>> GOOD EVENING, THANK YOU FOR

JOINING US.

YOUNG ADULTS TODAY FACE A

DAUNTING SET OF CHALLENGES.

THE JOB MARKET IS WEAK.

THE COST OF COLLEGE HAS SKY

ROCKETED AND CHILD CARE AND

AFFORDABLE HOUSING ARE OUT OF

REACH FOR MANY.

YET LESS THAN A THIRD OF ADULTS

IN AUSTIN BETWEEN THE AGES OF 18

AND 29 VOTED IN THE LAST

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.

TONIGHT WE'RE HERE TO TALK ABOUT

WHY AND WHAT WE CAN DO ABOUT IT.

FUNDING FOR CIVIC SUMMIT IS

PROVIDED BY WELLS FARGO BANK.

WHERE YOU'LL FIND A WIDE RANGE

OF TOOLS AND RESOURCES TO HELP

YOU TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR

FINANCES AND BANKS TO HELP YOU

FIND ONE THAT FITS YOUR NEEDS.

WELLS FARGO, TOGETHER WE'LL GO

FAR.

[APPLAUSE]

>> WELCOME TO WHY BOTHER?

VOICES OF A NEW GENERATION, THE

FIRST IN A SERIES OF COMMUNITY

CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHY TEXAS

HAS ONE OF THE LOWEST RATES OF

CIVIC PARTICIPATION IN THE

COUNTRY.

THIS SERIES IS SPONSORED BY KUT,

KLRU, AND THE ANNETTE STRAUSS

INSTITUTE FOR CIVIC LIFE.

MY NAME IS ANN BEASON AND I'M

WITH THE ANNETTE STRAUSS

INSTITUTE.

WHAT DO WE MEAN BY CIVIC

PARTICIPATION AND CIVIC

ENGAGEMENT?

THE TERMS INCLUDE A BROAD RANGE

OF ACTIVITIES FROM VOLUNTEERING

AND COMMUNITY SERVICE TO VOTING

AND LOBBYING ELECTED OFFICIALS.

TONIGHT WE'RE GOING TO FOCUS ON

WHY SO FEW YOUNG PEOPLE VOTE.

LET'S BEGIN WITH AN OVERVIEW OF

WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT YOUTH

ENGAGEMENT TRENDS HERE IN

AUSTIN.

>> TURNOUT IS HIGHLY CORRELATED

WITH HOME OWNERSHIP, EDUCATIONAL

ATTAINMENT, AND TO SOME DEGREE

RACE.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, THE MOST

TYPICAL VOTER IS A WHITE

HOMEOWNER WHO HAS A BACHELOR'S

DEGREE OR MORE.

THERE'S A HUGE DIFFERENCE

BETWEEN THE ELECTORATE FOR

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, LIKE THE

ONE WE'RE ABOUT TO HAVE, AND THE

ELECTORATE FOR A MUNICIPAL

ELECTION, LIKE THE ONE THAT WE

HAD IN -- IN MAY.

THE MAPS THAT I BROUGHT WITH ME

THIS AFTERNOON ARE MY STANDARD

PRODUCT AFTER A CITY COUNCIL

ELECTION.

I MAP TWO THINGS.

NOT SO MUCH HOW ONE CANDIDATE

DID AGAINST ANOTHER, BUT WHAT

WAS THE TURNOUT AT THE PRECINCT

LEVEL, BOTH IN TERMS OF PERCENT,

IN OTHER WORDS, HOW MUCH OF

THE -- OF THE BASE OF REGISTERED

VOTERS SHOWED UP AND VOTED?

SO THAT'S THE PERCENT TURNOUT,

AND THEN ALSO ABSOLUTE TURNOUT,

NOT PERCENT TURNOUT.

THE TURNOUT LANDSCAPE IS VERY

TILTED, AND IT'S TILTED VERY,

VERY STRONGLY TO A WESTERN

CRESCENT, TURNOUT IN SOME

NEIGHBORHOODS GOES DOWN TO 2% OF

REGISTERED VOTERS, AND NOT TO

PICK ON DOVE SPRINGS, BUT DOVE

SPRINGS HAS GOT NOTORIOUSLY LOW

TURNOUT, AGAIN, THIS IS

REGISTERED VOTERS.

IT'S NOT SIMPLY A FUNCTION OF

CITIZEN, NONCITIZEN.

EAST RIVERSIDE, THAT'S WHERE YOU

REALLY BEGIN TO GET A REALLY

INTERESTING MIX WHERE YOU HAVE

STILL LOTS OF STUDENTS,

INTERNATIONAL IMMIGRANT

HOUSEHOLDS, WORKFORCE HOUSEHOLDS

AND YOU GET A LABOR HOUSEHOLDS.

AND THEN -- AND THEN TO SOME

DEGREE, CERTAINLY WITH THE

STUDENT, SOME MIDDLE, UPPER

MIDDLE CLASS STUDENTS, SO

ANYWAY, EAST RIVERSIDE

COLLECTION, THEY DON'T -- YOU

KNOW, THAT DOESN'T VOTE AT ALL.

AND AGAIN, I DON'T -- NOW,

AGAIN, I WANT TO QUALIFY THIS,

BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO SOUND

NEGATIVE, SIMPLY NOT

PARTICIPATING IN MUNICIPAL

ELECTIONS, FOR PRESIDENTIAL

ELECTION, THE TURNOUT IS LIKE

NIGHT AND DAY.

DOVE SPRINGS GOES FROM 2% FOR

MUNICIPAL ELECTION, UP TO 45%

FOR A PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.

SO THAT TO ME IS WHAT -- WHAT

THIS MAP SERIES SHOWS IS THIS --

IS THIS SORT OF ENTRENCHED

PATTERN OF TURNOUT.

I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THERE'S A

PROBLEM WITH YOUNG PEOPLE NOT

CARING.

I BELIEVE THERE'S A PROBLEM WITH

ADULTS NOT CONNECTING THE DOTS.

FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN I TALKED TO

STUDENTS, MANY OF THEM HAVE

NEVER HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO

EVER MEET A LOCAL ELECTED

OFFICIAL.

FOR A YOUNG PERSON WHO WANTS TO

ENGAGE IN THE PROCESS, THEY HAVE

TO BE VERY DIRECTED AND VERY

MOTIVATED THEMSELVES.

I BELIEVE WE SHOULD FLIP THAT.

I BELIEVE ALL YOUNG PEOPLE, ALL

STUDENTS SHOULD BE EXPOSED TO

THE PROCESS.

WE'VE IDENTIFIED SOMETHING THAT

WE CALL THE PUSH-UP EFFECT,

WHICH IS THAT WHEN A YOUNG

PERSON TAKES INTEREST, IN A

RACE, ESPECIALLY A LOCAL RACE,

THAT THAT INFLUENCES THEIR

PARENTS, THEIR UNCLES, THEIR

AUNTS, THEIR GRANDPARENTS TO BE

ENGAGED IN THAT RACE AS WELL.

WE IDENTIFIED THAT DURING A

RECENT BOND ELECTION, BOND

ELECTION TYPICALLY HAVE

OUTRAGEOUSLY LOW VOTER TURNOUT.

VOTER TURNOUT ON THE RANGE OF .5

TO MAYBE 1%.

WHEN YOUNG PEOPLE STARTED TO GET

INVOLVED IN THE BOND ELECTION TO

SAY WHY THEY WERE FOR BOND

MEASURES OR SKEPTICAL ABOUT

OTHERS, AN ENCOURAGE THEIR

COMMUNITY, THEIR PARENTS, THEIR

UNCLES, THEIR AUNTS TO TAKE

INTEREST IN THAT, AND ACTUALLY

BOOSTED VOTER TURNOUT RATES

HIGHER THAN WHAT THE EXPECTATION

WAS, YOUNG PEOPLE DO CARE.

THEY JUST NEED TO BE SHOWN WHAT

THE CONNECTION IS BETWEEN VOTING

AND THEIR OWN PARTICULAR

INTERESTS AND THE INTERESTS OF

THEIR FAMILY AND COMMUNITY.

>> WITH THAT FOOD FOR THOUGHT,

WE WANT TO HEAR YOUR REFLECTIONS

ON WHY SO FEW YOUNG PEOPLE ARE

ENGAGED.

WE HAVE THREE WONDERFUL

COMMUNITY LEADERS UP HERE TO

HELP US GET THE CONVERSATION

GOING, AND THEN WE WANT TO HEAR

FROM ALL OF YOU IN THE AUDIENCE.

FIRST I WANT TO INTRODUCE

PAULINA SOSA, A STUDENT HERE AT

THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, AND SHE

IS CURRENTLY WORKING AS AN

INTERN?

SENATOR CORNYN'S OFFICE, AND

SHE'S ALSO INVOLVED IN -- AND

VERY ACTIVE IN A GLOBAL ANTI

POVERTY CAMPAIGN CALLED THE ONE

CAMPAIGN.

PAULINA, YOU'RE ORIGINALLY FROM

BROWNSVILLE, AND I WOULD LOVE

FOR YOU TO START THE

CONVERSATION BY TELLING US A

LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE

GROWING UP IN THE RIO GRANDE

VALLEY AND WHAT MOTIVATED YOU TO

GET INVOLVED IN YOUR COMMUNITY.

>> SURE.

THANK YOU, ANN.

SO AS ANN MENTIONED, I DID GROW

UP IN BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS, DOWN

IN THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY, AND TO

BE HONEST, THE POLITICAL

ATMOSPHERE IS SIMPLY PUT VERY

MUCH DIFFERENT THAN IT IS HERE

IN AUSTIN.

I GREW UP WITH THE BELIEF THAT

MY OPINION REALLY DID NOT

MATTER.

I GREW UP WITH THE PRESUMPTION

THAT IF I WANTED TO GET ENGAGED

IN ANY WAY POLITICALLY, IT

REALLY WOULDN'T HAVE ANY EFFECT

OR IMPACT, NOT ONLY ON ME, BUT

ON -- ON THE CITY ITSELF.

SO ESPECIALLY THE YOUTH IN MY --

IN MY HIGH SCHOOL AND MY MIDDLE

SCHOOL, YOU KNOW, WE JUST -- WE

NEVER WERE EDUCATED ON -- ON HOW

YOU COULD BE POLITICALLY ENGAGED

AND HOW YOU COULD REALLY MAKE A

DIFFERENCE IF YOU WERE

POLITICALLY ACTIVE.

