Over the course of the past week or so, I have been working extensively on a project that I feel is important to youth rights. It may be considered one of the first stepping stones to gaining increased rights, but it is a step in the right direction – a gradual process. As a lot…
This past spring, New York City Councilmember Gale Brewer introduced a bill to lower the voting age to sixteen for municipal elections. About a dozen NYRA members were present when the bill was introduced, and a few spoke at Brewer’s press conference. At a recent meeting, NYRA’s New York City chapter agreed that the voting…
Saturday, February 4, 2006 About 8:30am EST, Alex Koroknay-Palicz sets off in THABOAT to go to American University to set up the NYRA table for the conference, but must first do the regrettable: swing by my house and bring me along! At 9:00am, we arrived and set up the table. Well, more like Alex went…
NYRA-Berkeley recently participated in a successful debate on whether 17-year-olds should be permitted to vote in Berkeley School Board elections. The debate, which took place on the campus of Berkeley High School, was sponsored by the Berkeley Youth Commission and attended by four classes of students. Councilman Max Anderson spoke in favor of the youth…
This fall the Paterson, New Jersey City Council asked residents to vote on whether they would support a youth curfew ordinance. The Council did not present any details or any kind of plan, and the only relevant court case in New Jersey resulted in a ruling against curfews. Unfortunately, Paterson voters overwhelmingly supported the proposed…
It’s been nearly 13 months since Alex KP, Dave Varney, Alexis Grant, Rio Samsie, and I went to this “Town Hall” meeting at Bethesda Chevy-Chase High School. The subject was a favorite of those with political power: teen driving. Although, I suppose anything related to teens is a favorite of politicians: just take more rights…
Lots of great chapter updates in California and Vermont. NYRA Berkeley remains one of NYRA’s most active chapters. They will soon meet with member of Congresswoman Barbara Lee’s staff to discuss the possibility of lowering the federal voting age. The chapter will also hold a public debate with local politicians who do not support the…
NYRA chapters continue to grow and strengthen. Most notably, NYRA-Paterson, NYRA-Orange County, and NYRA-Berkeley. The NYRA chapter in Paterson, New Jersey has shown a great deal of promise. They have been traveling throughout the city distributing information about the city’s authoritarian youth curfew. Someone donated a full sized van, and the chapter painted the NYRA…
After NYRA member Alexis Grant appeared in USA Today to argue against raising the driving age, Alex Koroknay-Palicz was invited to appear on Fox News to discuss teen driving issues. The appearance, which was covered in last month’s issue of NYRA Freedom, was an overwhelming success by all accounts. On the heels of that appearance,…
NYRA has recently attained a considerable degree of success and notoriety surrounding efforts to lower the voting age in Olympia, Washington, and the San Francisco Bay Area. NYRA has just learned that in addition to these aforementioned efforts, a bill to lower the voting age will soon go before the New York City Council. Originally…
