by anti-abortion groups and lawmakers have made it so many people aren"t able to access their right to bodily autonomy. Through medically unnecessary restrictions people of color, rural communities, young people, LGBTQI+ people, people with disabilities, immigrants, and those struggling to make ends meet have been most affected. 

In 2021, Generation Progress partnered with We Testify to launch the below Instagram series that outlines some of the root causes of reproductive oppression. The experiences show how five women navigated these barriers while accessing abortion care. 

The right to abortion isn"t real if only some people can access it. If you agree, join us by demanding lawmakers pass a proactive abortion agenda. 

Related Articles: 

• Abortion Rights Are on the Line–Here"s What You Need to Know
• Reclaiming Our Rights: Reproductive Justice
• Conservatives Feel Entitled to Your Ballot and Your Body
• Four Things You Need to Know About the Texas Abortion Ban

 

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The post Five Abortion Stories That Show We Need to Increase Access appeared first on Generation Progress.

 they"ve made accessing care harder for everyone

In Mississippi, abortion may soon be outlawed after 15 weeks of pregnancy. This law is the basis of the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization case that the Supreme Court heard on December 1, 2021. If a majority of justices rule in favor of the law, the precedent set by Roe would be overturned–and our constitutional right to abortion would be decimated. In Mississippi, all abortion clinics but Jackson Women’s Health Organization have closed, making it nearly impossible for people to access safe, legal abortion care in the state. 

Sadly, Mississippi isn"t the only state where abortion access is a problem. Depending on where you live, there may be a 24- or 48-hour waiting period between a consultation appointment and when you can get your abortion. You may be forced to undergo a medically unnecessary ultrasound before you can terminate. Your nearest clinic may be miles away and/or backlogged. Lack of insurance coverage may result in unaffordable costs. Laws may dictate your timing of, if, and when you can get an abortion. You may also be given false information from anti-abortion volunteers posing as health care workers at crisis pregnancy centers. Anti-abortion laws and policies may supersede your decision-making and autonomy. 

Our abortion rights have been in danger for a long time, but this year it"s only gotten worse. In 2021, more states have passed abortion restrictions that can cause significant challenges to receiving care than any other year. This is the erosion of reproductive rights and justice in America.

Earlier this year, Texas enacted S.B.8–a law that bans abortions after six weeks of pregnancy and authorizes ordinary people to sue anyone who helps someone get an abortion past that point. Six weeks of pregnancy is only two weeks after a missed period, a time when most people don"t yet know they"re pregnant. Regardless of this fact, the Supreme Court refused to block the law in September, forcing hundreds of people to travel out-of-state to get care and others to continue with a pregnancy they do not want. If Roe is overturned, this situation could be the new reality for birthing people across the country.

We have to protect our constitutional right to abortion and push legislators to go above and beyond it. If Roe is overturned, abortion would immediately be banned in 24 states as a result of insidious trigger laws that are designed to take effect the moment the abortion is no longer protected. These people would have to drive an average of 4.5 hours to get an abortion, and the impact would fall hardest on people of color, rural people,  young people, LGBTQI+ people, people with disabilities, immigrants, and those struggling to make ends meet. Abortion access is an issue of racial equity and economic justice. It"s a simple, essential, health care service that allows individuals to have control over their future. While it could be months before the Court releases its decision on Dobbs, we won"t give up this fight.

The Women’s Health Protection Act would protect abortion rights by establishing a statutory right for health care professionals to provide abortion care and patients to receive it. It also eliminates some key barriers to abortion access, including mandatory waiting periods, biased counseling, two-trip requirements, and mandatory ultrasounds. The bill was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives, but it still has to get through the Senate to become law. 

We have to transform how abortion is treated in this country, especially for those whose abortion rights have been most obstructed."¯Tell your elected officials to protect abortion access and ask your senators to pass the Women"s Health Protection Act. This is how we can save Roe and go even further.

The post Abortion Rights Are on the Line–Here’s What You Need to Know appeared first on Generation Progress.

Young Americans are more racially and ethnically diverse than previous generations, and they are also more likely to be openly LGBTQI+. For these individuals, concerns over crises such as shrinking housing availability and climate change are compounded by ongoing and significant rates of discrimination against LGBTQI+ individuals. The LGBTQI+ youth of today face heightened rates of bullying in educational spaces, rejection from family members, and homelessness, among other concerns. Although the internet has created new opportunities for positive connection and affirmation, online harassment has also fueled mental health problems. Data from a nationally representative 2020 survey by the Center for American Progress and NORC at the University of Chicago* reveal that LGBTQI+ youth face high levels of discrimination in school, work, and housing, which leads to large-scale financial struggles and poor mental health. Overall, 57 percent of Generation Z** respondents reported experiencing some form of discrimination in the year prior to the survey, compared with 42 percent of Millennials, 30 percent of Gen X respondents, and 19 percent of Baby Boomers.