AND SO THIS REMAINED THE CASE

UNTIL I ONE DAY REALIZED THAT

THERE WAS REAL POVERTY HAPPENING

ACROSS THE BORDER IN MEXICO.

BROWNSVILLE IS LITERALLY LIKE A

TEN-MINUTE WALK FROM MEXICO, I

MEAN IT'S RIGHT ACROSS THE

BORDER, AND I HAD TRAVELED TO A

MEXICAN LANDFILL AND HAD SEEN

REAL EXTREME POVERTY FOR THE

FIRST TIME, AND WHEN I SAW THIS,

I -- I WAS REALLY DISHEARTENED

BECAUSE I DIDN'T THINK THAT

THERE WAS ANYTHING I COULD DO AS

A 13-YEAR-OLD AT THE TIME ABOUT

THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE, AND ABOUT

THIS PARTICULAR EXTREMITY.

AND I TALKED TO PEOPLE ABOUT IT

BACK IN MY HOME TOWN, I TALKED

ABOUT IT WITH PEOPLE IN MY

SCHOOL.

AND I WAS KIND OF MET WITH

SHRUGS LIKE, OH, OKAY, THAT'S

BAD.

BUT I SOON REALIZED IF I REALLY

WANTED TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE AT

THIS PASSION, IF I REALLY WANTED

TO GET PEOPLE INVOLVED AND GET

PEOPLE ACTIVE AND GET MY CITY

ACTIVE, ALL I NEEDED TO DO WAS

TALK TO THE ELECTED OFFICIALS

AND IT SEEMED VERY INTIMIDATING

AT FIRST, AND IT WAS, ESPECIALLY

AS A TEEN-AGER IN HIGH SCHOOL,

BUT I -- I MADE THAT STEP

FORWARD, AND SURE ENOUGH, AFTER

TALKING TO MY CITY, MY COUNTY

AND EVEN MY STATE ELECTED

OFFICIALS, I GOT THE CITY ON

BOARD WITH FIGHTING THE CAUSE OF

EXTREME POVERTY, NOT ONLY IN

MEXICO, BUT MORE INTENSELY IN

BROWNSVILLE, SO IT WAS AMAZING

TO KIND OF SEE THAT

TRANSFORMATION POLITICALLY.

>> THANKS SO MUCH, PAULINA.

I NOW WANT TO INTRODUCE DARIAN

BORDERS WHO HAS ALSO A VERY

INTERESTING STORY TO SHARE WITH

US AND PERSPECTIVE TO SHARE WITH

US.

DARIAN IS STUDYING PHYSICAL

THERAPY AT AUSTIN COMMUNITY

COLLEGE AND HE IS ALSO A SPOKEN

WORD ARTIST HERE IN AUSTIN,

INVOLVED WITH A HIP HOP PROJECT

THAT ENGAGES YOUNG PEOPLE USING

MUSIC AND CULTURE.

AND DARIAN, TELL US A LITTLE BIT

ABOUT HOW YOU GOT INVOLVED IN

YOUR COMMUNITY THROUGH THE

PROJECT.

>> WELL, THE PROJECT HAS A LOT

TO DO WITH HIP HOP AND RAISING

AWARENESS THROUGH HIP HOP,

THROUGH MUSIC, SO I GUESS IT

CAME ABOUT, YOU KNOW, IT WAS

JUST A TOPIC, A CAUSE THAT WE

CHOSE TO SPEAK ON, AND I GUESS

MOVING TOWARD SPEAKING IT FOR

US, THIS ISSUE, I WASN'T GETTING

A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, RESPONSE, OR

FEEDBACK FROM MY PEERS, AND MY

NEIGHBORHOOD, OR, YOU KNOW,

QUESTIONS LIKE, YOU KNOW, OR,

YOU KNOW, WHAT DO YOU THINK

ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THIS -- THIS

WHOLE ELECTION, YOU KNOW, I'D

GET LIKE PAULINA'S SHRUGS, YOU

KNOW, LIKE I DON'T REALLY CARE,

LIKE RESPONSES THAT WERE LIKE,

YOU KNOW, DO YOU CARE, OR, YOU

KNOW -- I GUESS IT CAME ABOUT

JUST, YOU KNOW, AS THE YOUTH

SPEAKING, YOU KNOW, ON A WHOLE

'NOTHER LEVEL, NOT BEING VULGAR,

NOT BEING, YOU KNOW, THE TYPICAL

RADIO MUSIC THAT -- THAT WE'RE

ALL EXPOSED TO.

IT JUST -- IT JUST HELPED A LOT

ONCE WE BROUGHT IT TO A LOT OF

YOUTH ATTENTION.

I FEEL LIKE THERE IS WORK TO BE

DONE.

>> UH-HUH.

AND WHAT DO YOU HEAR LIKE NOW

FROM YOUR PEERS IN YOUR

COMMUNITY ABOUT VOTING AND WHY

THEY AREN'T VOTING?

>> WELL, PERSONALLY -- I

LITERALLY HAVE FRIENDS WHO

ARE -- AREN'T -- AREN'T ABLE TO

VOTE, FIRST OF ALL, BECAUSE THEY

MAY HAVE, YOU KNOW, A FELONY,

OR, YOU KNOW, OR THEY JUST --

THEY DON'T HAVE, YOU KNOW,

COMPUTER ACCESS SOMETIMES TO

EVEN KNOW THERE'S AN ELECTION

GOING ON, YOU KNOW, OR SIMPLE

MATERIAL THAT AREN'T AVAILABLE,

YOU KNOW.

I'M HEARING, YOU KNOW, THIS

IS -- THIS ISN'T GOING TO

MATTER.

WHAT IS -- WHAT IS MY DECISION

TO THIS HUGE TOPIC.

>> UH-HUH.

AND DO YOU SEE ELECTED OFFICIALS

IN YOUR COMMUNITY VERY OFTEN

TALKING TO THESE YOUNG PEOPLE?

>> COMING OUT OF EAST AUSTIN, I

-- I'VE NEVER SEEN NO -- NO --

WHAT I CONSIDER OFFICIAL, NOT --

NOT EVEN RUNNING INTO SOMEBODY

AT THE LIBRARY OR, YOU KNOW, THE

GROCERY STORE OR, YOU KNOW, NOT

THERE -- THEY AREN'T AROUND, YOU

KNOW.

>> UH-HUH, DO YOU THINK IT WOULD

MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

>> ME PERSONALLY, I DO BELIEVE

IF I WERE TO JUST, YOU KNOW, I

KNOW IT WOULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

IT WOULD HAVE A HUGE AFFECTION

ON, YOU KNOW, MY KNOWLEDGE OF,

YOU KNOW, ACTUALLY WHAT'S GOING

ON IN THE FIRST PLACE, OH, IT'S

GOOD TO KNOW YOU'RE RUNNING FOR

THIS TYPE STUFF.

>> UH-HUH.

SURE.

>> THANKS.

WHAT WAS YOUR NAME AGAIN?

>> RIGHT.

RIGHT [CHUCKLING] SO IT WOULD

HAVE BEEN A SMART KEY IN THIS

HUGE TOPIC, BUT, YEAH, IT

DEFINITELY WOULD HAVE MADE A

DIFFERENCE.

>> UH-HUH.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, DARIAN.

I KNOW WANT TO BRING JEANNIE

INTO THE CONVERSATION.

JEANNIE IS A LONG TIME LEADER

HERE IN AUSTIN EDUCATION.

SHE'S CURRENTLY THE PRINCIPAL OF

THE ANN RICHARDS SCHOOL FOR

YOUNG WOMEN LEADERS, AN JEANNIE,

YOU'RE AROUND YOUNG PEOPLE ALL

DAY, SO WOULD LOVE TO HEAR WHAT

YOU HEAR AND OBSERVE THAT COULD

HELP US UNDERSTAND WHY SO FEW

YOUNG PEOPLE ARE MOTIVATED TO

VOTE ONCE THEY TURN 18.

>> THANKS, ANN.

>> UH-HUH.

>> SO THE SCHOOL IS A UNIQUE

PART OF THE AUSTIN INDEPENDENT

SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND IT HAS ONLY

GIRLS AND WE HAVE GRADES 6

THROUGH 12.

THIS YEAR OUR FIRST SENIOR CLASS

AND THEY'RE OF COURSE ALL GOING

TO COLLEGE AND SOME OF THEM ARE

READY TO VOTE.

AND WHAT I HEAR FROM THEM IS

SOMETHING VERY SIMILAR ABOUT A

LOT OF DOUBLE SPEAKING AND BACK

STABBING AND BROKEN PROMISES

FROM OUR POLITICIANS, AND ALSO

THEY ARE FEELING UNINFORMED, AND

I MET AN ACQUAINTANCE WHO

SAID -- WHO IS VERY AVID ABOUT

VOTING-- REGISTERING VOTERS AND

HE WAS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF

TEXAS, AND HE WAS TRYING TO GET

UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS STUDENTS TO

REGISTER TO VOTE AND TWO UT

STUDENTS SAID WELL, I JUST DON'T

KNOW, I DON'T KNOW ENOUGH TO

VOTE, HE TRIED TO DISABUSE HIM

OF THIS NOTION, BUT I DO THINK

VERY MUCH WE ARE AN UNINFORMED

PUBLIC AND WE NEED TO CRITICALLY

THINK TO PROBLEM SOLVE, BUT THAT

IS JUST THAT GENERAL STATEMENT,

BUT AS FAR AS OUR SCHOOL IS

CONCERNED, I HAVE AN OBSERVATION

THAT I -- THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE

VALID, BUT REMEMBER WHEN WE USED

TO READ HARRY POTTER BOOKS AND

THERE WAS A LOT OF HOPE AND --

AND EVEN THOUGH HARRY POTTER HAD

TO FIGHT THE EVIL, HE HAD HIS

GANG AND THERE WAS AN

ESTABLISHMENT THEY BELIEVED IN

AND THERE WERE ADULT HEROS, AND

NOW I SEE OUR GIRLS WHO ARE ALL

VERY GOOD READERS READING A LOT

OF BOCHES ABOUT DYSTOPIA AND

THERE'S ANTI ESTABLISHMENT, AND

THERE ARE NO HEROS THAT ARE

ADULTS AND YOU PRETTY MUCH HAVE

TO TAKE ON THE EVIL ALL BY

YOURSELF, I'M NOT A SOCIOLOGIST

OR ANTHROPOLOGIST THAT CAN DO

ANY KIND OF GROUNDED RESEARCH ON

THAT, BUT IT GIVES ME PAUSE TO

WONDER, YOU KNOW, WHY THE

ATTRACTION OF READING SOME VERY,

VERY DISMAL BOOKS WHERE TRULY

THE INDIVIDUAL DOES EMERGE AS A

HERO, BUT HAS TO DO IT ALL BY

ONE'S SELF.

