My name is Nadya Dutchin, and I am honored to be serving as the new Interim Executive Director for Power Shift Network.

I’m writing to you at a crucial time — though it seems like every day is crucial right about now.

As you know, we’ve got plans for a massive youth convening in 2021. I know that might seem far away, but let me tell you why it’s important right now.

We’re heading into an election year where everything is on the line. What we build now will have huge implications when that is decided. No matter who is in the White House we need to be ready to hold their feet to the fire.

Nobody is more motivated to do that than young people.

That’s why we’re investing so heavily in building youth power through Power Shift 2021 now — because to get where we need to go we must start today.

We’ve set a goal of raising $1,000 by August 1 to fund stipends for the Power Shift 2021 Steering Committee.

As Hope told you earlier, we’re centering organizers from impacted communities in the planning of Power Shift 2021. We’ve committed to compensating these organizers for their time, because we know that many folks can’t afford to work for free.

Through our planning and organizing of Power Shift 2021, we’re making a big investment into providing training, support, infrastructure, and opportunity for young people to build power and grow in their leadership.

We know that young people can handle the responsibility of holding people in power accountable at all levels — and we need to come forward to support them and fund their efforts.

Together we’re going to facilitate just transitions away from Fossil Fuels, usher in a Green New Deal, and support the leadership of young people in this fight.

Power Shift 2021 is our contribution to that effort — and with your help it will be a huge success.

If we can hit our goal by tomorrow night, we’ll be setting our stipend program up for success and kicking Power Shift 2021 off with a strong foundation.

I know we can do this.

Thank you for all that you do.

-Nadya