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Usiel Phoenix
Bio Statement
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Usiel Phoenix, born in 1993, left home at 15 and moved to Arlington, VA to live independently and petition for emancipation. In August of 2009, while she was preparing to file her petition, she stumbled into the NYRA Annual Meeting and was stunned to realize that not only did other young people face the same societal discrimination as she did, but they recognized it as wrong and were organizing to put a stop to it. She was declared emancipated several months later and immediately became active in the youth rights movement, starting as a member of the DC NYRA chapter and working her way up until she was first elected to the Board in 2010. At the age of 16, she matriculated at New York University and founded the chapter NYRA-NYU, of which she is president. A full-time student, Usiel runs activism workshops in the NYC area and travels the country to participate in and speak at youth rights events.
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Questionnaire
1. Why do you want to run for the NYRA Board of Directors?
When I found the youth rights movement, I found a calling. In my studies, work, and free time, I am preparing myself for a life of activism, largely on behalf of this cause. As NYRA is at the forefront of the youth rights movement, I wish to do everything in my power to promote its growth and success.
2. Are you familiar with the responsibilities of a non-profit board member? What prior experience do you have that you believe qualifies you to hold the position of director on our board?
As an incumbent candidate, I am very familiar with the responsibilities of board members. During my time as a NYRA board member, I have had the opportunities to participate in NYRA's board training programs, work with board members of other nonprofit organizations, and learn directly from my NYRA colleagues, most of whom are more experienced than I. As president of NYRA-NYU, I am now managing a board of my own, which has granted me additional perspective into effective board practices.
3. What have you personally done to advance NYRA?
Immediately after my election to the board last year, I became the primary driving force behind NYRA’s campaign opposing a California law that would ban the sale of “violent video games” to minors. I created an online campaign to gather testimony to include in a Supreme Court brief for Schwarzenegger v. EMA. Later, I helped organize the Rally for Video Games, Free Speech, and Democracy, where I delivered a speech on the steps of the Supreme Court. In the past year, I have testified against youth curfews, against corporal punishment, and for youth suffrage in Washington, D.C., Texas, and Massachusetts, respectively. I founded a NYRA chapter at New York University, which is actively recruiting members and holding events. I have represented NYRA at public forums, held educational activist workshops, and met with officials at state and federal levels.
4. What are your short and long term goals for NYRA? How do we reach those goals?
NYRA needs to grow; everyone can agree about that. We need more members, more funding, more resources, and more media coverage. We’re already doing a lot to try to achieve this, but one thing I think is often overlooked is the importance of collaboration. Working directly with other nonprofits allows us to make valuable contacts, share media spotlights, and attract new donors. As a board member, I will actively look for ways NYRA can engage with similar organizations.
5. What do you believe is NYRA's biggest challenge or weakness, and what will you do, personally, to help address it. Please be specific and realistic.
NYRA was founded and has historically been run by people with little to no experience in nonprofit activism. It has been a long, hard struggle for us to discover effective structures and operating techniques that other nonprofits take for granted. Because of this, I believe we are resistant to change and function primarily on a reactive level, rather than following a strategic plan. As a board member, I will ensure that the strategic planning process we began this year is continued and taken to heart in all organizational actions. I will promote innovation and do everything in my power to help NYRA grow beyond its current limits.
6. If elected, what will you personally do for the national organization? What projects or activities will you take leadership of? Please be specific and realistic.
My top priority continues to be expanding and improving our media presence. I will continue to push for the swift completion of the website redesign, expand our social media activities, and encourage newsworthy actions that will get our name in print.
7. In your view, how is the role of a board member different than that of an active member or chapter leader? How would your involvement be affected if you weren't elected this year?
A NYRA member must be dedicated to the cause of youth rights. They must be prepared to offer both innovation and drudge work, they must challenge ageism they may encounter in daily life, and, if youth themselves, they must lead by example and carry themselves so as to break down harmful youth stereotypes. If not elected to the board, I will continue to lead my chapter, expand NYRA’s presence in the public eye, and travel to wherever I can be of use to the cause.
8. If you served on the board last year, how would you assess your level of involvement? Did you follow through on promises you made during last year's election?
Last year, I promised to promote inter-chapter cooperation, update NYRA’s website and promotional materials, and ensure that the voice of youth is heard and considered in all organizational actions. During my term, I helped revive and regularly participated in chapter leader meetings that connect activists from around the country, formed and chaired a technology committee to manage the website redesign process, designed and assisted in the creation of buttons and signs, and worked to form internal structures to improve communication between board members and our adult staff members. I have followed through on my promises as best as I could and am eager to continue fulfilling these goals in a second term.
9. Define "youth rights". Describe our mission and our vision in your own words.
Youth rights is the idea that youth are people and, as such, should be permitted privacy, power, and self-determination. The time spent as a youth is often referred to as the “formative years” because it is during this time that the majority of a person’s interests and personality are developed. Subjecting youth to oppressive conditions stifles this development, causing many to become bitter, passive, or apathetic well into adulthood. To have an active and engaged adult population, we must not force our youth to tolerate dehumanization in silence. To live free, we must start young.
10. With many qualified members running for the Board, what sets you apart? Why should you be elected?
I’m capable, quick-learning, and firm in my decision to devote my life to youth rights activism. I value effective communication and am often able to assist people that have difficulty working together. Not to mention, my cookies are way better than Katrina’s.
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