SO I DO WONDER IF OUR YOUTH IS

GETTING SO DISCONNECTED WITH

WHAT WE'RE DOING, THE OLD ONES,

THAT THEY HAVE FOUND ANOTHER

TYPE OF LITERATURE TO READ.

AND MY HUSBAND REMINDED ME THAT

WE, OF OUR GENERATION, WE HAVE

MOVEMENT POLITICS.

SO WE HAVE THE CIVIL RIGHTS, AND

WE HAD THE WOMEN'S RIGHTS AND WE

HAD THE VIETNAM WAR, AND THAT

GALVANIZED US TO WORK TOGETHER

AND TO PROTEST TOGETHER, AND WE

FOUND A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF

SUCCESS.

>> UH-HUH.

>> AND SO JUST LOOKING AT OCCUPY

AUSTIN AND WALL STREET, VERY

MUCH INSPIRATIONAL, I JUST

REALLY LOVE THAT MOVEMENT AND I

LOVE THE FACT THAT THEY EXPOSED

ALL THE CORRUPTION OF CORPORATE

AMERICA, BUT AT THE SAME TIME,

YOU HAVE TO QUESTION WHETHER OR

NOT THEY DID ANYTHING TO CHANGE

THE SYSTEM.

SO WHEN WE HAVE THIS HAPPEN, AND

THANKFULLY WE HAVE YOU TWO THAT

ARE MAKING THE DIFFERENCE, IT

MUST BECOME VERY DISCOURAGING TO

GO AGAINST THE ESTABLISHMENT,

AND GET SO LITTLE FROM YOUR

SUCCESS.

>> UH-HUH.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

YOU'VE HEARD A LITTLE BIT FROM

PAULINA AND DARIAN AND JEANNIE

ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE SEEING AND

HEARING AND WHAT COULD BE SOME

OF THE CAUSES OF LOW

PARTICIPATION.

WE'RE NOW GOING TO TALK TO JOY

DIAZ WITH KUT NEWS, SHE'S BEEN

REPORTING ON THE ISSUE FOR THE

PAST MONTH.

I HOPE MANY OF YOU HAVE HEARD

HER STORIES ON KUT AND SHE IS IN

OUR AUDIENCE TONIGHT.

JOY?

>> THANK YOU, ANN.

FRANCESCA IS HERE WITH ME AND

SHE'S ONLY 17 YEARS OLD, BUT SHE

HAS A VERY INTERESTING ROLE IN

OUR SOCIETY BECAUSE SHE WORKS

WITH THE YOUTH COUNCIL AND I

WILL LET HER TALK ABOUT THAT.

FRANCESCA?

HI.

I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE YOUTH

COUNCIL FOR ABOUT PROBABLY A

YEAR, IT'S BASICALLY A DIVISION

OF THE CITY COUNCIL THAT

ESSENTIALLY ADMINISTRATORS OR

COUNSELORS ESSENTIALLY LIKE

SUPERIORS OF HIGH SCHOOLS,

CHOOSE A COUPLE OF STUDENTS WHO

THEY FEEL WOULD BE GOOD

REPRESENTATIVES FOR THE CITY AND

THEN THEY GO THROUGH ELECTIONS

AND IT'S BASICALLY A PROCESS

WHERE YOU GO THROUGH ELECTIONS

AND YOU GO, AND YOU GET ELECTED

ON TO THE COUNCIL.

BUT ESSENTIALLY WHAT THE COUNCIL

DOES IS IT GIVES A

REPRESENTATIVE VOICE FOR HIGH

SCHOOL STUDENTS IN THEIR

COMMUNITY AND IT'S REALLY --

IT'S ACTUALLY -- IT'S VERY --

IT'S VERY UNIQUE, BECAUSE I'VE

NEVER BEEN GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY

LIKE THIS BEFORE, IT'S -- YOU

KNOW, IT'S NOT SOMETHING YOU SEE

OFTEN REALLY.

IT'S VERY SPECIAL BECAUSE I

THINK A LOT OF STUDENTS AND A

LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE DON'T FEEL

LIKE THEY HAVE A VOICE, AND THIS

IS KIND OF ONE OF THOSE WAYS

THAT THEY CAN REALLY GET A

VOICE.

AND MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, A

LOT OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE I'VE

TALKED TO DON'T FEEL LIKE WHAT

THEY HAVE TO SAY IS GOING TO

IMPACT ANYONE.

THEY FEEL LIKE THEIR VOTE IS

ISN'T GOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE

IN THE ELECTION.

LIKE WHO THEY CHOOSE ISN'T GOING

TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THEIR

COUNTRY.

THEY DON'T FEEL LIKE IT'S GOING

TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

DON'T REALLY FEEL, EVEN IF THEY

ARE INVOLVED, THAT IT'S REALLY

GOING TO IMPACT THE COUNTRY.

I THINK THAT'S, YOU KNOW, A BIG

PART OF IT.

>> UH-HUH.

GREAT.

THANKS SO MUCH.

FRANCESCA, FOR SHARING YOUR

THOUGHTS WITH US, AND I WONDER,

ACTUALLY, PAULINA, I KNOW THAT

YOU GOT INVOLVED YESTERDAY WHILE

YOU WERE STILL IN HIGH SCHOOL,

AND WHETHER YOU THINK PROGRAMS

LIKE THAT THAT ENCOURAGE YOUNG

PEOPLE TO HAVE SOME EXPOSURE TO

ELECTED OFFICIALS COULD MAKE A

DIFFERENCE IF THEY WERE MORE

WIDELY AVAILABLE?

>> I ABSOLUTELY THANK YOU FOR

THE COMMENTS, FRANCESCA, WE

REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.

SO I PERSONALLY DO BELIEVE THAT

IF YOUNG PEOPLE, PARTICULARLY IN

HIGH SCHOOL, ARE -- ARE EXPOSED

TO THE POLITICAL ATMOSPHERE AND

BASICALLY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY

TO SPEAK TO ELECTED OFFICIALS

DIRECTLY, AND FEEL LIKE THEY'RE

BEING HEARD AND THEY'RE BEING

LISTENED TO, IF THEY FEEL LIKE

WHAT THEY ARE SAYING WILL

POSSIBLY MAKE SOME SLIGHT

DIFFERENCE, THEN, YES, I THINK

THAT THEY WOULD BECOME MORE

INVOLVED, BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY

WHAT DID IT FOR ME AND THAT'S

WHAT DID IT FOR A LOT OF

INDIVIDUALS THEY TALKED TO IN MY

HIGH SCHOOL.

I TOLD THEM THAT, YOU KNOW, WE

SHOULD GO TALK TO OUR ELECTED

OFFICIALS AND SURE ENOUGH, AFTER

THAT, THEY'VE STAYED AND THEY'VE

REMAINED POLITICALLY EDGE GAUGED

AND POLITICALLY ACTIVE IN THEIR

COMMUNITY, WHEREVER THAT.

SO I DEFINITELY BELIEVE THAT

HAVING ELECTED OFFICIALS

DIRECTLY COMMUNICATE WITH THE

YOUTH, WHETHER THEY ARE OF

VOTING AGE YET OR NOT, IS

VITALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE IN THE

END WE ARE ALL GOING TO HAVE THE

OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE.

>> UH-HUH.

>> SO LET'S GET EVERYONE

INVOLVED AND LET'S GET

EVERYONE...

>> THANK YOU.

WELL DUNBAR IS WITH KUT NEWS,

HE'S BEEN MANAGING THIS

CONVERSATION ON SOCIAL MEDIA

AROUND WHYBOTHERTEXAS.ORG .

>> I'M HERE WITH AMALIA, SHE

RAISED A POINT DIRECTING US TO A

BLOG POST SHE WROTE ON TWITTER.

WE'RE HAVING A CONVERSATION

ABOUT TRYING TO BRING MORE YOUNG

VOTERS INTO THE FOLD, BUT SHE

HAD A PROBLEM JUST REGISTERING

AND GOING THROUGH THE STEPS

ONLINE THAT SHE'D LIKE TO TELL

Y'ALL ABOUT.

>> THANKS, YEAH.

SO SO FAR WE'VE KIND OF COME TO

THE CONSENSUS THAT APATHY OR A

LACK OF HOPE IS THE PROBLEM, AND

THE SOLUTION IS EXPOSURE, BUT

WHENEVER I HEARD ABOUT -- ABOUT

THIS FORUM, I THOUGHT TO MYSELF,

BUT WHAT IF I AM MOTIVATED?

MY FACEBOOK FEED HAS BEEN VERY

POLITICAL LATELY.

WHAT IF I WERE MOTIVATED TO GO

OUT AND ACTUALLY REGISTER AND

VOTE?

SO I DID A LITTLE UNSCIENTIFIC

EXPERIMENT TODAY, AND WENT TO

GOOGLE, AS I IMAGINE MOST PEOPLE

WOULD DO, AND JUST TYPED IN HOW

TO VOTE AUSTIN TEXAS.

THE TOP SEARCH RESULT WAS THE

AUSTIN CITY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE,

WHICH DIDN'T REALLY HAVE

ANYTHING ON THE PAGE, BUT

REFERRED ME TO ANOTHER CITY

PAGE, WHICH REFERRED ME TO

ANOTHER CITY PAGE.

I BASICALLY FOLLOWED -- TOOK A

TOUR OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN

GOVERNMENT WEBSITE, SIX PAGES

AROUND, BEFORE FINALLY ARRIVING

AT A DEAD END, AND THAT POINT,

AS MOTIVATED AS I WAS GOING IN,

I WOULD HAVE BEEN COMPLETELY

DISCOURAGED COMING OUT.