Mental health disparities

Compared with older generations, LGBTQI+ Gen Z individuals experience much higher rates of mental health issues, including symptoms of depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation. These general feelings of hopelessness, nervousness, or unwillingness to live stem from an array of factors, including financial and housing instability, lack of access to mental health services, employment uncertainties, and unaccepting families, all of which were exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Data from CAP"s 2020 survey capture some of these disparities:

• 82 percent of Gen Z respondents reported feeling so sad that nothing could cheer them up to some degree in January 2020, compared with 64 percent of Millennials, 46 percent of Gen X, and 30 percent of Baby Boomers.
  • 95 percent of Gen Z respondents reported that poor mental health interfered with their daily life or activities to some degree in January 2020, compared with 88 percent of Millennials, 76 percent of Gen X, and 75 percent of Baby Boomers.
• 86 percent of Gen Z respondents reported that their psychological well-being was negatively affected to some degree by discrimination in the year prior to the survey.
• 67 percent of Gen Z respondents reported that their physical well-being was negatively affected to some degree by discrimination in the year prior to the survey.

Figure 1

Education

The majority of Gen Z individuals are college age or younger, meaning that much of the discrimination faced by LGBTQI+ youth takes place in school environments. Compared with their cisgender heterosexual counterparts, LGBTQI+ students–particularly transgender students–face disproportionate rates of bullying. The frequency of harassment and discrimination in schools has led to significant mental health concerns, including suicidal thoughts or attempts, among this population. Additionally, such victimization also results in LGBTQI+ students being more likely to struggle academically and less likely to pursue postsecondary education. Patterns of discrimination can also be found in higher education. For example, religious exemption allows colleges to discriminate against LBGTQI+ students on the basis of their beliefs, despite Title IX anti-discrimination protections. CAP"s survey data outline these patterns of discrimination:

• 46 percent of Gen Z respondents who reported experiencing discrimination in the year prior to the survey suffered bullying, harassment, or discrimination in school.
• 80 percent of Gen Z respondents who reported discrimination in the year prior to the survey said that it has negatively affected their school environment to some degree.
• 35 percent of Gen Z respondents reported making specific decisions about where to go to school to avoid experiencing discrimination.

Figure 2

Financial disparities

While 45 million Americans are currently saddled with student loan debt, it is more concentrated among young adults–and Black, Brown, and low-income people are disproportionately affected. Gen Z is on track to become the most educated generation in history, but it is also seeing the largest increases in student loan debt year after year. In 2020, young people"s average debt increased by 39 percent, which was a greater increase than for any other generation. Significant student debt affects many big life decisions, preventing young people from buying homes, moving to new places, getting married, starting families, reaching financial stability, and more. Young Americans, who have borne thebrunt of multiple economic recessions in the past decade, also have a high reliance on minimum wage jobs and have long struggled to find success in an increasingly polarized economy. Meanwhile, LGBTQI+ Americans face unique economic struggles due to hiring discrimination, lack of access to generational wealth, and overrepresentation inservice industry jobs, leading this population to face poverty at higher rates than their cisgender heterosexual counterparts.

• 28 percent of Gen Z respondents reported receiving some assistance from unemployment in the year prior to the survey, compared with 23 percent of Millennials, 23 percent of Gen X, and 12 percent of Baby Boomers.
• 63 percent of Gen Z respondents who reported discrimination in the year prior to the survey said that it negatively affected their ability to be hired to some degree, compared with 57 percent of Millennials, 60 percent of Gen X, and 43 percent of Baby Boomers.
• 47 percent of Gen Z respondents who reported discrimination in the year prior to the survey said that it has negatively affected their financial well-being to some degree.

Figure 3

Housing disparities

Because most young Americans still live with a parent or guardian, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, they face unique pressures in maintaining positive relationships with biological or legal family members. These concerns compound for LGBTQI+ individuals, who often experience rejection from family because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Staggeringly, LGBTQ youth and young adults are 120 percent more likely to experience homelessness than their straight and cisgender peers, in part because of high rates of family rejection.

Additionally, LGBTQI+ youth living on their own face the strains of an unstable housing market, low wages, and historically little access to wealth, contributing to low rates of homeownership. These factors, combined with widespread housing discrimination against LGBTQI+ Americans writ large, all contribute to the high rates of housinginsecurity among LGBTQI+ individuals.

• 34 percent of Gen Z respondents reported that their ability to rent or buy a home was moderately or significantly affected by discrimination, compared with 29 percent of Millennials, 28 percent of Gen X, and 10 percent of Baby Boomers.
• 23 percent of Gen Z respondents who reported experiencing discrimination in the year prior to the survey said they experienced it in an apartment community, compared with 22 percent of Millennials, 16 percent of Gen X, and 10 percent of Baby Boomers.
• 27 percent of Gen Z respondents report having moved away from a rural area to avoid experiencing discrimination, compared with 24 percent of Millennials, 21 percent of Gen X, and 17 percent of Baby Boomers.

