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Happy Thursday, John!
As we move through the spring and look forward to what’s next, we’re taking this moment to reflect, celebrate, and take action together. In this edition of our newsletter, we’re proud to announce the release of our Alliance for Youth Action [[link removed]] and Alliance for Youth Organizing [[link removed]] Annual Reports. These reports offer a deep look into our shared impact, highlighting the campaigns, wins, and lessons that defined the last year across the Network.
We’re also honoring Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month by celebrating the cultural organizing and powerful community events led by North Carolina Asian Americans Together and One APIA Nevada. From joyful festivals to impactful advocacy days, their work is a testament to what grassroots power looks like in action.
At the same time, we’re uplifting Kansans’ legal fight against the Kansas Legislature over a harmful new law that threatens vote-by-mail access. Their fight is part of a broader effort to protect and expand our democratic rights, especially for young voters.
And finally, as always, we’re spotlighting new writing from our Executive Director, Dakota Hall, whose latest Substack posts challenge us to rethink how we build lasting power in person and online.
There’s a lot to celebrate, fight for, and reflect on—and we’re grateful to have you with us in this work.
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Two Reports, One Powerful Year of Impact
We’re excited to release the 2024 Annual Reports from both the Alliance for Youth Action [[link removed]] and the Alliance for Youth Organizing [[link removed]] . Together, these reports offer a comprehensive look at the bold, creative, and strategic work that powered our movement over the past year.
The Alliance for Youth Action report, Youth Power: Beyond Boundaries, reflects how we invested in building long-term infrastructure for youth organizing, strengthened our national presence, and deepened partnerships to amplify the voices of young people across the country. It outlines how our Network embraced a local, comprehensive, and issue-based approach leading to wins like key victories in abortion access and down ballot wins throughout the country.
The Alliance for Youth Organizing report, Youth Organizing: Beyond Boundaries , highlights the local leadership and innovation that define our Network. From voter engagement and leadership development to issue advocacy and capacity building, this report spotlights the everyday organizing wins that fuel broader systems change.
These reports tell the story of a movement that is growing, adapting, and leading with purpose. We’re proud to share them with you as a testament to what we’ve accomplished together, and a roadmap for where we’re headed next.
Read the full reports:
Alliance for Youth Action: 2024 Annual Report [[link removed]]
Alliance for Youth Organizing: 2024 Annual Report [[link removed]]
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Celebrating AANHPI Heritage Month Across Our Network
May marked Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month—a time to honor the history, cultures, and contributions of AANHPI communities. Across the Alliance Network, we proudly celebrated and uplifted the powerful organizing and cultural work led by our two Asian-centered partners: North Carolina Asian Americans Together (NCAAT) and One APIA Nevada.
In North Carolina, NCAAT brought together community members through two of their flagship events. Their 4th annual Common Roots Festival created space for connection, creativity, and joy, spotlighting AANHPI artists, performers, and community leaders. They also hosted their 4th annual AANHPI Advocacy Day [[link removed]] , mobilizing youth and allies to advocate for issues such as voting rights, immigration reform, and language access that directly impact AANHPI communities at the state level.
Meanwhile in Nevada, One APIA Nevada celebrated AANHPI Heritage Month through a vibrant series of five community-building events. From May Day Lei Day to Painting Roots, Cycling on Sunshine, Reno AANHPI Celebration Day, and Brew & Renew, each gathering centered cultural expression, intergenerational joy, and collective resilience. At the Reno celebration, One APIA Nevada and ACDC were honored by the AANHPI Nevada Legislative Caucus [[link removed]] with a proclamation recognizing May as AANHPI Heritage Month and commending their outstanding contributions to the community.
These celebrations are more than just community gatherings—they are powerful expressions of identity, advocacy, and belonging. We’re proud to stand with and support the continued leadership of NCAAT and One APIA Nevada as they build stronger, more connected, and more liberated communities every day.
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Loud Light v. Kansas Legislature
In a decisive move to protect voter rights, Loud Light—alongside Kansas Appleseed and the Disability Rights Center of Kansas—has filed a lawsuit challenging Senate Bill 4 [[link removed]] (SB 4), a new law passed by the Kansas Legislature that eliminates the state’s longstanding three-day grace period for mail-in ballots. Under SB 4, only ballots received by 7 p.m. on Election Day will count, even if they were postmarked on time.
The lawsuit argues that SB 4 is a “deliberate and unconstitutional assault on Kansans’ fundamental right to vote.” The advocacy groups assert that the law violates the Equal Protection Clause by arbitrarily discarding ballots based on geography and postal delays, factors entirely outside voters’ control. It also disproportionately harms rural voters, seniors, people with disabilities, and students who depend on mail-in voting.
The suit further notes that Kansas already has one of the nation’s shortest vote-by-mail windows, sending ballots just 20 days before an election, far less than the 30 to 45 days used in other states. With mail delays increasingly common, SB 4 creates a precedent where voters can do everything right and still be silenced.
The plaintiffs argue that due process requires the state to provide a reliable and fair way for voters to cast ballots, and this law fails that test.
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The Ground Game: Insights & Analysis
Each month, our Executive Director, Dakota Hall, breaks down the latest developments in policy, activism, and social movements with a series of blog posts offering critical analysis of the issues currently shaping our communities. Check out his pieces from May:
* In Boom-and-Bust vs. Brick-and-Mortar [[link removed]] , Dakota examines the pitfalls of short-term, reactionary activism and advocates for a more sustainable approach to movement building. He emphasizes the importance of investing in long-term infrastructure and stable leadership to achieve lasting change.
* In Close the Digital Gap Before It Becomes a Ballot Gap [[link removed]] , Dakota highlights the urgent need for progressives to address the growing digital and media disparity. He argues that while the right has established a continuous digital presence, effectively shaping political narratives around the clock, the left has been unable to do so. In this piece, Dakota calls for the progressive movement to invest in more strategic, sustained engagement with influential voices in digital spaces to build authentic, lasting relationships within online communities.
* In Campus Catalysts, Lifelong Power [[link removed]] , Dakota emphasizes the critical role of sustained investment in student-led movements. He posits that sporadic funding, limited to election years, leads to burnout and lost momentum among young activists. Instead, we should recognize the long-term potential of campus organizing and support its transformation into enduring civic leadership.
Read More Here! [[link removed]]
Thank you for being in this work with us—your continued support powers every step forward.
Selasi Tagbor Morales
Communications Coordinator
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