AND AS FAR AS THE BIG GAP

BETWEEN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS

AND THEN THE MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS

GOES, I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF

ACCIDENTAL VOTERS AT

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS.

DURING PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS,

THEY'LL BE VOTING BOOTHS AT THE

UNIVERSITY LIBRARY, AT GROCERY

STORES, SO EVEN IF YOU COULDN'T

FIGURE OUT HOW TO VOTE, YOU'LL

SEE A BOOTH AND, OH, OKAY, I

GUESS I'LL DO IT, AND YOU'LL

STUMBLE IN.

BUT WITH MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS, I

DON'T SEE HOW THERE'S ANY WAY

YOU'D PIECE IT TOGETHER UNLESS

YOU PERSONALLY KNEW A GOVERNMENT

OFFICIAL THAT I COULD JUST ASK.

>> UH-HUH.

>>

[APPLAUSE]

[CHUCKLING] THANK YOU SO MUCH

FOR BRINGING IN THAT VERY OTHER

IMPORTANT DIMENSION WHICH ARE

WHAT ARE THE STRUCTURAL BARRIERS

TO VOTING AND REGISTERING TO

VOTE.

I THINK WE'RE GOING TO GO BACK

OVER TO JOY NOW, WHO HAS ANOTHER

COMMENT.

>> YES.

I AM WITH GEORGE AND HE IS 58.

HE HAS BEEN VOTING SINCE HE WAS

18.

IF YOU DO THE MATH, IT'S BEEN

FOR 40 YEARS.

YOU KNOW WHAT, AT TIMES HE'S

BEEN DISCOURAGED, NOT TODAY,

THOUGH, TELL US WHY, GEORGE.

>> YEAH, I USED TO BE PART OF A

YOUTH MOVEMENT A LONG, LONG TIME

AGO, I HAVE TO ADMIT ESPECIALLY

NOW WITH THE ADVENT OF SUPER

PACKS AND THE CONTROL OF MONEY

ON NATIONAL ELECTIONS AND THE

FACT THAT WE'RE SO ABLE TO SEE

MEDIA PORTRAYING THAT IN THAT

LIGHT THAT IT'S VERY EASY FOR US

TO GET DISCOURAGED AND I HAVE TO

TELL YOU I'M MUCH MORE HEARTENED

ABOUT THAT NOW, THESE PEOPLE

GETTING INVOLVED IN THE LOCAL

LEVEL, I THINK THE ONLY WAY THAT

CAN BE COMBATED IS TO START AT

THIS LEVEL AND FIND ITS WAY UP

TO THE NATIONAL LEVEL.

>> THANKS SO MUCH.

ACTUALLY WANTED TO SEE IF ONE OF

OUR GUESTS UP HERE WANTED TO

COMMENT ABOUT THE STRUCTURAL

BARRIERS ISSUE.

DARIAN, I KNOW YOU MENTIONED

TOO, IN YOUR COMMUNITY, YOU MAY

NOT HAVE A COMPUTER OR ACCESS TO

GOOGLE, SO THERE'S A WHOLE OTHER

LEVEL OF PROBLEMS.

DO YOU WANT TO SAY A LITTLE

ABOUT THAT.

>> CORRECT, LIKE LITERALLY, IF I

WERE TO RUN INTO AN ELECTED

OFFICIAL, I MIGHT -- MIGHT NOT

EVEN RECOGNIZE HIM, LIKE HE

MIGHT BE SOMEWHERE SPEAKING ON,

YOU KNOW, HIS BEHALF ABOUT HIS

BEING ELECTED AND, YOU KNOW, BUT

I WOULDN'T EVEN KNOW UNLESS

SOMEONE HANDED ME A PAMPHLET OR

SOMETHING WITH HIS FACE ON IT.

>> UH-HUH.

>> WHICH I FIND KIND OF, HEY,

WHY DON'T I KNOW THIS.

IT'S FRUSTRATING FOR ME, YOU

KNOW, BUT IF I ASK SOME OF MY

FRIENDS, THEY -- THEY ARE NOT

WORRIED THAT THEY DON'T KNOW.

THEY'RE NOT WORRIED ABOUT, YOU

KNOW, IF THEY DON'T GET TO VOTE,

THEY'RE GOING TO LIVE THEIR

LIVES, HOW THEY LIVE IT, AND

SATISFIED WITH THE WAY THEY'RE

LIVING IT, SO I FIGURE THE

STRUCTURE, YOU KNOW, THE

KNOWLEDGE OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS

ACTUALLY GOING ON NEEDS TO

CHANGE.

WE NEED DIFFERENCE.

>> UH-HUH.

THANK YOU.

AND NOW I THINK WE HAVE SOME

MORE COMMENTS FROM OUR YOUNGEST

CITIZENS IN THE AUDIENCE OVER

HERE.

>> YEAH, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE

VOTING AGE YET, BUT IT'S GREAT

TO SEE AN INTERESTED GROUP.

LET'S START WITH YOU, CEANNA.

>> I WAS WONDERING HOW PEOPLE

IMPACT OUR FUTURE BY VOTING,

YOUNG PEOPLE.

>> UH-HUH.

OKAY.

DO YOU WANT TO TAKE A STAB.

>> WE'RE MAKING DECISIONS NOW

FOR YOU ALL DOESN'T SEEM VERY

RIGHT.

IT SEEMS LIKE YOU ALL NEED TO BE

MAKING YOUR DECISIONS FOR THE

FUTURE, AND I DO THINK THAT WHAT

WE LOSE SOMETIMES IS THAT IT'S

JUST SORT OF AN ADULT WORLD,

LIKE TAXES AND MEDICARE, AND

MEDICAID, AND SOCIAL SECURITY,

THAT REALLY HAVE NO VALIDITY TO

YOUR LIVES RIGHT NOW, AND I

THINK WE NEED TO MAKE POLITICS

MORE REAL TO YOU THAT YOU SEE

VALUE, AND VOTING AND

CAMPAIGNING AND ADVOCATING FOR

THOSE ITEMS THAT ARE IN YOUR

BACK YARD.

>> UH-HUH.

>> AND CAMERON?

>> I WAS WONDERING, DO YOU THINK

YOUNG VOTERS ARE MATURE ENOUGH

TO VOTE ON SOMETHING MOST OF

THEM DON'T EVEN FULLY

UNDERSTAND?

>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

PAULINA, OR DARIAN, DO YOU WANT

TO JUMP IN.

>> I WOULD.

I THINK -- COULD YOU ASK THAT

QUESTION ONE MORE TIME?

>> DO YOU REALLY THINK YOUNG

VOTERS ARE MATURE ENOUGH TO VOTE

ON SOMETHING MOST OF THEM DON'T

EVEN FULLY UNDERSTAND?

>> I THINK YOUNG VOTERS HAVE THE

POTENTIAL TO UNDERSTAND, EVEN

THOUGH IT'S WAY -- MAYBE WAY OUT

OF OUR LEAGUE, NO WAY IN

RELATING TO WHAT YOU REALLY CARE

ABOUT, MAYBE, BUT I THINK AT

SOME POINT WITH LITTLE KNOWLEDGE

OF, YOU KNOW, THE ISSUES IN YOUR

COMMUNITY, I THINK THAT YOU CAN,

YOU KNOW, APPLY YOUR STRUGGLES,

AND, YOU KNOW, YOUR HARDSHIPS TO

THE ACTUAL CAUSE, AND, YOU KNOW,

GET SOMETHING OUT OF IT, AND BE

ABLE TO MAKE A ZIG.

>> UH-HUH, GREAT.

>> AND PAULINA?

>> WELL, BASICALLY, I FEEL JUST

LIKE HE WAS SAYING THAT WE CAN

EDUCATE OURSELVES.

WHERE THERE'S A WILL, THERE'S A

WAY, RIGHT?

SO I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW,

THERE'S AN ISSUE THAT WE KNOW IS

GOING TO AFFECT US IN THE NEAR

FUTURE OR WILL AFFECT US NOW,

AND WE JUST EDUCATE OURSELVES OR

TALK TO SOMEONE WHO KNOWS, YOU

KNOW, MAKE IT INTERESTING TO US.

YEAH, LET'S VOTE, BECAUSE WE

HAVE THAT VOICE AND WE SHOULD

VOTE SO THAT'S -- THAT'S

DEFINITELY MY ENCOURAGEMENT.

>> GREAT.

THANK YOU.

SO WE'VE HEARD A LITTLE BIT

ABOUT SOME OF THE CHALLENGES.

SOME APATHY WE'VE HEARD ABOUT.

WE'VE HEARD ABOUT CYNICISM,

ABOUT WHETHER YOUR VOTE COUNTS

OR WHETHER THIS ELECTED

OFFICIALS ARE GOING TO LISTEN TO

YOU, WE'VE HEARD ABOUT

STRUCTURAL BARRIERS.

NOW LET'S MOVE TOWARD SOME

POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS AND LET'S

BEGIN WITH A LOOK AT ONE GROUP

THAT'S WORKING HERE IN AUSTIN TO

GET MORE PEOPLE TO VOTE.

>> WORKERS DEFENSE PROJECT IS A

NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION,

NONPARTISAN ORGANIZATION THAT

ADVOCATES ON BEHALF OF LOW WAGE

WORKERS AND THEIR FAMILIES.

WE EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY ABOUT

THEIR RIGHTS AS WORKERS AND WE

RECENTLY HAVE BEEN WORKING ON A

WE COUNT VOTER ENGAGEMENT

CAMPAIGN TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE WHO

GENERALLY ARE UNDERREPRESENTED

IN THE ELECTORAL PROCESS TO

PARTICIPATE IN ELECTIONS.

THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF RESEARCH

DONE THAT SHOWS THAT YOUNG

VOTERS TEND TO TURN OUT IN LOWER

NUMBERS.

THAT LATINO -- I THINK A LOT OF

TIMES PEOPLE DON'T ALWAYS

REALIZE HOW THE DECISIONS OF

LOCAL POLICY MAKERS IMPACT THEIR

LIVES.

WE DON'T ADVOCATE FOR ANY

PARTICULAR POSITION OR ANY

PARTICULAR CANDIDATE.