Avoidance behaviors

One result of the high levels of discrimination faced by Gen Z LGBTQI+ individuals is that this generation is more likely to go out of its way to avoid further discriminatory experiences. Although U.S. support for LGBTQI+ rights has increased, a significant portion of these individuals remain in the closet out of fear of experiencing discrimination or retaliation. Gen Z individuals are also the most likely to identify as transgender and nonbinary–groups that facedisproportionately high levels of discrimination in housing and health care and in public spaces.

• 45 percent of Gen Z respondents reported avoiding law enforcement in order to avoid experiencing discrimination, compared with 36 percent of Millennials, 24 percent of Gen X, and 16 percent of Baby Boomers.
• 42 percent of Gen Z respondents reported avoiding public places such as stores or restaurants in order to avoid experiencing discrimination, compared with 37 percent of Millennials, 31 percent of Gen X, and 23 percent of Baby Boomers.
• 35 percent of Gen Z respondents reported avoiding doctor"s offices in order to avoid experiencing discrimination, compared with 23 percent of Millennials, 14 percent of Gen X, and 9 percent of Baby Boomers.

Figure 4

Conclusion

LGBTQI+ individuals who are part of Generation Z reported some of the highest levels of discrimination across CAP"s 2020 survey. These concerns were most prominent in housing, education, and economic advancement and had a marked impact on respondents" mental health and behavior. As more and more young LGBTQI+ individuals feel safe living as their authentic selves, it is all the more imperative that lawmakers address the myriad disparities LGBTQI+ youth face and ensure they are protected from discrimination under federal law.

*Data throughout this column are from a nationally representative survey of 1,528 LGBTQI+-identifying individuals, jointly conducted in June 2020 by the Center for American Progress and NORC at the University of Chicago, which has been weighted to account for both U.S. population characteristics and survey nonresponse. Unless otherwise indicated, all comparisons between white respondents and respondents of color are significant at the 0.05 level.

**Generation Z respondents include all those from ages 18 to 22. Millennials include respondents ages 23 to 38; Generation X includes respondents ages 39 to 54; and Baby Boomers include respondents ages 55 and older.

The post LGBTQI+ Members of Generation Z Face Unique Social and Economic Concerns appeared first on Generation Progress.

Please join the Center for American Progress, Generation Progress, young LGBTQI elected officials, and a cross-movement panel of advocates, policy experts, and researchers to discuss why Gen Z LGBTQI individuals are experiencing such significant disparities and what policymakers can do to address this crisis.

Wednesday, November 10, 2021
Noon to 1:15 pm E.T.

Introductory remarks:
Sharita Gruberg, Vice President of the LGBTQ and Communications Project, Center for American Progress

Keynote remarks:
State Rep. Ryan M. Fecteau (D-ME), Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives

Panelists:
Jordan Budd, Executive Director, COLAGE
Olivia Julianna, Advocate and Digital Content Creator, Gen Z for Change
Lindsay Mahowald, Research Assistant with the LGBTQ Research and Communications Project, Center for American Progress
Preston Mitchum, Director of Advocacy and Government Affairs, The Trevor Project

Moderator:
Edwith Theogene, Director of Advocacy, Generation Progress

Closing remarks:
Matthew Taylor, Member-at-Large, Sunnyside Unified Governing Board in Arizona

The post EVENT: Making Progress for LGBTQI+ Gen Z appeared first on Generation Progress.

The world is a better place for young people when reproductive justice is achieved.

The post Reclaiming Our Rights: Reproductive Justice appeared first on Generation Progress.

1. PROTECT THE RIGHT TO VOTE

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Ensure fair access to the democratic process through Automatic Voter Registration (AVR), pre-registration, and Election Day registration.

2. IMPLEMENT COMMON-SENSE GUN LAWS

Address the U.S. gun violence epidemic by investing in research and passing legislation that enforces universal background checks, increases funding for nationwide gun violence prevention and intervention programs, bans assault weapons and high capacity magazines, enables the Centers for Disease Control to research gun violence as a public health issue, disarms all domestic abusers, and makes ERPOs available in every state.

3. ENACT BOLD CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORMS TO CURB MASS INCARCERATION

Rethink national policies that exacerbate the mass incarceration problem in the U.S. by making sure marijuana legislation includes strong provisions that clear marijuana criminal records and ensure meaningful reinvestment in communities of color, reforming the pretrial system including the removal of barriers to bail payments, improving the timeliness and quality of national data collection, and passing legislation to automatically expunge certain federal offenses from criminal records.

4. PROTECT DACA RECIPIENTS AND TPS HOLDERS

Provide permanent protections to young immigrants by passing legislation that puts Dreamers and TPS holders on a pathway to citizenship.

5. TACKLE CLIMATE CHANGE THROUGH CLEAN ENERGY PROPOSALS AND INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT

Heed the warnings from climate scientists on the dangers of inaction on climate by passing bold legislation that takes on carbon emissions and invests in clean energy and infrastructure.

