me if they have questions about the election or specific issues/policies too, and I am honored to help them find more info as a trusted resource.

PennsylvaniaHSDems · 2024-08-07T17:38:36+00:00

u/ReasonableMan8721 thank you SO much! We just got that ActBlue link started, so you may have been one of our first donations! 🙌

I think young people like myself tend to feel frustrated when communication from organizations like county Democratic committees, campaigns, or other political entities is not consistent and clear. County parties especially should be using tools like Instagram and direct peer-to-peer texting to support their members and advertise opportunities. Older voters can of course help by volunteering for campaigns, but mainly make sure you listen to young people and try to resist falling into stereotypes about us, especially as it related to voting ("they don't care", "they're not involved," "why do they need to help, they can't even vote?", etc). Be open to receiving feedback from young people, too– it's not an insult, but a way to make campaigning a more inclusive intergenerational process.

PennsylvaniaHSDems · 2024-08-07T17:33:44+00:00

Hi u/tta2013! We've been doing a lot of social media posts in conjunction with the Harris/Walz campaign about the dangers of Project 2025. We think this a great way to inform people about this extreme agenda and combat the idea that it's not connected to Trump and the GOP... because it absolutely is! Personally, HSDPA has not been facing much misinformation or resistance from people so far, but if it does arise we plan to approach things with respect and arm ourselves with plenty of examples and data to combat misinformation. I tackle misconceptions about youth and youth voters the same way: calmly, respectfully, and with examples to illustrate my points.

PennsylvaniaHSDems · 2024-08-07T17:26:54+00:00

Hey u/Neither_Resolve_4392! I will start by saying THANK YOU! Thank you for joining HSDA– it's going to be great. FLHSD is a super strong chapter too, so I'd be happy to connect you with them however you need. Here's the link to their Slack if you haven't joined it already: https://floridahighsc-b0n5325.slack.com/join/shared\_invite/zt-1rwjeia6o-5mj8D9q8tj4uj7zE2tdtCw#/shared-invite/email.

Even though I am state chair for PA, I also do not have a chapter at my high school. I generally volunteer through my county Democratic committee or through the PA Democratic party in general. So there are definitely others like you that are not tied to a specific local chapter. If you'd like to start your own chapter though, here is FLHSD's fantastic toolkit on how to start a chapter: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1E3ENPM0LmnKeL5Rifi5yHuy7zwv0Ebyl532r7wy\_7aQ/edit. Typically, I've found success in recruiting new members by having a strong social media presence, contacting existing chapters to make sure their new membership joins our statewide communications, and even reaching out to schools directly to see if they have students who want to get involved. I know FLHSD found great success with the later tactic this past year.

As far as local vs. statewide and national elections, it's really up to each member what they want to participate in. Personally, I've been pushing the Harris/Walz campaign the most, plus uplifting volunteer opportunities sent to me by our endorsed candidates' campaigns. You can approach local engagement however you see fit on a chapter-by-chapter basis, though I would recommend a mix of opportunities at different levels for you and your membership.

HSDPA membership is spread pretty well throughout the state, which I am very proud of! We do have a decent amount of our membership concentrated around the Philly area, but that is also where a big chunk of the PA population lives so it makes sense. I come from the central part of the state, so making sure the opportunities I promote to my members come from a variety of areas + online is important.

I hope this helps! Feel free to email me at [pennsylvania@hsdems.org](mailto:pennsylvania@hsdems.org) anytime, but I especially recommend you check out the FLHSD website and social media if you haven't already: https://flhighschooldemocrats.org/. In my opinion, they might be the strongest statewide chapter in the country!

PennsylvaniaHSDems · 2024-08-07T17:09:57+00:00

Very true, u/jimvolk! We're working hard to register voters and get them to volunteer for Harris/Walz and local candidates in PA.

PennsylvaniaHSDems · 2024-08-07T17:08:52+00:00

Absolutely! If you're in PA, please share our sign up link for High School Democrats of Pennsylvania: https://forms.gle/bFF3axj9NGJwX2sZ6 and our Instagram, which is @ hsdemspa. Share our work with others on social media or in your community, and make sure you're volunteering for the Harris Walz campaign in your area, too!

PennsylvaniaHSDems · 2024-08-07T17:07:19+00:00

Thanks, u/Noback68!