WE'RE A NONPARTISAN

ORGANIZATION, BUT WE DO TALK TO

COMMUNITY MEMBERS ABOUT WHAT

THEIR CONCERNS ARE.

SO SOMEONE SAYS I'M REALLY

CONCERNED ABOUT EDUCATION, WE

WOULD SAY, WELL, LET'S TAKE A

LOOK AT -- THERE'S IMPORTANT

VOTES COMING UP ON ELECTION, AND

OUR STATE LEGISLATURE,

THERE'S -- THOSE SORTS OF THINGS

THAT ARE LIKE THERE ARE

DECISIONS BEING MADE ABOUT THESE

TOPICS THAT YOU'RE TELLING US

THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO YOUR

LIVES.

WE'RE ALSO FOCUSING ON THE

IMMEDIATE COMMUNITY WHERE OUR

COMMUNITY CENTER IS LOCATED.

WE'RE GOING OUT AND KNOCKING ON

PEOPLE'S DOORS.

WE'RE GOING TO BE KNOCKING ON

PEOPLE'S DOORS AND CALLING

PEOPLE WHO ARE REGISTERED TO

VOTE OR WHO MIGHT BE -- BE

INTERESTED IN REGISTERING TO

VOTE AND TALKING TO THEM ABOUT

THE UPCOMING ELECTIONS, MAKING

SURE THAT THEY KNOW WHAT THEY

NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE

ELECTIONS, THEY KNOW WHERE TO

VOTE, HOW TO VOTE, WHAT IS GOING

TO BE ON THE BALLOT, AND TO

REALLY TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO

GET OUT THERE AND KNOW THAT IT'S

AN IMPORTANT PART OF HAVING AN

IMPACT ON THEIR COMMUNITY, AND

THE COMMUNITY THAT THEY WANT TO

LIVE IN.

>> IT'S IMPORTANT TO, YOU KNOW,

ENGAGE YOUNG PEOPLE WITH THEIR

OWN INTERESTS.

START WHERE THEY'RE AT.

FIGURE OUT WHAT IT IS THAT IS

PREVENTING THEM FROM VOTING AND

TALK WITH THEM ABOUT THAT, WHY

THAT MAY EXIST, WHY THEY MAY

HAVE THIS FEELING AND I THINK

IT'S IMPORTANT TO ALSO GIVE

ALTERNATIVES.

SO VOTING IS JUST ONE PART OF

CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, BUT THERE'S

OTHER WAYS TO GET INVOLVED IN

THE POLITICAL SYSTEM TO IMPROVE

IT, AND SO I THINK, YOU KNOW,

PART OF IT IS LETTING THEM KNOW

THAT YOU UNDERSTAND WHERE THEIR

FRUSTRATION COMES FROM, AND THEN

PART OF IT IS ALSO GIVING THEM

OPTIONS OF WAYS THAT THEY CAN

GET INVOLVED AND PARTICIPATE.

SO THESE BLOCK WALKS HAVE BEEN A

GREAT WAY FOR US TO REACH OUT TO

YOUNG PEOPLE ON THE UT CAMPUS

AND IN THE AUSTIN AREA IN

GENERAL TO SAY, YOU KNOW, THIS

IS A WAY THAT YOU CAN GET

INVOLVED.

YOU CAN PARTICIPATE CIVICALLY IN

POLITICS.

YOUNG PEOPLE ARE VERY IMPORTANT

TO ENGAGE IN OUR ELECTORAL

SYSTEM, IN OUR POLITICAL

PROCESS, BECAUSE THESE DECISIONS

THAT ARE BEING MADE NOW ARE

GOING TO END UP AFFECTING US

MORE THAN ANY OTHER GENERATION,

BEING GENERATION X WE HAVE BEEN

BROUGHT UP IN THIS DIFFERENT

AREA THAT -- ERA THAT HAS

DIFFERENT RELATIONSHIPS AND

CONNECTIONS WITH PEOPLE, AND SO

WE MAYBE HAVE A DIFFERENT WAY OF

LOOKING AT THINGS THAT COULD

INCREASE THE ABILITY OF OUR

POLICY MAKERS TO ACTUALLY

REFLECT THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE,

SO I THINK YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE A

UNIQUE VOICE THAT SHOULD BE

CONTRIBUTED TO.

>> DARIAN, YOU SAID A LITTLE BIT

EARLIER ABOUT HOW YOU GOT

INVOLVED IN THE PROJECT AND THE

WAY THAT YOU'RE USING HIP HOP TO

MOTIVATE AND INSPIRE YOUNG

PEOPLE.

I WANT TO ACTUALLY RAISE AN

ISSUE THAT I KNOW THAT YOU'VE

BEEN FOLLOWING AND MY GUESS IS

THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF HIP HOP

FANS HERE IN THE AUDIENCE AND

SOME OF THEM MAY HAVE HEARD

ABOUT THIS TOO.

THERE ARE ACTUALLY SOME

CELEBRITIES IN THE HIP HOP WORLD

WHO ARE ON VERY OPPOSITE SIDES

OF THIS CONVERSATION THAT WE'RE

HAVING TONIGHT AND I WOULD LOVE

TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT THAT

AND WHAT ROLE YOU THINK THAT HIP

HOP CAN PLAY, AND JUST TO BE

MORE SPECIFIC, WHAT I'M

REFERRING TO IS LUPE WHO IS A

VERY WELL-KNOWN HIP HOP ARTIST

COMING OUT AGAINST VOTING AND

THEN THERE WERE MANY OTHER

CELEBRITIES THAT CAME OUT AND

REALLY SPOKE OUT AGAINST HIM.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT AND

HOW CAN HIP HOP BE A POSITIVE

INFLUENCE?

>> I THINK AS AN ARTIST, I THINK

YOU WANT TO BE INVOLVED IN

SOMETHING SO IMPORTANT, BUT TO

BE ON THE OPPOSING SIDE AND NOT

FOR CHANGE OR TO MAKE A

DIFFERENCE, IS VERY LIKE

STRIKING TO ME, BUT AT THE SAME

TIME, ALL I CAN DO IS RESPECT --

RESPECT HIS DECISIONS AND HIS

OPINIONS, IT'S LIKE ALL YOU CAN

DO IS -- ALL I CAN DO IS SALUTE

THAT AND CONTINUE WITH -- WITH

MY PATH, BUT DEFINITELY USE WHAT

HE'S SAYING AS A -- AS A TOOL

MOSTLY TO ENCOURAGE MY PEERS TO

SPEAK THEIR MIND AND USE -- USE

YOUR VOICE, YOUR MIND, AS A --

YOU KNOW, AS A TOOL TO BE HEARD.

WITH MY MUSIC, WE USE -- I USE

MY MUSIC AS, YOU KNOW, TO --

JUST FOR MY OWN VOICE.

MY OWNERSHIP TO EVEN HAVE

OWNERSHIP OF MY VOICE, MY WORDS

IS -- IS MAGIC TO ME, YOU KNOW,

SO I USE -- I USE THAT AND PITCH

IT TO MY PEERS, IT'S LIKE THEY

CAN RELATE.

THEY -- THEY UNDERSTAND THE

LINGO, MY SLANG, IF I HAVE ANY.

IT'S LIKE WE -- WE GENERATION X.

LIKE -- LIKE YOUNG LADY WAS

SAYING, WE -- WE ARE NOT

OUTCASTS, BUT WE -- WE HAVE A

CERTAIN WAY OF COMMUNICATING.

IT'S SUCH A, YOU KNOW, WE ALL

ABOUT MEDIA NOW AND LIKE HIGH

TECH TOOLS AND, YOU KNOW,

EVERYTHING, IT'S JUST -- IT'S

DIFFERENT FROM THE '60s, PUT

IT THAT WAY.

>> UH-HUH.

>> I'M A '90s BABY.

SO HOW DIFFERENT DOES THAT

SOUND?

THAT SOUNDS DIFFERENT.

IT DON'T EVEN -- IT DON'T EVEN

MATCH, YOU KNOW, SO... THERE'S A

LOT OF ADJUSTING THAT WE HAVE TO

DO WHEN IT COMES TO THE OLDER --

OLDER GENERATION.

THERE'S -- THERE'S SHOWS I DO,

YOU KNOW, AND THERE MAY BE YOUTH

OR YOUNGER PEOPLE IN THE CROWD

OR, YOU KNOW, JUST MAINLY OLDER

HIP HOP FANS.

>> UH-HUH.

>> WHO ARE FROM THE COMMUNITY,

BUT THAT MESSAGE WE ARE PUTTING

OUT, IT STILL -- IT TENDS TO

TRAVEL, IT TENDS TO, YOU KNOW,

KIND OF SPREAD THROUGH THAT ONE

PERSON, YOU KNOW.

YOU GET A MESSAGE, YOU DON'T

JUST SIT ON IT, ESPECIALLY IF

IT'S SOMETHING THAT WAS UP

LIFTING AND IT HAD YOU THINKING

ABOUT IT ALL DAY, SO THAT'S --

THAT'S LIKE THE MAGIC AND THE

POWER IN, YOU KNOW, USING HIP

HOP, AND SPOKEN WORD.

IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT HIP HOP.

IT'S ABOUT, YOU KNOW, JUST MY

VOICE, ME SPEAKING IS A WEAPON

OF ME, YOU KNOW, SO THAT WOULD

BE MY -- MY AIM IN THIS.

USE WHAT YOU THINK YOU CAN DO

THE BEST TO OVERCOME, YOU KNOW,

YOUR CHALLENGE.

I FEEL I CAN SPEAK AT ANY TIME

UNDER ANY TYPE OF PRESSURE AS

CALM WITH NO PROBLEM AND RELATE

TO SOMEONE AND REACH THEM AND

ENCOURAGE SOMEONE TO GO ON AND,

YOU KNOW, THEY'LL GO PICK UP

THEIR PEN OR SOMETHING, YOU

KNOW, AND WRITE A VERSE.

>> UH-HUH.

>> SO --

>> THAT'S BEAUTIFULLY PUT.

THANK YOU, DARIAN.

PAULINA, YOU TOLD US EARLIER

ABOUT HOW YOU BECAME INVOLVED IN

BROWNSVILLE, AND THE ANTI

POVERTY CAMPAIGN.

