NYRA Freedom

NYRA Freedom
ISSN 1933-5229
Volume 9, Issue 7
September 3, 2009
Editors: Justin Graham and Lexi Johnson

Table of Contents

– Introduction
– Members Attend Annual Meeting
– Election Results Are In!
– NYRA Rallies Against Washington, D.C. Gang Bill
– D.C. Area Chapters in the Works
– News from the Web
– Conclusion

Introduction

August brings some new changes to NYRA. With the Annual Meeting over, a new Board of Directors, and new officers, NYRA is ready to continue standing up for the rights of youth. In this past year there have been a myriad of successes and with the wonderful thing that have been happening for youth rights in the past few months, it is sure that the future is nothing but bright for NYRA.

Members Attend Annual Meeting

The first weekend of August, NYRA’s members gathered in Washington, D.C. to discuss the youth rights movement. The 2009 NYRA Annual Meeting can be described as nothing but a success.
Jeff Nadel, president of NYRA-Southeast Florida presented a powerpoint entitled Curfews from Research to Repeal and Steve Ross, ZRSU founder, gave a presentation on Schoolhouse Diplomacy. Both of these powerpoints can be found in the downloads section of youthrights.org. The video “War on Kids” was screened and a talk was given on how to form your own chapter. NYRA also hosted a debate between Students for Liberty and Students for a Democratic Society. Video of this debate can be found here, http://www.studentsforliberty.org/news/students-for-liberty-vs-students-for-a-democratic-society-debate/.
All the NYRA members in attendance had a great youth rights weekend and hopefully left inspired to defend the rights of youth.

Election Results are in!

The voting for the board of directors began on July 1st and closed a month later during the Annual Meeting. The votes have been tallied and on the board this year are incumbents, Justin Graham, Alex Koroknay-Palicz, Keith Mandell, Katrina Moncure, Stefan Muller, Jeffrey Nadel, and Steve Ross who will be joined by newcomers Jackie Ferro, president of NYRA-Nanuet, and, Brian Lombrowski, president of CAFETY.
The board members were elected from 14 candidates, the most ever to run for the NYRA board of directors! There were many contenders for the board and some very stellar youth rights activists were elected. With the amazing track record of many on this year’s board there are certainly good things ahead for youth rights.
Officers for 2009-2010 have also been named, they are: Jeffery Nadel – President, Steve Ross – Vice President, Stefan Muller – Treasurer, Katrina Moncure – Secretary. This new Board of Directors is sure to lead NYRA in standing up for the rights of youth.

NYRA Rallies Against Washington, D.C. Gang Bill

In June NYRA, along with the ACLU, NAACP, SSDP, Flex Your Rights, and others gathered to protest a gang injunction bill proposed by the D.C. City Council. They held a rally outside the Washington, D.C. City Council Building and then went inside to lobby against the injunction. The injunction would have banned gang members from being around guns, standing on private property, or gathering in public. The bill would have increased ageism towards young people often stereotyped as belonging to gangs. A bill aiming to fight crime was passed, but, thankfully, without the injunctions.

D.C Area Chapters in the Works

NYRA members Washington, D.C. have been gathering in the hopes of starting a chapter for the D.C. metro area. Two meetings have been held, the first with 5 attendees and the second with 8. The chapter would like to lower the voting age, lower the drinking age, end the curfew, and generally protects the rights of D.C. youth. The chapter can be found online here, http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=114882818774, on Facebook, and here, http://twitter.com/nyradc, on Twitter. The chapter has gathered a good number of excited members so look forward to more from NYRA-DC.
Also, students at American University in Washington, DC are assembling a NYRA chapter on campus. Follow them on Twitter: http://twitter.com/nyraau and on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/National-Youth-Rights-Association-American-University/130715122722

News from the Web

-NYRA Related
Some U. Iowa Students Cope With Being Too Young To Vote
http://www.youthrights.org/article.php?threadid=19216
Effort To Lower Voting Age Grows Across U.S.
http://www.youthrights.org/article.php?threadid=19217
Politics holds new role in high school classrooms
http://www.youthrights.org/article.php?threadid=19218

