JUNE 4, 2020 | FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Blue Future Launches Six Figure Summer for Progress and Change Campaign to Train Youth Organizers to Campaign During The Pandemic

WASHINGTON, D.C. —On the heels of raising $30,000 for bail funds and community-based racial justice groups across the country, Blue Future, is excited to announce a six-figure investment in youth organizing. The Summer for Progress and Change Campaign is a 10-week paid training program, for young people ages 16-25 taking place from June 8 to August 21. A diverse cohort of over 100 high school and college students will be provided with comprehensive political and community organizing training.

Participants will volunteer directly for candidates fighting for change in some of the most competitive campaigns across the country. Participating coordinated campaigns include those in North Carolina, Minnesota, Michigan, Texas, Maine, Pennsylvania, Florida, Arizona, and Wisconsin.”

Blue Future’s mission is to continuously engage, mobilize, and connect young people to progressive electoral campaigns, equipping them with the resources, tools, skills, and network to be effective volunteers, organizers, and public servants. Blue Future’s new effort seeks to empower young people to be active organizers for Democrats.

The Summer for Progress and Change Campaign is informed by recent research and polling including the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning & Engagement (CIRCLE), which identified state and national races where young voters have the highest chance to change the outcome. Blue Future’s new project overlaps with many of CIRCLE’s identified states in North Carolina, Maine, Michigan, Colorado, and other states.

“In this moment of tension and fear for our health and safety, Blue Future uplifts our shared struggle for racial justice and believes one way we can make things better is by electing Democrats nationwide,” said Nick Guthman, co-executive director of Blue Future. “The idea behind our new campaign is to give young people, who have a natural ability to organize digitally, a way to use their time to help progressive candidates win and work to improve the lives of those most impacted by this pandemic.”

Led by Nick Guthman and Morgan Stahr, Blue Future is a national organizing program run out of the Youth Progressive Action Catalyst, the largest progressive, youth-led, political action committee in America. Blue Future helps progressive campaigns win at the local, state, and federal levels. The organization plans to place volunteers in states with critical races and key battleground states.

“Campaigning doesn’t stop during a pandemic or uprising, but it must evolve,” said Morgan Stahr, co-executive director of Blue Future. “Our job is to help young people join the fight with the best tools of the day, and use their skills to help elect progressives to change the status quo. We are thrilled to launch at this moment.”

Harnessing high levels of enthusiasm for volunteer campaign work is not the only benefit of the new campaign. Blue Future designed the program, so monetary hurdles would not be a challenge to working-class students and students of color seeking entry to the political arena. Blue Future will pay organizers to be trained in electoral campaign work. Participants will then commit to volunteering for 10 hours per week with competitive campaigns for the House, Senate, and White House.

“I had an internship lined up for this summer, but the pandemic changed my plans, said Rina Welch. “Blue Future’s Summer for Progress and Change Campaign will help me gather the skills I need to better organize my community around issues that matter to me.”

Media Contact: Lacy Crawford Jr | 252-292-6088 | lacy@thevillagemediagroup.com

About the Summer for Progress & Change Campaign

As the critical 2020 Elections are quickly approaching, Blue Future is excited to launch a 10-week paid organizing program for the summer of 2020! As part of this program, young people will have the opportunity to volunteer directly for candidates fighting for change and make a difference on some of the most competitive campaigns across the country.

This program is a training opportunity for young people to stay engaged in campaigns during the summer months. The program will be completely digital and remote to allow students anywhere to get involved while practicing physical distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic.

For 10 weeks between June 1 – August 17, organizers will get paid to be trained and commit to volunteering for 10 hours per week and engage in phone banking, text banking, and registering voters, in coordination with competitive campaigns for the House, Senate, and White House.

APPLYING

WHO CAN APPLY?

Any young person (ages 16-25) who supports progressive values and is ready to organize to help Democrats win in 2020 is invited to apply! We’re looking for young people who are ready to work directly with Federal candidates and campaigns to mobilize the vote across the country!

WHAT IS THE APPLICATION PROCESS?

We have a 3-step application process:

Students are invited to submit an application through this link: https://bit.ly/BlueFutureSummer2020. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis between May 4 – June 1.
After reviewing the applications, we will invite applicants to interview with our team on a rolling basis.
We will accept our first round of fellows by June 8 and provide ongoing training and support as we start organizing!

FUNDING & TIMELINE

HOW MUCH FUNDING CAN I RECEIVE?

Organizers will be paid $100 per week for participating in our 10-week training program, for a total stipend of $1,000.

TIMELINE

May 4-June 1: Review applications and conduct interviews

.June 1-8: Onboarding/Training.

June 8-August 10: Weekly training and volunteer phone banking & text banking with periodic check-in calls.

Questions? Send us an email to hello@ourbluefuture.us.

We strongly encourage people of color, immigrants, women, transgender and non-binary people, and people with disabilities to apply. Blue Future is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes everyone to join our team. All employment decisions are made without regard to race, national origin, religion, sex, age, disability, citizenship status, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, AIDS/HIV status, genetic testing info, pregnancy, childbirth, medical condition or political activities or affiliations.

This is a paid opportunity to receive a grant for training courses provided by Blue Future. Payments will not be tied to volunteering on political campaigns.