TELL US A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT

HOW OTHER YOUNG PEOPLE WHO CARE

ABOUT A PARTICULAR CAUSE OR AN

ISSUE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE BY

GETTING INVOLVED IN VOTING.

>> SURE.

SURE.

SO THE -- THAT ACTUALLY BRINGS

ME TO A QUOTE THAT HAS REALLY

MOTIVATED ME TO THIS DAY AND

IT'S BY BARBARA JORDAN, AND AS

HE SAID, ENLIGHTENED CITIZEN IS

AN INDISPENSABLE INGREDIENT IN

THE FOUNDATION OF DEMOCRACY.

AND SO BASICALLY, LIKE WHAT THIS

MEANS TO ME IS THAT THIS IS THE

ROOT OF ADVOCACY.

THIS IS THE ROOT OF WHAT IT

MEANS TO BE AN ENGAGED CITIZEN.

IF YOU'RE ENLIGHTENED.

IF YOU'RE EDUCATED ON THE

ISSUES.

LIKE YOU PARTICULARLY CARE

ABOUT, AND YOU GO OUT AND YOU

USE YOUR VOICE, IN WHATEVER WAY

THAT -- THAT IS, AND YOU MAKE

YOUR SENSE KNOWN.

YOU REALLY CAN MAKE A

DIFFERENCE, AND ALL OF US, EVERY

SINGLE PERSON IN THIS ROOM TODAY

HAS A PARTICULAR CAUSE, HAS A

PARTICULAR PASSION THAT THEY

REALLY DO CARE ABOUT, THAT

THEY'RE REALLY PASSIONATE ABOUT,

AND THAT THEY REALLY DO KNOW A

LOT ABOUT.

>> UH-HUH.

>> AND REALLY MY -- MY

EXPERIENCE IN USING MY VOICE TO

NOT ONLY RAISE AWARENESS IN MY

COMMUNITY, AND MY -- AND MY

UNIVERSITY AND TO MY ELECTED

OFFICIALS AND REALLY SEEING HOW

THAT HAS BEEN EFFECTIVE IN

MOBILIZING A MOVEMENT AROUND

FIGHTING EXTREME POVERTY, WHICH

IS MY -- MY PASSION, YOU KNOW,

THAT IS THE SAME EXACT THING

THAT EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US

CAN DO AND SHOULD DO, BECAUSE IF

YOU HAVE THE POWER TO REALLY

MAKE A DIFFERENCE WITH YOUR

VOICE, USE IT.

YOU KNOW, ALL OF US HAVE A

VOICE.

ALL OF US HAVE A PASSION, AND

ALL OF US REALLY SHOULD

BASICALLY TAKE THAT INITIATIVE

TO MAKE THAT MOVEMENT AND PUT

THAT MOVEMENT INTO MOTION.

SO THAT IS -- THAT -- THAT'S MY

ENCOURAGEMENT.

THAT'S MY MOTIVATION TO EACH AND

EVERY ONE OF YOU, AND REALLY

FIND AND FIGURE OUT WHAT YOUR

CAUSE AND WHAT YOUR PASSION IS,

AND RUN WITH IT, BECAUSE NO

MATTER HOW LITTLE YOU THINK YOUR

VOICE CAN -- CAN MAKE A

DIFFERENCE IN, YOU KNOW, THAT IS

REALLY JUST -- THAT IS REALLY A

DOUBT AND THAT IS A LIE THAT YOU

HAVE WITHIN YOU, BECAUSE YOUR

VOICE CAN AND WILL MAKE A

DIFFERENCE, SO, YOU KNOW,

PLEASE, YOU KNOW, KEEP THIS IN

MIND THAT WHATEVER YOUR PASSION

IS, IT MATTERS AND YOU CAN MAKE

A DIFFERENCE.

>> WONDERFUL, THANK YOU,

PAULINA.

I'M GOING TO GO BACK TO JOY DIAZ

AND OUR AUDIENCE.

>> THANK YOU, ANN.

I'M HERE WITH KATY POWERS AND

SHE'S 23, AND AS SOON AS WE

TALKED ABOUT POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS,

SHE JUST JUMPED TO THE

OPPORTUNITY, BECAUSE SHE HAS

SOME IDEAS HERE.

HERE WE GO.

>> HI, I JUST WANTED TO TELL

EVERYONE THAT MILLENNIALS, THOSE

OF US WHO ARE AGE ABOUT 13 TO

30, WE NOT ONLY HAVE THE LARGEST

VOTING BLOCK IN AMERICA RIGHT

NOW, BUT ACCORDING TO PUGH

RESEARCH CENTER, WE'RE ALSO THE

MOST ETHNICALLY DIVERSE AND

IMPLICITLY PROGRESSIVE AND

PAULINA'S QUOTE MADE ME REMEMBER

ANOTHER QUOTE BY ALZHEIMER

WALKER THAT SAYS THE MOST COMMON

WAY PEOPLE GIVE UP THEIR POWER

IS BY BELIEVING THEY DON'T HAVE

ANY.

SO THAT VOTING BLOCK IS A LOT OF

POWER.

PLEASE USE YOUR VOICE.

AND I WANTED TO CHAT ABOUT WHY

THIS ELECTION IN PARTICULAR IS

IMPORTANT TO ME AS A WOMAN.

A LOT OF REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS ARE

UNDER ATTACK AND THAT IS AN

IMPORTANT ECONOMIC ISSUE.

THAT AFFECTS YOUR MOTHERS, YOUR

DAUGHTERS, YOUR SISTERS, YOUR

FRIENDS.

SO PLEASE, NO MATTER WHAT YOUR

STANCE, GET OUT AND VOTE, YOU

HAVE POWER WITH YOUR VOTE.

>> WONDERFUL.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

[APPLAUSE]

>> AND I'M SO HAPPY THAT WE HAVE

SO MANY PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE

THAT WANT TO COMMENT.

I'M GOING TO GO RIGHT BACK OVER

TO WELLS.

>> I'M HERE WITH BRIDGET HALL

WHO IS WITH THE WORKERS DEFENSE

PROGRAM WHO WE HEARD WITH

EARLIER.

THEY'RE PUSHING SOME SOLUTIONS

OF THEIR OWN IN THE WAY OF VOTER

INFORMATION AND GETTING

INFORMATION IN VOTER'S HANDS BUT

YOU WANTED TO TELL US SOME ABOUT

YOUR EXPERIENCE AND SETBACKS

THERE, I GUESS.

>> YES, SO I AM WITH THE

WORKER'S DEFENSE PROJECT AND I

WAS ACTUALLY JUST IN THAT VIDEO,

SO FUNNY TIMING, BUT I ALSO JUST

WANTED TO FOLLOW-UP ON A FEW

THINGS I SAID IN THAT VIDEO

ABOUT OTHER WAYS TO GET

CIVICALLY ENGAGED.

THE WORKERS DEFENSE PROJECT IS

ADVOCACY WORK ON BEHALF OF OUR

WORKING MEMBERS AND SO FOR

EXAMPLE, TODAY WE WERE AT THE

COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S COURT

TRYING TO LOBBY FOR LIVING WAGES

FOR CONSTRUCTION WORKERS FOR

HUGE DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS THAT

COME INTO AUSTIN.

WE FREQUENTLY GO TO CITY COUNCIL

MEETINGS TO LOBBY ON BEHALF OF

OUR WORKERS, SO, YOU KNOW,

VOTING IS ONE IMPORTANT PART,

BUT THERE'S ALSO WAYS THAT YOU

CAN BE MORE DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN

THE SYSTEM AND ADVOCATE FOR THE

NEEDS OF PEOPLE.

ALSO WITH THE WORKER'S DEFENSE

PROJECT, I AM WORKING ON PUTTING

TOGETHER A VOTER GUIDE, WITH,

YOU KNOW, WE'VE PUT OUT A LIST

OF QUESTIONS TO CANDIDATES IN

RACES THAT WE'RE INTERESTED IN,

AND WE'RE TRYING TO GET SOME

RESPONSES TO THEN GIVE THAT

INFORMATION TO VOTERS, AND IT'S

BEEN EXTREMELY CHALLENGING, ONE

JUST TO EVEN GET IN TOUCH WITH

ALL OF THESE CANDIDATES, AND

THEN, TWO, TO ACTUALLY GET

RESPONSES BACK FROM THEM, SO I

JUST WANTED TO ASK THE PANEL,

YOU KNOW, I HEARD A COUPLE OF

PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE

OF EDUCATING AND EDUCATING

VOTERS AND BEING INFORMED ABOUT

WHAT'S ACTUALLY ON THE BALLOT,

AND I WAS WONDERING IF ANY OF

YOU MAYBE HAD SOME SUGGESTIONS

OR INSIGHTS ON -- ON OTHER WAYS

THAT COULD HAPPEN, VOTER GUIDES

SEEM TO BE A REALLY COMMON WAY,

BUT IT'S A VERY TIME INTENSIVE,

PERSON-POWER-INTENSIVE PROCESS.

SO MAYBE YOU ALL HAVE SOME OTHER

ADVICE ON THAT.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, BRIDGET,

AND I THINK BECAUSE WE WANT TO

GET AS MANY COMMENTS IN AS

POSSIBLE, I'D LOVE TO GO BACK TO

JOY GET A FEW MORE COMMENTS AND

THEN WE'LL ASK OUR PANELISTS TO

COMMENT, OR ANSWER BACK.

OKAY?

JOY.

>> YOU KNOW, MOHAMMED IS 19

YEARS OLD AND ONE OF THE

CHALLENGES THAT HE FACES IS THE

DISCOURAGEMENT OF HAVING TWO

CHOICES ONLY.

>> UH-HUH.

>> SO KIND OF CAME UP WITH THIS

CRIP AND BLOOD THEORY, TWO

DIFFERENT GANG ORGANIZATIONS

KIND OF GOING FOR THE SAME

THING, ONE IS RED AND ONE BLUE.

I DON'T FEEL LIKE I'M A PART OF

THEM.

I DON'T GO TO THEIR MONTHLY

MEETINGS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

AND THEY'RE JUST FIGHTING EACH

OTHER FOR THE SAME THING.

I KIND OF SEE THAT IN THE

DEMOCRAT AND REPUBLICAN PARTIES.

FOR INSTANCE, THEY'RE PLAYING

THIS NAME GAME.

THEY CALL EACH OTHER OUT.

