Washington, D.C. – The 80 Million Strong for Young American Jobs, a coalition of  28 national youth organizations, including Advocates for Youth, will convene a summit of over 150 young people representing more than 30 states in Washington, D.C. on July 14 &15 in the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center.
 
Members of Advocates’ Youth Activist Network will join other Summit participants to develop legislative proposals to address the disproportionate impact of the recession on young Americans.

Aaliyah Nobles Alexander  is a 24-year old program specialist for No Kidding: Straight Talk from Teen Parents in Texas. This  program uses teen parents as peer educators to deliver presentations to middle and high school-aged youth.

Abbey Marr is a recent graduate from George Washington University and a former member of Advocates for Youth’s International Youth Leadership Council. She has used passion for advocacy to fight for the rights of young people to make informed decisions about their lives.

Cree Gordon is a member of Youth Resource, an online peer education site by and for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (GLBTQ) young people. Cree is a 24 year old, HIV + activist who grew up in rural Louisiana where blacks and whites still attended separate churches. Cree works on issues of HIV prevention, treatment and care at the local, state and national levels.

Ernesto “E” Dominguez is also a member of Youth Resource, an online peer education site by and for GLBTQ young people. E works for the City of Portland as a Youth Program Aide to ensure that the programs and services offered by the city meet the needs of young people.

Jae Truesdell is also a member of Youth Resource, an online peer education site by and for GLBTQ young people. Jae is currently working on her Masters degree in Anthropology and Women’s Studies.

Reina Arai recently graduated with a B.A. in Psychology from Earlham College. Her advocacy work focuses on sexual and domestic violence, teen pregnancy and reproductive choice issues.  As an Obama for America campaign alumna, she is also an advocate for creating jobs for the Millennial Generation and the emerging leaders in the United States.

Terica Gant is a member of MySistahs, an online peer education site created by and for young women of color to provide information and support on sexual and reproductive health issues. Terica is a graduate of Southern University of Baton Rouge and is currently pursuing a graduate degree in Social Work.

William Dennis is currently an intern working on Advocates’ Young Men’s Project.  The Young Men’s Project seeks to build the capacity of a local organization interested in and committed to improving the sexual health of young heterosexual men of color. William graduated from the University of North Carolina – Wilmington with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and has an extensive background in working on adolescent rights. 
 
Young Americans have been hit hardest by the economic downturn and face an unemployment rate of 17.8%, almost 9 points higher than the national average.  Recent college graduates are entering one of the worst job markets in decades with an average $27, 000 dollars of student loan debt and little to no income with which to make payments. 
 
80 Million Strong members will address this crisis head-on at the summit, where diverse young people from across the country will discuss the precarious financial health of this generation, propose solutions and package these recommendations into federal legislation.  The goal is to support and inspire entrepreneurship, widen the path from volunteerism to careers in public service, and commit a new generation to a new economy defined by higher education, good health, robust security, and sustainable living. Participants will leverage the influential and growing voting bloc of young people to move jobs legislation through Congress.

Note to Editors and Producers: For more information or to set up an interview with members of the Youth Activist Network, please contact Marcela Howell at (202) 419-3420.