6. SHORE UP PROTECTIONS AND ACCESS TO REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND FAMILY SERVICES

Center the needs of young people and their reproductive health by protecting and expanding the ACA and Medicaid, investing in pregnancy prevention programs, and stopping the Trump administration"s proposed domestic gag rule.

7. ADDRESS THE STUDENT DEBT CRISIS

To curb the mounting student debt crisis, Congress must pass legislation that ensures young people have access to free or debt-free college, implement solutions to help borrowers, tackle bad actors profiting off of borrowers, and hold for-profit colleges accountable for cheating student borrowers.

8. PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE FEDERAL PROTECTIONS FOR THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY

Congress should fight anti-LGBTQ bullying, discrimination, and mistreatment, by passing explicit protections to end discrimination in all areas of life, increase and improve assistance for runaway and homeless youth and survivors of violence, and end conversion therapy.

9. REMOVE STRUCTURAL BARRIERS FACED BY YOUNG PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

In order to remove barriers faced by disabled youth, Congress must provide access to comprehensive care that does not discriminate against people with pre-existing conditions and provides the right to access long-term supports and services, ends subminimum wage and segregated employment, and eradicate asset limits for people with disabilities.

10. DISMANTLE BARRIERS TO OPPORTUNITY FOR YOUNG PEOPLE OF COLOR AND YOUNG PEOPLE OF ALL FAITHS

The 116th Congress should invest in young people of color by creating racial and economic opportunities and providing civil rights protections. They should similarly invest in young people of faith with welcoming attitudes toward religious diversity and rejecting any attempts to restrict or manipulate constitutional protections of religious freedom.

The post FACT SHEET: Ten Ways the New Congress Can Act for Young People appeared first on Generation Progress.

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The narrative turned out to be false; during the 2018 cycle, young people campaigned around the issues they cared about and voted in historic numbers. In fact, 31 percent of young people turned out to vote, an increase of 10 points compared to the 2014 midterm elections. With Millennials projected to be the largest voting bloc by 2020, young people are poised to change the politics of their communities, and the nation.

By seizing their power, young people showed America that they have what it takes to tip the scales on many of today"s most critical issues, including democracy, gun violence prevention, criminal justice reform, immigration, climate change, women"s health, student debt, and diversity and inclusion.

Now is the time for accountability. As the 116th Congress works to frame their priorities for the next two years, members must center young people in their policy proposals and legislation. Generation Progress and the Center for American Progress have identified policy areas that are important to young people and can drive youth civic engagement and voter participation.

View our fact sheet which summarizes our findings in this report.

The post REPORT: Ten Ways the New Congress Can Act for Young People appeared first on Generation Progress.

Fast Facts about Today"s Young People

Young people today are more diverse than ever.

• Young people are now the largest age group in the U.S.: There are 83.1 million 18- to 35-year-olds, compared to 75.4 million baby boomers.  
• Young people are more diverse than any previous age group: 44.2% of young people are non-white, versus just 38.5% of 35- to 54-year-olds, and 25% of those 55 and older.
• Gender breakdown: According to the American Community Survey, there are 37,943,390 male 18- to 34-year-olds (50.9%), compared to 36,541,094 female 18- to 34-year-olds (49.1%).
• LGBTQ young people: 18- to 35-year-olds identify on the LGBT* spectrum at higher rates than any preceding age group. 8% of young people identify as LGBT, compared to just 5% of the American population overall.

Young People and Economic Stability

Employment

Because of the Great Recession and widening income inequality, young people (18-35) are struggling to enjoy the same level of economic stability their parents" generation enjoyed.