-Other News
Australia could lower voting age
http://www.youthrights.org/article.php?threadid=19439
Allegations spark lawsuit
http://www.youthrights.org/article.php?threadid=19438
Leon County commissioners talking possible curfew
http://www.youthrights.org/article.php?threadid=19436
No adult curfew for Chicago — for now
http://www.youthrights.org/article.php?threadid=19435
CDC mulls routine circumcision of infants to reduce spread of HIV
http://www.youthrights.org/article.php?threadid=19409
Fla. students’ shirts: ‘Islam is of the Devil’
http://www.youthrights.org/article.php?threadid=19407
Girl, 13, fights Dutch government to sail the world
http://www.youthrights.org/article.php?threadid=19406
Feds to juvenile detention sites: Ease up on kids
http://www.youthrights.org/article.php?threadid=19405
Teenage hackers: Making a better world
http://www.youthrights.org/article.php?threadid=19396
Teen panel offers ideas on ‘reinventing’ high schools
http://www.youthrights.org/article.php?threadid=19395
The 21-Year-Old Drinking Age: I Voted for It; It Doesn’t Work
http://www.youthrights.org/article.php?threadid=19393
They Want to Be Heard
http://www.youthrights.org/article.php?threadid=19387
A real hero: Quick-thinking Rachel Guzy pulled bus brake after driver dropped dead
http://www.youthrights.org/article.php?threadid=19381
IC Considers Imposing New Curfew
http://www.youthrights.org/article.php?threadid=19366
Concert youth drinking targeted
http://www.youthrights.org/article.php?threadid=19364
Mom, Dad, You’re Driving Me Crazy!
http://www.youthrights.org/article.php?threadid=19360
Lower voting age for local elections
http://www.youthrights.org/article.php?threadid=19350
Appeals court upholds ban in Edwards T-shirt case
http://www.youthrights.org/article.php?threadid=19349
Ex-judges’ plea deal is rejected
http://www.youthrights.org/article.php?threadid=19348
Protect Us From Our Friends
http://www.youthrights.org/article.php?threadid=19340
Five-Year Old Shows San Francisco How to Make Change
http://www.youthrights.org/article.php?threadid=19321
Tulare put squeeze on girl’s lemonade stand
http://www.youthrights.org/article.php?threadid=19320
Students’ Religious Signs Won’t Be Censored
http://www.youthrights.org/article.php?threadid=19315
D.C. Extends Free STD Testing to High Schools
http://www.youthrights.org/article.php?threadid=19314
The kids aren’t alright: Evil children lurk in films
http://www.youthrights.org/article.php?threadid=19310
Craig Ferguson Rants Against TV’s Targeting Of Youth
http://www.youthrights.org/article.php?threadid=19308
Northfield youth: Demand respect from the community
http://www.youthrights.org/article.php?threadid=19307
Free-Range Parenting
http://www.youthrights.org/article.php?threadid=19301
Tagging teen drivers for their protection
http://www.youthrights.org/article.php?threadid=19273
Canton City Council changes curfew in Jones Park to 9 p.m.
http://www.youthrights.org/article.php?threadid=19235
Outrage over teen stripper loophole
http://www.youthrights.org/article.php?threadid=19229
NBA defends age minimum to Congress
http://www.youthrights.org/article.php?threadid=19226
S.C. case looks on child obesity as child abuse. But is it?
http://www.youthrights.org/article.php?threadid=19225
No job, insurance: hard times for young adults
http://www.youthrights.org/article.php?threadid=19222
In many states, young kids may hunt alone
http://www.youthrights.org/article.php?threadid=19213
Milan first city in Italy to ban alcohol for youth
http://www.youthrights.org/article.php?threadid=19198
Family sues school after arrest of autistic girl
http://www.youthrights.org/article.php?threadid=19179
SoCal teen back in US waters in record attempt
http://www.youthrights.org/article.php?threadid=19176
SC Judge Rules that State Law barring underage drinking unconstitutional
http://www.youthrights.org/article.php?threadid=19174
Fairfax blames D.C. laws for drunk driving problems.
http://www.youthrights.org/article.php?threadid=19171
Students fight for own ‘Bill of Rights’
http://www.youthrights.org/article.php?threadid=19168
Alcohol sales to minors an issue with self-service checkout
http://www.youthrights.org/article.php?threadid=19163
Policeman hits New Mexican girl in head with Taser
http://www.youthrights.org/article.php?threadid=19140

Conclusion

The past few months have been exciting months for NYRA with many successes, the election of a new board of directors, and the annual meeting. More success is no doubt coming soon. A new chapter is forming and will begin working for youth rights soon. The fun of summer is almost over and school is starting. There is no better time to start your own chapter!