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Board Candidate Bio Statements
Jaylen Bledsoe
Hi, my name is Jaylen Bledsoe and I am the Founder/President of NYRA-St. Louis. I am 13 years old and I own my own IT Company named “Business Man’s IT Solution”. I have been a member with NYRA for about 2 years and I started my chapter about 6 months ago. As I am entering into this campaign I am making three promises that will be completed during my term as a member of the Board of Directors.
Promises
• Create new Chapter Funding (2-5 year Process)
• Lower member dues to $5 (1 year Process)
Qualifications to become a Board of Director
• Student Council President for 2 years (As of 6/16/11)
• HWMS Staff Interview Committee
• Wyman TLP Student
If I win the Board of Directors race I would like to be the “Guy” over technology. I believe that I am qualified to be the “IT Guy” because I own my own IT company in St. Louis Missouri. Now as I have told you my promises, qualifications and area of intent I hope that you vote me, Jayen Bledsoe as a NYRA Board of Director. Thank you. |  |
Jackie Ferro (incumbent)
My name is Jackie Ferro (technically Jacqueline, but I’ll never respond to that) and I'd love to serve on the NYRA board of directors for a third year. I first became involved with NYRA in early 2009. My chapter, the Teen Suffrage Organization (NYRA-Nanuet: TSO), has worked to raise awareness in regards to the issue of the voting age, gaining publicity on a local and regional level. We have also participated in National Youth Rights Day, started the “Wear Blue For Youth Rights” event, and have more recently begun fighting internet restrictions placed on students in schools. Youth rights is an important issue to me. Being a teenager myself, I've been faced with ageist prejudices in my daily life. I endure ageist lectures from teachers and advisors in the classroom and in extracurricular settings, which motivates me further to end these injustices. In the past year I have been proud to consider myself part of the youth rights movement and I hope you elect me so I can continue to do so. I promise you the issue will continue to play a huge part in my life.
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Samantha Godwin
I am a dual-degree graduate student in political/ethical philosophy, and a final year law school student normally based in Washington DC. I have over six years of campaigning experience in the anti-war movement and student’s rights movement.
As an undergraduate I helped organize for the Stop the War Coalition and co-founded an ethical investment campaign against armament investment. I was elected General Secretary of my university’s student’s union (University College London Union) and chaired the Union’s executive committee, governing body and general meetings – representing over 21,000 students. From this position, I successfully implemented a high profile ban on military recruitment on campus and traveled to other universities to build the counter-recruitment movement.
At Georgetown University Law Center, I reestablished the National Lawyers Guild chapter. The NLG is America’s leading human rights bar association, comprised of activist lawyers, law students and legal workers. As the NLG chapter president I organized many speakers meetings, a legal observer training and three major conferences.
Almost two years ago I was elected to serve on the NLG’s national board of directors as the Student National Vice President. I also drafted and successfully passed a new progressive NLG policy on law students and legal education.
I recently published an article, Children’s Rights, Oppression and Liberation in the Northwestern Interdisciplinary Law Review (available on SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=1803459). This article offers a legal and philosophical argument for equal rights for all ages and the abolition of minor status.
Examples of articles featuring my past activist work:
http://www.socialist.net/student-power-right-wing-manoeuvres-defeated-by-left.htm
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1581106/Students-vote-to-ban-military-from-campus.html
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Eric Goldstein
Originally from upstate NY, I recently graduated from American University, and am currently a research analyst at a consulting firm in Arlington, VA. I have been a member of NYRA for the last seven and a half years. I have worked to form chapters at both my high school and my college. Several years ago, I interned at the NYRA office, guiding others in the chapter formation process. I have represented NYRA at events throughout the DC area, and am a regular donor to the organization.
Outside of NYRA, I have worked part time for nearly two years in non-profit fundraising. I have experience managing budgets of over half a million dollars, as well as crafting budgets of over $400 million. An Eagle Scout, I learned from early on what young people are able to contribute, if only they are given permission by society to be mature. This led to my passion to fight for youth rights, to fight to end discrimination on the basis of age.
I am proud of what NYRA has accomplished over the years, and will be prouder still if we set the organization up to achieve more over the coming years. I have considered, over the past few years, running for board, but have declined as I did not consider my life stable enough to make the required commitment. I now step up to the plate and commit to doing all I can to help NYRA grow and prosper over the coming year.
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Christopher Hardy
I currently head the Bergen County chapter which is working on organizing protests and a door to door campaign to raise awareness about the unconstitutionality of Kyleigh’s Law. I created a student defense program in my school to help students who feel that they have been wrongfully accused of an infraction. In this “Student Lawyer program” students who fear unjust treatment from the school can enlist a pro-bono student who will defend them to the Board of ED. In addition to my exploits with NYRA, I have personally done many things to advance the rights of students in New Jersey. I have had a meeting with U.S. Congressman Scott Garrett on the subject of a proposed Senate injunction that would raise the driving age in all states in addition to voicing my opinion that youth should have an active voice in government. I founded the Midland Park Student Association which goes door to door informing the populous of the impact of budget cuts on the high school system
I am the Senate Majority leader and President at my school. As president I successfully lobbied the Board of ED to pass an injunction which would allow a student to serve on the board. I am also a frequent public speaker on the issue of student rights, I have been asked to attend the New Jersey Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership conference and speak on my involvement with youth rights. I was also selected by the American Legion to attend NJ Boy’s State.
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Max Harmony
Most of you already know me (the rest of you, start getting on the forums and chats!). For those who've forgotten, I've been involved with NYRA for three years, though I've been a supporter of youth rights for longer. On the issues, I see our stated positions as exactly what they were intended to be: a great start.