• Despite increasing levels of education and large gains in productivity, young people today earn just about the same or less than their parents did at the same age: accounting for inflation, the median 30-year-old makes $19.32 an hour today, compared to the median 30-year-old"s hourly wage of $20.63 in 2004 and $18.99 in 1984.
• Youth unemployment:
  • The 2017 unemployment rate for 16- to 24-year-olds was 9.2%. In 2016, it was 10.4% and in 2015 it was 11.6%. (Author"s analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data, seasonally adjusted)
  • For 25- to 34-year-olds, the unemployment rate was 4.6% in 2017. In 2016, it was 5.1% and in 2015 it was 5.5%. (Author"s analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data, seasonally adjusted)
• Youth unemployment by race and ethnicity:
  • In 2017, the youth unemployment rate for 16- to 24-year-old white youth was 8.1%, 14.6% for black youth, 9.5% for Latino youth, and 8.2% for Asian youth. (Author"s analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data, seasonally unadjusted)
  • For 25- to 34-year-olds in 2017, the white unemployment rate was 3.9%, the black unemployment rate was 8.4%, the Latino unemployment rate was 5.1%, and the Asian unemployment rate was 3.1%. (Author"s analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data, seasonally unadjusted)
• Labor force participation:
  • In 2017, the youth labor force participation rate (LFPR) for 16- to 24-year-olds was 55.5%. The closely mirrors the youth LFPR in 2015 and 2016 (55% and 55.2%, respectively), but falls short of pre-recession levels (60.8% in 2005, 60.6% in 2006, 59.4% in 2007). (Author"s analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data, seasonally adjusted)
  • The LFPR for 25- to 34-year-olds in 2017 was 82.1%. In 2016 it was 81.6% and in 2015 it was 81%. Before the recession, levels hovered closer to 83%: in 2005, the LFPR for 25- to 34-year-olds was 82.8%, in 2006 it was 83%, and in 2007 it was 83.3%. (Author"s analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data, seasonally adjusted)
• Labor force participation by race and ethnicity:
  • In 2017, the LFPR for 16- to 24-year-old white youth was 57.2%, 52.1% for black youth, 53.3% for Latino youth, and 41.7% for Asian youth. (Author"s analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data, seasonally unadjusted)
  • For 25- to 34-year-olds in 2017, the white LFPR was 83%, the black rate was 80.1%, the Latino rate was 79.3%, and the Asian unemployment rate was 75.3%. (Author"s analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data, seasonally unadjusted)
• More young people live in poverty than older generations did at the same age: 13.5 million Millennials (or 19.5% of all Millennials) fall below the poverty line.
• More young people work in retail than manufacturing: 21.5% of all 20- to 34-year-olds work in wholesale and retail trade jobs, versus just 6.7% in manufacturing jobs.
• Unions:
  • 5.9% of young people are covered by unions.
  • In 2017, 1 in 4 of the 858,000 net new jobs for workers under 35 was a union job.
  • 3 in 4 new union members in 2017 were under 35.
• Apprenticeships: While there are no generational breakdowns available, there are currently 505,000 apprentices of all ages nationwide.

Savings

Young people"s economic instability is evident based on their inability to save, and generational wealth is divided sharply by race.

• Savings: 67% of 18- to 24-year-olds have less than $1,000 in savings and of those, 46% have $0 in savings. For 25- to 34-year-olds, 61% have less than $1,000 in savings and 41% have no savings.
• Generational wealth: Regardless of age, white Americans are five times more likely than black Americans to receive an inheritance (36% to 7%), and when both receive an inheritance, white Americans" inheritances are about 10 times larger.

Homeownership

Largely stemming from the student debt crisis, home ownership has fallen sharply among young people compared to previous generations.

• Homeownership: for households headed by those aged 35 homeownership has dropped sharply, from 43.1% in 2004 to 35.2% today.

Education

While highly educated, young people face staggering amounts of student loan debt.

• Educational attainment: 64.4% of Americans 18 to 34 have graduated from high school, and 33.7% of 25- to 34-year-olds have earned a bachelor"s degree or higher.
• Student debt:

• Total: Overall, Americans now owe more than $1.4 trillion in student debt.
  • Defaults: 1 million student loan borrowers default on almost $20 billion worth of federal loans every year. Of these, 3 out of 10 defaults are African American and just under one-half of defaulters, regardless of race, never finish college.
• Debt size:
  • • Half of student loan borrowers graduate with $20,000 or more in debt, double the percentage a decade ago.
    • In 2015, the average debt for college students holding student loans and graduating with a bachelor"s degree $30,100.
• Trends: Student debt in America increased by 170% from 2006 to 2016.
• Student debt as a women"s issue: $800 billion of the $1.3 trillion of student debt analyzed by the American Association of University Women is held by women.

Young People and Civil Rights

Hate Crimes and Nondiscrimination Protections

Although hate crimes are on the rise, young people"s tolerance for them is on the decline, with strong support for non-discrimination protections across the board.

• Hate crimes: While generational information isn"t available, the vast majority of hate crimes in 2016 (58.9%) targeted victims because of their race, ethnicity, and/or ancestry. Another 21.1% were victimized because of their religion (including a large increase in the number of hate crimes against Muslims), 16.7% were targeted because of their perceived sexual orientation and 1.7% because of their perceived gender identity. As the most diverse generation, young people suffer when hate crimes increase.
• Non-discrimination protections: 90% of Americans 18 to 30 years old support non-discrimination protections for LGBT people in employment.
• Judicial system:
  • Nearly one in two 18- to 29-year-olds do not believe in the U.S. judicial system"s ability to fairly judge people without bias for race and ethnicity.
  • While generational breakdowns were not available, overall 61% of Americans believe Trump"s judicial nominees will favor the wealthy and powerful over everyday people. Additionally, 41% have confidence in Trump to nominated good federal judges and Supreme Court justices.
• Voting: In the 2016 presidential election, 1 in 4 young people had to fill out a provisional ballot because of questions of eligibility, compared to 6% of Baby Boomers and 2% of the Greatest Generation.

Gun Violence Prevention and Criminal Justice Reform

In general, young people (18-35) strongly support finding solutions to issues concerning our criminal justice system and high rates of gun violence–two epidemics that disproportionately affect younger Americans, and particularly young Americans of color.