YOU'RE LIKE, HEY, MCCAIN, WHAT

ARE YOU GOING TO DO TO CUT THE

TAXES.

WELL, BARAK OBAMA IS GOING TO DO

THIS.

YOU ASK BARAK OBAMA THE SAME

QUESTION, HE GOES, WELL, MCCAIN

IS GOING TO DO THIS.

THIS WHOLE GANG THEORY OF TWO

DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS GOING

AGAINST EACH OTHER MAKES IT HARD

SAY I WANT TO VOTE FOR WHAT IS

BETTER FOR AMERICA.

I DON'T WANT TO VOTE AS DEMOCRAT

OR REPUBLICAN.

DISCOURAGING US, WE'RE NOT PART

OF THESE PEOPLE, WE DON'T EVEN

AGREE WITH THEM, AND LIKE THE

WHOLE, AGAIN, THE NAME GAME,

NEWS AND MEDIA, HEY REPUBLICANS,

DEMOCRATS, DO THIS, IT'S ALL

LIKE ONE STRAIGHT LINE.

WHAT IF I'M NOT PART OF THAT

LINE?

AND VOTING MAKES ME KIND OF FEEL

LIKE YOU'RE PAYING THEIR GAME.

WHICH GANG ARE YOU WITH.

WHICH CREW ARE YOU HANGING OUT

WITH.

IT'S DISCOURAGING.

I THINK THAT WHOLE DEMOCRAT,

REPUBLICAN, THAT NAME GAME MAKES

IT HARD FOR PEOPLE TO VOTE AND

PICK WHICH GROUP THEY'RE WITH.

>> THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT.

I THINK IT'S A --

[APPLAUSE]

-- A SENTIMENT THAT MANY OTHERS

WOULD SHARE IN THE ROOM, AND

AGAIN I THINK WE WANT TO JUST

KEEP GOING AND HEAR SOME MORE

COMMENTS AND MAYBE SOMEBODY WILL

HAVE A COMMENT BACK TO

MOHAMMED'S POINT.

SO IF WE COULD GO BACK TO YOU,

WELLS.

>> OKAY.

TERRIFIC.

I'M HERE WITH ROCHELLE

CHAMBERLAIN, SHE HAS WHAT SOUNDS

LIKE A LOT OF SUGGESTIONS FOR

HOW TO ENGAGE PEOPLE IN VOTING

AND MORE DIRECT CIVIC

PARTICIPATION.

>> OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW,

EVERYBODY IS KIND OF APATHETIC

THESE DAYS, I KNOW THAT I AM.

AND I KNOW THAT KNOWLEDGE EQUALS

POWER, THAT IF YOU KNOW, YOU

KNOW WHAT THE CANDIDATES ARE

SAYING, AND YOU KNOW WHAT IS

GOING ON IN THE ELECTIONS, THEN

YOU CAN REALLY MAKE A

DIFFERENCE, AND I JUST RECENTLY

STARTED TO LISTEN TO NPR ALMOST

DAILY.

AT FIRST IT WAS SO INTIMIDATING.

NOW I FEEL LIKE, OKAY, I KNOW

WHAT'S GOING ON, IT'S NOT THAT

HARD, YOU JUST HAVE TO GIVE IT

THE TIME.

BUT I DID FEEL LIKE I'VE GOT A

LOT OF SUGGESTIONS THAT WE COULD

DO PERSONALLY.

I THOUGHT ABOUT GOING DOWN TO

THE POST OFFICE AND GRABBING A

STACK OF VOTER REGISTRATION

FORMS AND PUTTING THEM IN MY

PURSE, SAYING TO EVERY PERSON

THAT I MET, ARE YOU REGISTERED

TO VOTE, ARE YOU REGISTERED TO

VOTE.

THE LAST DAY TO REGISTER IS

OCTOBER 9th, DO YOU KNOW THAT?

AND I FOUND THIS ON THE WAY IN.

VOTER SELF DEFENSE MANUAL, GO TO

VOTESMART.ORG .

I'VE NEVER HEARD OF THIS BEFORE.

WHY HAVE I NEVER HEARD OF THIS?

WHY AREN'T THESE THINGS ALL OVER

THE PLACE?

I WISH THAT I SAW, YOU KNOW, A

HUGE POSTER ON THE SIDE OF A

BUILDING THAT HAD MITT ROMNEY

AND OBAMA AND THREE OF THE

INDEPENDENT PARTIES WITH ALL OF

THEIR VIEWS THAT I COULD JUST

LOOK AT WHILE I'M SITTING THERE

AT 8 A.M. TRAFFIC.

YOU KNOW, I MEAN MAYBE THAT

REACHES A SMALL PORTION, BUT IF

WE COULD GET INTO GROCERY

STORES.

IF WE COULD GET INTO PEOPLE ON

THE STREET.

YOU CAN GO DOWN TO THE POST

OFFICE AND PICK UP VOTER

REGISTRATION FORMS AND PASS THEM

OUT TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW.

>> THAT'S WONDERFUL.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

[APPLAUSE]

>> AND I KNOW THAT THERE ARE A

NUMBER OF GROUPS HERE THAT

REGISTER VOTERS, AND THEY'RE

PROBABLY ALL GOING TO BE WANT TO

SIGN YOU UP AS THEIR VOLUNTEER

RIGHT AFTER THE SHOW.

SO I WANT TO GO BACK TO JOY AND

WE'LL HAVE ANOTHER COMMENT AND

THEN WE'LL COME BACK TO OUR

PANEL.

>> YES, CARMEN, 27 YEARS OLD,

AND SHE HAS GREAT IDEAS FOR US

TO GET INVOLVED.

CARMEN?

>> THANKS.

I THINK A LOT OF IT IS THE

PERSPECTIVE WE HAVE AND HOW

PLUGGED IN WE ARE ON A LOCAL

LEVEL.

WHEN OCCUPY WAS MENTIONED, I

THOUGHT OF A MESSAGE THAT GRACE,

96-YEAR-OLD ACTIVIST AND

ACADEMIC AND ADVOCATE IN DETROIT

GAVE TO THE YOUNG OCCUPIERS, AND

SHE SAID, "DO SOMETHING LOCAL

AND DON'T DISS THE POLITICAL

SYSTEMS, BUT UNDERSTAND THEIR

LIMITATIONS" AND I THINK WHEN

YOU START TO TALK TO YOUNG

PEOPLE ABOUT THE ISSUES THAT

DIRECTLY AFFECT THEM LOCALLY AND

THEY GET ENGAGED IN ANY AVENUE,

WE BEGIN TO SEE THAT VOTING IS

REALLY A PIECE IN THIS HUGE

PUZZLE OF CIVIL ENGAGEMENT THAT

INVOLVES A LOT MORE TIME AND

COMMITMENT AND IF YOU HAVEN'T

BEEN ENGAGED IN THOSE LOCAL

ACTIVITIES AND CHALLENGES, THEN

YOU GET TO THE POLLING PLACE AND

YOU'RE COMPLETELY CONFUSED BY

THESE PROPOSITIONS AND THESE

LONG, LENGTHY WORDY THINGS AND

YOU FEEL LEFT OUT.

BUT WHEN YOU DO START GETTING

INVOLVED ON THE LOCAL LEVEL, YOU

START TO LEARN THINGS, LIKE THAT

YOU HAVE STATE LEGISLATORS THAT

WERE ELECTED BY 15 OR 20 VOTES,

SO, YES, OUR VOTE DOES COUNT.

YOU START LEARNING THAT AUSTIN

IS THE LARGEST CITY IN THE

COUNTRY WITHOUT GEOGRAPHIC

REPRESENTATION, YOU DON'T SEE

LOCAL OFFICIALS IN YOUR GROCERY

STORE OR ON THE STREET, BECAUSE

THEY LIVE IN THREE ZIP CODES,

THESE ARE THINGS WE CAN GET

INVOLVED IN AND CHANGE, YOU ALSO

COMMIT YOURSELF TO A STRUGGLE

ONLY TO SEE ALL THIS WORK GO

FORWARD AND A COUPLE OF CROOKED

POLITICIANS MIGHT SWEEP IT OUT

FROM UNDER YOU, YOU KNOW WHAT,

YOU KEEP VOTING, BECAUSE YOU

KNOW IT'S A PIECE OF THAT PUZZLE

AND THERE ALWAYS IS A WAY TO DO

THAT, THE BEST WAY TO PEG

INTEGRATE THAT INTO OUR CULTURE

IS THROUGH DIALOGUE, THROUGH

TAKING OUR KIDS WITH US TO THE

POLLING PLACE AND TAKING THIS

CONVERSATION BACK TO THE LOCAL

LEVEL WHERE IT'S NOT ALWAYS

PARTISAN POLITICS AND SOMETIMES

IT REAL I IS A HANDFUL OF VOTES

THAT CHANGES THE FUTURE FOR ALL

OF US.

>> WONDERFUL.

THANKS SO MUCH.

[APPLAUSE]

>> WELL, DO YOU HAVE ANOTHER

COMMENT FOR US?

>> SURE.

I'M HERE WITH STEVEN.

HE'S A 17-YEAR-OLD HIGH SCHOOL

SENIOR, I THINK HE WANTS TO TALK

SOME ABOUT THE REAL LIFE

PRESSURES THAT STUDENTS IN HIGH

SCHOOL FACE THAT MAY IMPEDE THEM

FROM VOTING.

>> UH-HUH.

>> SO I'M IN HIGH SCHOOL RIGHT

NOW, AND I FEEL LIKE -- AND

BECAUSE I'M IN SPEECH AND

DEBATE, I FEEL THAT THAT MAY BE

THE ONLY REASON WHY I KNOW SO

MUCH ABOUT POLITICS, BECAUSE IN

MY SCHOOL, THERE'S A LOT OF

PRESSURE WITH WORK, AND HOME

WORK AND TESTS AND THINGS, AND

SO I DON'T THINK WE EVER HAVE

THE TIME TO ACTUALLY LIKE STUDY

ANYTHING REGARDING THE POLITICS

AND SO EVERY -- ALL OF OUR FOCUS

IS ON HOME WORK AND SCHOOL WORK

AND SO A LOT OF THE -- A LOT OF

THE POLITICAL ISSUES ARE THROWN

TO THE WAYSIDE WHILE WE -- AND

THE ONLY REASON THAT -- AND THE

ONLY REASON THAT I'M ABLE TO

KNOW THIS IS BECAUSE I DO

RESEARCH ON THESE KIND OF

THINGS, AND I THINK THAT

MAYBE -- MAKING -- MAKING LIKE

ELECTIONS AND POLITICS MORE LIKE

MORE INVOLVED IN PEOPLE'S LIVES

AND MORE IMPACTFUL MAY GET

PEOPLE TO LIKE LOOK AT STUFF,

EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE OTHER

THINGS ON THEIR PLATE.