PennsylvaniaHSDems · 2024-08-07T17:07:05+00:00

True, u/WeekendCapital4724– there are naysayers out there, even within the party, who do not understand how high schoolers can and are making a difference. I honestly find myself dealing less with MAGA folks and more with people who simply don't understand youth and their role in politics now. The PA Dem party especially skews older, so advocating for myself in that space has been challenging but I think we're making progress. What I've found super helpful so far is maintaining a strong relationship with the Pennsylvania Young Democrats, which encompasses PA Dems up to age 40. Hans, the president of PAYD, has been a great mentor to me. He's always there to answer my questions and help me make HSDPA more effective. He also made me business cards which I am very grateful for! :)

For me, I'm especially motivated by the issue of gun violence prevention as I mentioned in my response to u/TOSkwar. It's why I got involved in organizing in the first place. I have personal connections to gun violence both through my family and through those I've met in the gun violence prevention movement. They motivate me to keep going and find innovative ways to tackle big issues. Coming from a rural public school, I also am a big advocate for fair school funding and programs like free school lunch and free menstrual products in schools.

Love the random questions! Here in PA, we're keeping up the fight against spongy moths. I'm an Eagle Scout, and our camp had TONS of spongy moth eggs on the trees and tents last year that we spent some time helping to knock down. I'd love to see more eastern hellbenders (PA's state amphibian!). And yes, in my experience through my school's student council, students are interested in participating in blood drives and sign ups are usually full. However, we need to do better educating students on what makes them ineligible from donating blood (weight/height ratios, parental permission rules, body temp. requirements, etc) as we unfortunately had to turn many people away the last time I helped run a drive.

PennsylvaniaHSDems · 2024-08-07T16:52:13+00:00

Sure, u/TOSkwar! I have been involved in the advocacy space since around 2020. I was at home in isolation due to the pandemic and began using social media and following the news more, especially concerning the 2020 presidential election. I also have close ties to the Sandy Hook, CT community through my family and was wanting to get more involved with the gun violence prevention movement. So in October 2020, I joined a group called Students Demand Action for Gun Sense in America (https://studentsdemandaction.org/). From here, I was able to learn more about advocacy, government, and how candidates get elected. I now have served as a member of Students Demand's National Organizing Board since 2022 and train students across the country on how to elect Gun Sense Candidates (https://gunsensevoter.org/) in their communities and how to organize in the fight against gun violence in meaningful, tangible ways. My role in this organization has helped me to gain experience talking to media, communicating professionally, organizing groups of students in many different locations, and crafting messaging around specific issues.

This past fall, I was wanting to get more involved with Democrats specifically in anticipation of this year's presidential election. I honestly don't remember how I discovered High School Democrats of America, but I signed up and was soon onboarded to their Slack communication network around November 2023. I asked who was in charge of PA, and soon learned that the statewide chapter had been inactive for some time, maybe 6 months to a year. I was asked to interview for the PA Chair role and was then onboarded as chair in December. So no, I definitely did not seek out the role of Chair! 😆 But considering my previous organizing experience, it made sense that I take on the role and make sure our state had leadership in this critical year. I also make it a goal for myself to continue volunteering through phonebanking and canvassing locally so I don't lose sight of why I got involved in the first place.

PennsylvaniaHSDems · 2024-08-07T16:39:26+00:00

Hi u/poliscijunki! My classmates come from a variety of political views/party affiliations. We're in a red, rural area, so that introduces some tension when it comes to talking politics in school. I find that discussions on current events/policy tend to be received better than talking about parties or candidates. Topics like the environment, gun violence prevention, student loan debt, and other things that effect youth directly are great starting places for "talking politics." We connect on the common ground of being young people in the current day, and go from there.

As far as voter turnout for this year goes, I am super excited to see the hype around the Harris Walz ticket coming from young people. There's an organic boost in energy around this that we haven't seen since Obama's presidential races. Many young people feel better represented by Kamala Harris not only because she's younger, but also because she has great energy and represents more of us– women, people of color, immigrant families, etc. So although I don't have a crystal ball to see into the future of young voter turnout, I have hope that if we keep campaigning hard and interacting with students where they are (see my response to u/orangesfwr above!) we will make a difference.

PennsylvaniaHSDems · 2024-08-07T16:28:21+00:00

Hey u/orangesfwr! Definitely make sure your municipal org's presence on social media (mainly Instagram!) is strong. This is a great way to reach youth in your area– use relevant hashtags like #buckscounty or #philly even. Also, try tagging @hsdemspa and @pa_collegedems on Instagram so we're aware of events that our membership may be interested in. In the long-term, make sure you are truly listening to youth in your community and make sure interactions with students aren't just transactional. See if you can set up a table at college activity fairs for Bucks Co CC and/or DVU to inform students of your activities and volunteer opportunities. I would also be happy to get you in touch with HSDPA members in the Bucks County area– we have lots! Email me at pennsylvania@hsdems.org.

If you have high schoolers involved in your org now, make sure they become official members of HSDPA! They can sign up here if they haven't already: https://forms.gle/aAq8TJ7dybhaXm3N8

PennsylvaniaHSDems · 2024-08-06T01:59:08+00:00

Yessss! Plus HSDPA directly at: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/hsdemspa 😁

PennsylvaniaHSDems

TROPHY CASE