• 71% of young voters say they would be more likely to vote for a candidate who was committed to holding law enforcement officers accountable for their actions, increasing officer and leadership diversity, and eliminating racial profiling.
• 69% say they would be more likely to vote for a candidate who supports laws that prohibit gun purchases by perpetrators of hate crimes, individuals with ties to terrorist organizations or individuals with a history of domestic violence.
• 62% of young voters say they"d be more likely to vote for a candidate who supports the goals of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Immigration

More so than previous generations, immigrants are helping define today’s 18- to 35-year-olds.

• DACA: There are nearly 800,000 young people who have DACA, who, by definition cannot be older than 36 years old as of June 15, 2017.
• Immigration:
  • 15% of those aged 20 to 34 were born in another country, one of the highest levels seen since our last immigration peak in 1910.
  • More immigrants coming to the United States are young people than any other agre group.

Young People and the Environment

Young (18-35) Americans are more concerned about the environment, and ready to take action, than older generations.

• 72% of young voters say they"d be more likely to vote for a candidate who supports investing in renewable energy to reduce our carbon footprint and create jobs.
• Young people are more concerned about climate change than older generations.
• As natural disasters become more and more frequent, low-income people bear the brunt of the costs, and young people are disproportionately affected.

Young People, Family, and Health

Parenthood

Though often overlooked, many of today"s young Americans are parents, with young people (18-35) making up the vast majority of new parents.

• Number of student parents: Just under 26% of all college students are student-parents. Women make up 71% of student-parents and black women make up 47% of all women student-parents.
• Number of young parents: young women accounted for 82% of all births in 2015. 1.3 million young women gave birth for the first time in 2018.
• Child care accessibility: More than half of all Americans live in child care deserts. 60% of Hispanic Americans live in child care deserts, and 75% of rural Alaska Native/American Indians do.
• 83% of young people say they would leave their job for one with more family-friendly policies.
• In 16 states and DC, it takes more than 50% of a young person"s income to pay for an infant to be in center-based child care. In only 7 states does it cost less than 30%.

Health Insurance

After the passage of the Affordable Care Act, young people"s health insurance coverage increased dramatically, though a significant percentage still lack health care.

• Uninsured rate: 16% of young people lacked health care in 2015.
• Insurance Coverage Increase: Young people experienced a 45% increase in health insurance coverage between 2010 and 2015, the largest of any age demographic.

Note: Definitions of the Millennial generation vary, and today"s 18- 19-year-olds are part of the next generation, Generation Z. When possible, we have attempted to provide the specific ages behind the data points listed to include as many 18- to 35-year-olds as possible, and to provide accuracy on the data itself.

*Generation Progress uses the abbreviation LGBTQ to refer to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer individuals. However, when studies refer to LGBTQ individuals using varying acronyms (a non-exhaustive list being LGBT, LGBTQIA, LGBTQ+) we use the term used in the study to represent the data as accurately as possible.

The post State of Our Union appeared first on Generation Progress.

1. Young people came out swinging in 2017 elections, bringing down candidates across the country who stood in opposition to our values.

In Virginia, there was an unprecedented showing of young people in the 2017 elections, which included a key gubernatorial race and down-ballot races for the state legislature. Voter turnout among young people was up eight percent from the last gubernatorial election, and a large majority of young voters cast their ballots for Ralph Northam, who came out strong for progressive issues like student debt relief and making affordable health care a reality for all Virginians. In New Jersey, Democratic candidate Phil Murphy cruised easily to victory, defeating his conservative opponent on a platform emphasizing the issues that matter to young people, like climate change, student debt, and health care.

Young people"s impact on the elections wasn"t just confined to the ballot box: across the country, from Kansas to Vermont to New York, teens as young as 16 declared their candidacy in 2017 for elected office in local, state, and even federal politics. These young people felt–and personally experienced–disillusionment with a political system that fails to listen to their voices and values, and decided to make sure their needs are addressed by throwing their hats into the ring.

2. After a series of historic elections, Danica Roem and Andrea Jenkins became two of the first openly transgender elected officials in U.S. history, continuing the transgender revolution.

Danica Roem, a transgender woman who ran on a campaign oriented around local transportation issues, unseated incumbent Del. Robert Marshall in a race for a seat in the Virginia House of Delegates. Marshall, a notoriously conservative Delegate, introduced a "bathroom bill" in 2017, attempting to prevent transgender people from using the bathroom aligned with their gender identity, and proudly referred to himself as Virginia"s "Chief Homophobe." In Minneapolis, Andrea Jenkins won an election to the city council with a legacy of community activism in underserved neighborhoods and as a historian curating a project on transgender voices and history. Their wins showed a remarkable revolution in America"s acceptance and embrace of transgender people, one led and fueled by young people.

3. We saved the ACA (for now).

Conservatives have tried to repeal the ACA countless times this year (and every year since it was passed in 2009), offering alternatives that reveal their priorities: tax cuts for corporations and the wealthy over health care for middle-class families. But each time it seemed like conservatives were on the verge of winning, the American people rallied with historic energy, storming Congressional offices, town halls, and calling office lines in such unprecedented numbers that many phone lines were overwhelmed and congressional members stopped having townhalls. Though progressives managed to stage many upsets this year, the ACA fight really drove the point home: when we raise our voices, and speak out against injustices, we win.