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Nigel Jones (incumbent)
I’m excited to see such a competitive list of candidates this year. I’m sure it’ll make for an outstanding board. I’ve been a fervent youth rights supporter my entire life, but this would be my second year as a NYRA board member. While on NYRA’s board, I’ve helped craft our long term strategic plan, met with like-minded organizations, discussed board reform, helped facilitate the greatest single-year augmentation of NYRA’s budget ever, lent a hand to our staff in our DC office numerous times, and I’m eager to apply what I’ve learned in the preceding year to the upcoming one.
Since Alex, our executive director, asked me to run for the board in August last year, I’ve been elected vice-president and have become president of NYRA’s Washington, D.C. chapter, have been appointed to our Budget & Finance committee, and was elected chairperson of the Annual Meeting Committee.
Additionally, my experience extends further than participation on NYRA’s board. I’ve been elected president of my class twice, and have played important roles on congressional and gubernatorial campaigns. I was the best performing debater on my varsity high school policy debate team, and have read countless youth rights related articles and books, including authors like Dr. Robert Epstein, Mike Males, John Holt, and many others.
NYRA has made great strides since our last Annual Meeting when this board was instated, for the organization and for youth rights. I hope to be elected again to help take NYRA and our cause even further.
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Daniel Karpantschof
| As a long time activist in the youth sphere in Denmark, where I am from, and as Danish representative to the UNESCO on various but specifically youth issues, I believe that my skills and qualification will be a nice addition to the NYRA board. |  |
Gibson Katz
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NYRA needs to be moderate and appeal to the political main stream. My beliefs on the issues are to lower the dirking age to 16, no voting age, free speech in schools and medical consent.
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Keith Mandell (incumbent)
What can I say that hasn't already been said. I'm Keith Mandell, and I have been a youth rights activist for almost 14 years. I have served on NYRA's board as far back as 1999, and have been on the board for the last 7 years. I served as NYRA's chapter formation director.
I am an attorney and have experience with nonprofit boards. I believe I offer a unique perspective and background. I would like to get involved with NYRA's efforts to fundraise and reach out to organizations which support our goals.
I will give my all for NYRA and continue the efforts that I began over a decade ago. I encourage you to give me your vote and look forward to working with NYRA's board and leadership for another exciting history-making year!
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Katrina Moncure (incumbent)
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I'm Katrina Moncure, lab assistant. In the seven years I've been with NYRA, I've had some involvement in just about every part of the organization, from chapter assistance to tabling to event planning to online promotion. The phrase “jack of all trades, master of none” comes to mind. Currently, I'm a board member, secretary, tyrannical forums moderator, blogger, chat coordinator, and human behind the Twitter account and founder of #16tovote on the 16th, which has been running for nearly a year and a half. In the past year, I helped prepare for and attended our Supreme Court rally last November and filmed Usiel Phoenix's speech. I've been helping to plan the annual meeting. I took some days off work to help out in the office. I've assisted with the website redesign and trying to ensure we get what we're looking for out of it. I took part in our weekend-long strategic planning session in March. I sent the NYRA holiday cards for the past five years. Plus the pens, bumper stickers, tabling, sharp pointy stick, and annoying of executive director as mentioned in previous years. NYRA has grown tremendously in the time I've been involved and is much more assertive, influential, and powerful, and I'm proud to be a part of it. Means a lot to me. Even got in trouble defending it one time! Long story. Anyway, this is our organization and our cause. It is our job to be relentless, to be unapologetically fierce for youth rights!
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Jeffrey Nadel (incumbent)
Each day, I embody the spirit of NYRA and its goals. Youth rights is my mission and my determination to achieve that end is unbreakable. For over two years, I have served as the President of NYRA of Southeast Florida, the chapter that I founded. We have filed a lawsuit, the first on behalf of a youth-led civil rights organization, against West Palm Beach's unconstitutional youth curfew. We have met with legislators and are working to lower Florida's voting age to 16. I have served as NYRA-National's President over the course of the last year. The honor has been immense and I have strived to act as the representative of NYRA's chapter network on the national Board. Our chapters are the backbone of the organization; they are the center from which real, tangible action originates. They are the boots on the ground. I fought hard with my fellow Board members to pass a Chapter Funding Resolution, which allows our chapters to request funding from national in the case of unexpected emergencies or situations the necessitate immediate action. NYRA needs to continue pursuing professionalism and viability; I am committed to doing so and will continue to fight for this organization, its chapters, and its cause.
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Kathleen O'Neal
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My name is Kathleen Nicole O’Neal. I graduated from Baker High School in 2005 and from Florida State University in 2009 with a Bachelor of Science degree in political science, history, and religion. I am currently studying for a Master of Public Administration with a focus on Nonprofit Management at American University. From the time of my elementary school years in the public school system of rural Northern Florida, I was angered by the lack of due process experienced by myself and other young people at school. It always stung that while our textbooks celebrated freedom fighters that stood up to racism, sexism, and imperialism, we as young people were expected to submit to any request by an adult no matter how arbitrary or wrongheaded. I believe that a youth rights emphasis is the key component missing from mainstream analysis of every major social, cultural, economic, and political issue affecting young Americans from “educational reform” to “teen pregnancy”, “gang violence” to “bullying.” In the past year my involvement with NYRA has deepened as I have volunteered with the organization and come to understand the commitment and passion of those involved with it. I know my knowledge of and strong feelings about youth rights issues, combined with my background in nonprofit management, campaigns, and activism, will make me an asset to this fine organization.
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Usiel Phoenix (incumbent)
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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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