Breaking Into Politics
Date: Nov. 21, 2009
9 AM PST / 12 PM EST / 5 PM GMT
Recording of this Coffeehouse
Synopsis
The past few years have seen an electrifying transition in the relationship between youth and politics. With the maturation of social media and communication tools, a younger generation of citizens are now able to engage in political elections, campaigning, advocacy and the political process in unprecedented numbers. This wave of youth participation has brought with it a new energy and perspective, but also brings a new set of social, professional and political challenges.
This teleconference will discuss the challenges, strategies and rewards of youth engagement in politics. Specific topics will include:
Panelists are individuals between the ages of 22 and 35 who have been closely associated with politics or have held elected office in the U.S. or Europe.
Partners
This event was organized with the help of the following organizations:
Panelist Bios
Matthew Varilek (Moderator) - Senior Staffer, U.S. Congress
Matt Varilek has served as economic development advisor and speechwriter in the U.S. Congress since 2004. He has worked on campaigns for the U.S. Presidency, U.S. Senate, U.S. House, Governor, and State Legislature. Matt holds degrees from Carleton College (B.A.), Glasgow University (M.Phil.), and Cambridge University (M.Phil). He was a finalist for the Rhodes Scholarship, and a recipient of the Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship and the Gates Cambridge Scholarship. He is a native of Yankton, South Dakota, and currently lives in Sioux Falls, South Dakota with his wife, Maggie, and daughter, Willa.
Kesha Ram - Member of the Vermont House of Representatives
Elected in November, 2008, Kesha Ram (22) is currently serving as the youngest member of the Vermont Legislature, the youngest state legislator in the nation and is the youngest candidate endorsed by Emily's List. Before running for office, Kesha was a student at the University of Vermont, where she earned a dual degree program in Natural Resource Planning and Political Science and was elected as Student Government Association President. Her self-designed thesis research on environmental justice communities in Vermont spurred House bill H. 463, a measure aimed to increase citizen access to clean natural resources, a healthy environment, and meaningful participation in local land use decisions regardless of race or class. Among her many honors, Kesha was a Marshall Scholar, Udall Scholar, Rhodes Scholar Finalist, and was named the 2008 Mary Jean Simpson Award recipient at UVM's Commencement, which is an award given to the senior woman who exemplifies the utmost in academic excellence, leadership, and service.
Bethan Jenkins - Member of the National Assembly for Wales
Bethan Jenkins (29) is a Plaid Cymru Member of the National Assembly for Wales representing the South Wales West Region. Elected in May, 2007 at the age of 25, she was the youngest Assembly Member elected in the third term of the National Assembly. Her political interests include international affairs, women’s rights, asylum matters, the safeguarding of local services, and eating disorder provision in Wales. Bethan currently sits on the Petitions Committee, the Audit Committee and the Communities and Culture Committee at the National Assembly for Wales, and is the Plaid Cymru Spokesperson on Child Poverty and cultural issues. Bethan is the founder member and chair of the Cross Party Committee on Eating Disorders at the National Assembly. Bethan studied International Politics and International History at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth. Through student politics, she was elected to the Aberystwyth Guild of Students executive, first as Women’s Officer, then as Campaigns, Communications and Equal Opportunities Officer. In 2004, she was elected as Guild President. Bethan is a member of the British Council's TN2020 network.
Jamarr Brown - Vice Chair for the South Carolina Democratic Party
Jamarr Brown (22) was elected in April, 2009, as the Third Vice Chair of the South Carolina Democratic Party, and currently serves as the Vice President of the College Democrats of America (CDA). Previously, Jamarr served as National Council Chair for the CDA and as President of the South Carolina Federation of College Democrats. During the 2008 U.S. election cycle, Jamarr worked closely with the former Democratic National Committee Chair, Howard Dean, to find ways to engage young people all across the country in the electoral process. Jamarr is a member of the DNC Youth Council, Clemson University Council on Diversity Affairs, MLK Celebration Committee, U.S> Senate Youth Program Alumni Association, and serves on the Board of Governors of the Youth Entitlement Summit. Jamarr's professional experience includes serving as an intern for the South Carolina House Democratic Caucus, Deputy Campaign Manager for the Randy Maatta for Congress campaign, South Carolina Democratic Party, Kerr/Edwards 2004 and Gore/Lieberman 2000 campaigns. Jamarr is an alumnus of the Gates Millennium Scholarship.
Marietje Schaake - Member of the European Parliament, Netherlands
Since July 2009, Marietje Schaake (31) serves as a member of the European Parliament. She is a member of the parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET), as well as the Committee on Culture, Media and Education. Marietje also sits on the Parliament's Delegation for relations with the United States and the Delegation for relations with Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro and Kosovo. Schaake served as an independent advisor to the United States Ambassador to the Netherlands and to the president of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights in Washington, DC. Other assignments have included consulting the State Department of the Netherlands, as well as cultural institutes and companies. Schaake specialized in topics like transatlantic relations, diversity, integration, civil rights and Muslims in the West. In the winter of 2007 she received the Barney Karbank Memorial Award 2007 for outstanding leadership on the issue of human rights. Marietje is a member of the British Council's TN2020 network.