4. A bipartisan group of Illinois lawmakers came together to stand up for student loan borrowers.

The Illinois state legislature passed a borrower"s bill of rights, called the "Illinois Student Loan Bill of Rights," to make sure student loan borrowers have the same protections as other consumers. The bill included provisions like requiring student loan servicers provide borrowers with accurate and timely information on repayment plans, loan forgiveness, and more. But then, in an unusual move, Illinois" Governor vetoed the bill. In a strong show of support for student loan borrowers, the Illinois state legislature overwhelmingly overturned the Governor"s veto, 98-16.  Across the country, states and municipalities passed innovative, reformative measures on student debt, showing that this issue that rests squarely on the back of young people is not unsolvable, nor unbeatable.

5. Women across the country showed up and spoke out, time and time again.

The day after Trump"s inauguration, half a million women and their allies flooded the streets of  the nation"s capital in the largest-ever demonstration in U.S. history (creating a crowd far larger than the previous day"s inauguration) to show that women would be neither silenced nor overpowered by a president whose misogyny showed in both his political and private life. Alongside 650 marches across the country and many more in countries around the world, the Women"s March–organized and sustained by young people of color–demonstrated that we will not stand idly by as women"s rights are systematically attacked and threatened. Since then, women have continued to be backbone of progress. This fall, the #MeToo movement began when women publicly shared their stories of sexual harassment and assault–and the world started listening. Overcoming powerful and embedded tools of shame, as well as a real risk of financial and cultural ruin, women have spoken out about the pervasiveness of sexual harassment. From the Women"s March to #MeToo, women this year have proven one thing: they won"t be silenced.

6. Celebrities used their platforms for good.

This year, celebrities recognized the power of the microphone and used their wide audiences to inspire action in the face of injustice. Since Cardi B"s song "Bodak Yellow" went viral earlier this year, hitting number one on the Billboard Hot 100, the 25-year-old rapper from the Bronx has taken the pop culture world–and the political world–by storm. Cardi B, a self-made Instagram personality and former "Love & Hip Hop" star, radically de-stigmatized sex work and poverty, talking and rapping about how sex work helped pull her out of an abusive relationship and growing up in poverty. She"s also been outspoken on identifying as both black and Latina and what it means to live at the intersections of both identities. Like many cultural icons this year, Cardi B has shown us that all experiences are important and worthy of cultural representation–and how to use a rapidly expanding platform to change deeply embedded cultural norms.

Over in Chicago, Chance the Rapper threw parties to encourage people to vote and made voter registration easy at all of his concerts, nationwide. Simultaneously, he"s used his platform to speak up for gun violence prevention and criminal justice reform. By equipping his listeners with the power to vote and educating them about the raging gun violence epidemic in our country, he"s single-handedly helped elevate the issue of gun violence in our discourse and our politics. Chance has concurrently drawn attention to issues affecting his community and to the power of the vote, showing how a public figure can invest in their own community for positive, progressive change.

And of course, there was that moment Nicki Minaj serendipitously decided to pay for multiple students" college tuition after a fan asked on Twitter.

7. A civil rights attorney and defender of #BlackLivesMatter and Occupy Wall Street protesters became Philadelphia"s next District Attorney.

Larry Krasner"s election demonstrates that the people not only want, but will vote for, change in the current criminal justice and economic justice systems. Though Krasner describes his work defending #BlackLivesMatter and Occupy protestors as choices that made him seem "completely unelectable," Philadelphia chose otherwise. He ran on a platform of ensuring that the DA"s office will fight for justice for defendants, not just prosecutors. Krasner is just the start: across the country, young people have walked alongside–and led–#BlackLivesMatter protests, and advocated and agitated for changing the system so it"s not rigged against those living in poverty and communities of color. This is why all Americans need a seat at the table in 2018.

8. Doug Jones defeated Roy Moore in the Alabama special Senate election–thanks to black voters, and black women in particular.

Even before multiple remarkably consistent and substantiated reports surfaced that conservative candidate Roy Moore had harassed and assaulted women and girls as young as 14, Moore violated even the most basic of progressive values, speaking out against LGBTQ equality and women"s reproductive rights. Then the allegations started coming in. In spite of this, a majority of white women and men still cast their votes for Moore. But Black voters, including 98 percent of black women, stood up for their values, and voted for Jones, sending the first Democrat to the Senate from Alabama in a quarter-century. This is despite attempts to suppress black votes, showing that even in the face of pernicious voter suppression tactics, black people and specifically black women are the backbone of the progressive movement.