>> UH-HUH.

WONDERFUL.

THANKS SO MUCH.

I WANT TO NOW ASK OUR PANELISTS

TO RESPOND TO SOME OF THE

COMMENTS WE'VE HEARD.

THERE'S SO MUCH EXPERTISE IN THE

ROOM, THAT'S THE FIRST THING I

WANT TO SAY, AND -- AND IF WE

COULD JUST HAVE CONVERSATIONS

LIKE THIS MORE OFTEN, I THINK WE

WOULD LEARN SO MUCH ABOUT HOW TO

DO BETTER.

BUT WHAT COMES TO MIND IN

HEARING THESE -- THESE -- THESE

VOICES OUT HERE?

WHAT ARE YOUR RESPONSES?

>> WELL, I'LL GO AHEAD AND --

>> GO AHEAD, PAULINA.

>> SO KIND OF GATHERING FROM A

GENERAL CONSENSUS FROM THE

COMMENTS THAT I HEARD JUST NOW,

IT SEEMS LIKE, ONE, THERE'S A

LOT OF DIFFERENT REFORM THAT

SHOULD BE MADE WHEN IT COMES TO

VOTING AND WHEN IT COMES TO

BEING EDUCATED ON THE POLITICAL

ISSUES AND ON THE POLITICAL

SYSTEM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, I

THINK ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT

I WANT TO POSE OUT THERE IS

OKAY, LIKE, WE HAVE THESE IDEAS,

WE HAVE THESE SUGGESTIONS, SO,

YOU KNOW, ONE, CAN WE FEASIBLY

IMPLEMENT ANY OF THESE

SUGGESTIONS IN OUR CITY, WHETHER

IT'S -- WHETHER IT'S LOCAL OR

STATE OR IT COULD BECOME

NATIONAL.

SO THAT IS THE FIRST QUESTION:

HOW CAN WE FEASIBLY AND

PRACTICALLY SOLVE THESE PROBLEMS

AND SOLVE THESE SOLUTIONS?

AND AGAIN, I THINK IT GOES BACK

TO MAYBE ENGAGING OUR ELECTED

OFFICIALS ON A LOCAL LEVEL AND

MAYBE HAVING A ROUND TABLE

DISCUSSION WITH THEM AND BEING

LIKE, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE

SUGGESTIONS, THESE ARE OUR

FEELINGS, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE

YOUR SUGGESTIONS FROM BEING IN

THE POLITICAL SYSTEM AND FROM

BEING ELECTED OFFICIALS.

MY QUESTION IS MORE GEARED

TOWARD, YOU KNOW, OKAY, WE HAVE

THESE -- OR WE HAVE A LOT OF

THESE -- A LOT OF THESE

QUESTIONS AND A LOT OF THESE

CLEAVES TO MAKE CHANGES, SO HOW

CAN WE MAKE THOSE CHANGES AND

IMPLEMENT THEM FOR OUR FUTURE

GENERATIONS TO COME?

THIS COULD BE OUR IMPACT.

THIS COULD BE OUR LEGACY.

LET'S START BEING ABOUT FEASIBLE

SOLUTIONS TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.

>> AND JEANNIE, HOW DO YOU THINK

THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM COULD

HELP TO DO MORE TO KIND OF GET

YOUNG PEOPLE TALKING LIKE WE ARE

TONIGHT?

>> SO I SEE A LOT OF HOPE HERE.

I REALLY DO.

I'M REALLY FEELING VERY INSPIRED

BY ALL OF YOU, FIRST OF ALL,

WITH PAULINA AND DARIAN, AND

THEN I SEE THIS WHOLE AUDIENCE

FULL OF ACTIVISTS, NOT JUST

VOTERS, BUT ACTIVISTS AND THEN I

EVEN HAVE A STUDENT HERE, SO I'M

VERY PROUD OF HER TOO.

AT THE ANN RICHARDS SCHOOL,

SERVICE LEARNING IS VERY MUCH A

PART OF OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM AND

LAST FRIDAY, ALL OF THE HIGH

SCHOOLERS WENT TO NONPROFIT --

NOT FOR PROFIT AGENCIES AND

WORKED AND THIS LUNCHTIME, THESE

GIRLS CAME UP TO ME AND SAID

WE'D LIKE TO USE OUR LUNCHTIME

TO RETURN TO THIS PLACE AND HELP

THEM OUT, AND SO WHAT I SAW WAS

JUST NOT SOMETHING CONSIDERED A

CHORE BUT INSTEAD AN OPPORTUNITY

TO GET ENGAGED IN SOMETHING THEY

WERE PASSIONATE ABOUT, AND

THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT

IS THAT YOU'VE GOT TO GRAB ON TO

A CAUSE AND YOU'VE GOT TO FEEL

PASSION ABOUT IT, AND THEN THAT

WAY, THAT LAUNCHES YOU INTO

BECOMING AN ACTIVIST AND THEN

EVEN A VOICE AND A VOTER.

SO SEEING A LOT OF HOPE HERE.

I DID POLL MY STUDENTS.

REMEMBER, I HAVE GRADE 6 TO 12,

SO I PUT THEM ALL ON STAGE AND

ASKED THEM WHAT THEY WERE

PASSIONATE ABOUT AND THEY SAID

HEALTH CARE, TAKING CARE OF THE

DISABILITY -- DISABLED.

TAKING CARE OF THE HOMELESS.

GIVING OPPORTUNITY AND VOICE TO

THE UNDOCUMENTED STUDENTS AND

CERTAINLY THEY WERE AGAINST

ANIMAL CRUELTY.

SO -- BUT ANYWAY, TO SEE THAT

PASSION THAT THEY ALREADY HAVE

AT THIS AGE, JUST -- I JUST KNOW

THAT THEY WILL THEN TAKE IT TO

THE POLL.

>> UH-HUH.

THANK YOU, JEANNIE.

AND I THINK WE HAVE TIME FOR ONE

MORE AUDIENCE COMMENT, SO I'M

GOING TO GO BACK TO JOY DIAZ.

>> YES, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

RAY IS 19 YEARS OLD AND HE HAS A

GREAT QUESTION FOR ALL OF US,

SOME FOOD FOR THOUGHT.

>> WELL, ON THE TOPIC OF

PERSUADING YOUNG PEOPLE TO VOTE,

HOW CAN WE PERSUADE YOUNG

MINORITIES TO VOTE, ESPECIALLY

AFRICAN AMERICANS AND HISPANICS,

BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE THESE GROUPS

FEEL THE MOST DISCOURAGED WHEN

IT COMES TO VOTING.

>> UH-HUH.

UH-HUH.

I THINK WE HAVE TO RESPOND TO

THAT.

DARIAN, DO YOU WANT TO JUMP IN.

>> WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I THINK

WHEN IT COMES TO MINORITY, AND

ANYBODY, CULTURE IS A HUGE, HUGE

ASSET IN PEOPLE'S LIVES, IT'S

LIKE CULTURE AND EVEN, YOU KNOW,

RELIGION ALSO, BUT CULTURE IS

A -- IS AN ATTENTION GRABBER.

IT'S LIKE IF YOU CAN AT LEAST

UNDERSTAND WHAT MY CULTURE IS

ABOUT, OR -- JUST IF YOU CAN

RESPECT IT, I CAN PARTICIPATE

WITH YOU, OR, YOU KNOW, I

COULD -- I COULD -- I WOULD BE A

VOLUNTEER, AS A MATTER OF FACT.

IT'S JUST LIKE, IF YOU CAN

SOMEHOW RELATE TO THE WAY -- THE

WAY I LIVE, MY LIFESTYLE, YOU

GOT ME.

>> THAT'S BEAUTIFUL.

BEAUTIFULLY SAID, THANK YOU,

DARIAN.

WE'VE COME TO THE END OF OUR

TIME THIS EVENING.

BUT WE HOPE THIS IS JUST THE

BEGINNING OF WHAT WILL BECOME AN

ONGOING CONVERSATION HERE IN

AUSTIN.

WE NEED YOUR HELP IN CONTINUING

TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT THE

LACK OF CIVIC ENGAGEMENT IN

AUSTIN.

HERE ARE FIVE THINGS THAT YOU

CAN DO TO ENCOURAGE YOUR

FRIENDS, FAMILY AND WORK

COLLEAGUES TO GET ENGAGED.

NUMBER ONE, PLAN A DEBATE WATCH

OR ELECTION NIGHT PARTY, AND

THAT IS AN EMPHASIS ON THE

PARTY.

NUMBER TWO, GET SAVVY ABOUT THE

CANDIDATES AND THE ISSUES.

NUMBER THREE, START A

CONVERSATION ABOUT THE ELECTION

WITH SOMEONE UNEXPECTED.

NUMBER FOUR, REMIND YOUR FRIENDS

TO VOTE EARLY OR ON ELECTION

DAY, NOVEMBER 6th.

AND NUMBER FIVE, HELP A FRIEND

FIND THEIR POLLING PLACE AND GET

TO THE POLLS.

AND I WANT TO LEAVE YOU WITH TWO

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER:

THE DEADLINE TO REGISTER TO VOTE

HERE IN TRAVIS COUNTY IS

OCTOBER 9th AND EARLY VOTING

BEGINNING ON OCTOBER 22ND.

TO KEEP INFORMED ABOUT THIS

PROJECT AND TO LEARN ABOUT THE

NEXT EVENT IN OUR SERIES, PLEASE

VISIT WHYBOTHERTEXAS.ORG .

ON BEHALF OF KUT.

KLRU, THE ANNETTE STRAUSS

INSTITUTE FOR CIVIC LIFE, THANK

YOU FOR JOINING US TONIGHT.

GOOD EVENING.

[APPLAUSE]