Civic Engagement Beyond Voting
If you cannot vote, what is one way to make an impact?
Volunteering for campaigns, organizing, educating others, or advocating for policy changes.
Which Make the Road NY campaign fought for access to driver's licenses for undocumented people?
The Greenlight Campaign.
What amendment gave African American men the right to vote?
The 15th Amendment.
What is disenfranchisement?
The denial of the right to vote to certain groups or individuals.
What day is Election Day in 2024?
November 5, 2024.
What is one action you can take to stop harmful policies?
Participate in community organizing or protests.
What does the NYS Dream Act aim to provide for undocumented students?
Financial aid for higher education.
What was the main goal of the Voting Rights Act of 1965?
To prevent racial discrimination in voting.
How many people were disenfranchised due to felony convictions as of 2022?
Over 5 million.
What is one way people can make an impact on their community on Election Day?
Voting or volunteering at polling stations. Also, Volunteering for campaigns, organizing, educating others, or advocating for policy changes.
True or False: Voting is the only way to make a change in your community.
False.
What does DACA stand for, and who does it protect?
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals; it protects Dreamers from deportation.
What year did the 19th Amendment, giving women the right to vote, pass?
1920.
True or False: Incarcerated individuals can vote in every U.S. state.
False.
In New York, at what age can you register to vote?
16 years old.
Name one example of a harmful policy that was stopped by community action.
Attempts to eliminate free student MetroCards or close struggling schools in NYC. Can also include some of the campaigns we discussed
Which Make the Road NY campaign provided financial relief to undocumented workers during the pandemic?
The Excluded Workers Fund (FEW).
Name some famous figures we discussed in the fight for women’s suffrage in the United States.
Suffragists included leaders like Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton.
Around how many people regained voting rights thanks to advocacy, despite past felony convictions?
2 million people regained their rights.
True or False: Election Day is a federal holiday in the U.S.
False.
Name two ways high school students under 18 can participate in political advocacy or civic engagement.
Organizing voter registration drives, joining protests, volunteering for political campaigns, engaging in social media advocacy, educating peers, or attending local community meetings.
Name at least two of the most recent YPP campaigns
Police Free Schools, Solutions Not Suspensions, Counseling not Criminalization
Which landmark U.S. Supreme Court case struck down parts of the Voting Rights Act, allowing states to change voting laws without federal approval?
Answer: Shelby County v. Holder (2013).
Shelby County v. Holder (2013) or mentioning the name Shelby and the year 2013
Which U.S. states allow incarcerated individuals to vote while serving time for a felony conviction?
Maine and Vermont.
What is two reason some people choose not to vote, even if they are eligible?
Some people don't believe in the current political system, feel their vote doesn't matter, face logistical barriers (such as lack of access to polling places), or are disengaged due to a lack of education about the process.