Youth Can Make a Difference says Young Activist
From July 20-24, Adrienne Lever, campaign field organizer and regional director of President Obama’s 2008 campaign, led a series of seminars with Guinean youth leaders, members of political parties and students to share experiences from the 2008 U.S. presidential campaign, highlighting the important role played by young people. Ms. Lever also provided techniques used in the 2008 campaign to encourage the active engagement of youth in the political process that could be utilized to mobilize Guinean youth.
Throughout the week, Ms. Lever stressed that the Obama campaign strategy was successful because it did not concentrate power in the hands of one individual, but rather empowered members of the campaign staff and volunteers to become leaders in promoting the candidate’s agenda. She noted that the Obama victory was brought about through the strength of the organization, one created by the people for the people.
Youth leaders at the seminars were excited to have the opportunity to share ideas and tactics with a peer from the Obama campaign. Participants were particularly inspired by the important role played by volunteers, who went door to door, made telephone calls and organized events to support Obama, not for money or free t-shirts, but rather because they believed in the ideas that he stood for and in the program he planned to implement if elected.
Audience members were impressed by the power of youth to make a difference in the 2008 election, thanks to strong grassroots organizing. This is an idea that is especially important in Guinea, where young people make up over half of the population. Over and over, youth activists in the audience called on their peers to work together to ensure that the youth voice is heard by Guinean political leaders.
Ms. Lever was impressed by the level of activism and commitment among Guinean youth and noted that, at this crucial point in Guinea’s history, Guinean youth have the opportunity to change Guinea’s future for the better, but it is up to the youth themselves to make their voices heard through engagement in the political process.
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