9. The courts showed us that there"s still some semblance of justice in this country.

From stopping the original Muslim travel ban to preventing Trump"s rule to end copay-free birth control from going into effect to preserving sanctuary cities, the courts have served an important role in 2017: allowing justice to prevail, regardless of political expediency. Meanwhile, Trump has outpaced Obama in the number of federal judges he"s nominated and gotten confirmed–many of them having a record of racism, homophobia, sexism, and xenophobia. In December alone, three judges either withdrew their nominations or were blocked from confirmation after their credentials and fitness to serve as judges were questioned, including this remarkable exchange between Republican Senator John Kennedy and one of Trump"s judicial nominees. Though Trump is attempting to pack the federal courts for generations to come, a string of decisions defying some of Trump"s most heinous decisions over the last year shows that we have checks and balances for a reason and the fight to protect our courts has never been more important.

10. Women of color led the charge.

From Tarana Burke, who started the #MeToo campaign, to Maxine Waters reclaiming her time, women of color were the lifeblood of the resistance this year. Women of color won at the ballot box, including electing the first black woman to the mayor"s office in Charlotte, North Carolina, and, as voters, propelling progressive candidates into elected office. Some of the biggest moments of 2017 were sparked by women of color: the Women"s March was organized by women of color, and San Juan mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz faced misogyny and racism in her courageous stand against President Trump"s inhumane response to the hurricane that devastated Puerto Rico. While 2017 has been full of surprises, one thing is certain: the resistance in 2017 would"ve looked a whole lot different without the work, power, and moral and tactical leadership of women of color.

The post #ResistanceRecap: How Young People Fueled the Resistance in 2017 appeared first on Generation Progress.

In the past few years, youth activism has boomed across the country, and the city of Atlanta – the cradle of the Civil Rights Movement, is no exception. As a result of increased student activism surrounding the Movement for Black Lives, the Undocumented Student Movement, the Sanctuary Campus Movement, Fight for 15, and other organizing efforts, Freedom University – a modern freedom school for undocumented students – became a meeting ground for students interested in building coalitions across movements. Under the guidance of Freedom University"s director, Dr. Laura Emiko Soltis, and veterans of the Atlanta Student Movement, two generations of activists came together to compile the "New Appeal for Human Rights," an interracial and intergenerational project aimed at articulating human rights violations experienced by this generation.

On March 9, 1960, Roslyn Pope completed the original Appeal for Human Rights and worked with Julian Bond, who typed out the document in the home of historian and social activist, Howard Zinn. This document sparked the Atlanta-based student activism of the Civil Rights Movement, including the boycott of Rich"s Department Store, sit-ins across Atlanta, and the desegregation of Georgia public universities. While the 1960 Appeal for Human Rights was a catalyst for Civil Rights Movement organizing, it was innovative in its application of the human rights framework to advocate for the rights of African Americans. Rather than using civil rights language based upon citizens" relation to the U.S. government, a human rights language situated their movement within a global struggle based on the idea that all people have human rights based on their humanity. These principles were articulated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which was declared by the United Nations just 12 years before in December 1948.

During her time as a student at Spelman College, Dr. Roslyn Pope returned from a study abroad opportunity in Europe. In Europe, she felt what it was like to be respected as a human being for the first time. This experience emphasized the need to articulate human rights rather than only civil rights. Dr. Pope remembers returning to Atlanta from Paris. She said, "I began to seek a means of liberation. I couldn’t return to a pre-Paris existence. The time had come for us to stand up for our Humanity. Along with other like-minded students, the Atlanta Student Movement took flight."

In the New Appeal for Human Rights, the coalition outlines the forms of discrimination, inequality, and violence people of color and other marginalized communities are facing in Atlanta, Georgia, and across the country. Based on the categories outlined in the original appeal, today"s coalition articulated human rights violations relating to discrimination, education, voting, housing, healthcare, law enforcement, religious freedom, and worker"s rights. In each section, the coalition connects issues of police brutality, mass incarceration, racial profiling, gentrification, and others to specific violations of human rights as articulated in international human rights law. Using evidence and claims provided by a variety of research organizations and modern social movements, including the Movement for Black Lives, the Housing Justice League, the Georgia Not One More Coalition, the Southern Poverty Law Center, Freedom University, and #ATLisReady, the New Appeal bridges the experiences of other groups and movements to find common ground in an intersectional, intergenerational call for human rights.

In response to the New Appeal, Chairman of the Atlanta Student Movement of 1960-1961, Dr. Lonnie King says, "Opponents of African Americans being included under the umbrella of freedom, justice, and equality have been waging a relentless, campaign to overturn all the gains that were achieved in the 1960s. However, the document written by this new generation of student activists clearly illustrates that the quest for a "˜just" society continues to this day."

To conclude their New Appeal, the coalition states, "We stand in solidarity with each other and will protect each other. To come for one of us is to come for all of us. In honor of the courageous students who came before us, and those who will lead the struggle after us, we commit ourselves to carrying on the fight for human rights as long as injustice exists anywhere. None of us are free until all of us are free."

The full text of the New Appeal for Human Rights can be read here.

The post Atlanta Student Coalition Releases “A New Appeal for Human Rights” appeared first on Generation Progress.