CEBV Fellowships Grow Activists
CEBV's first Fellows forge skills and set sights on bringing change
CEBV’s Spring Fellowship cohort, our first, was made up of six incredible young people with extraordinary ideas for the future of civic engagement. We asked Mary, Lana, and Niki, three of the Fellows, about their experience for this week’s Youth Action!
CEBV’s Youth Fellowship takes Arizona youth through a nine-week curriculum, covering everything from Civics 101 training to in-person shadowing at the State Capitol. Fellows also develop and complete a Capstone Project of their choosing with assistance from the CEBV team. Let’s hear from the alumni themselves about their experiences in the program.
Was this your first experience working in advocacy? If not, what have you participated in the past?
Both Lana and Niki had some experience with activism prior to becoming a Fellow. Lana began her advocacy journey in high school organizing with March For Our Lives Arizona. This past fall, she was elected as the Vice President of the Young Democrats at ASU. Niki told us that she had “been involved in a few protests before” and made signs for Black Lives Matter when she was 16. The Fellowship was Mary’s first experience working in advocacy.
Favorite thing about the Fellowship? How did the program help you grow?
For all three of the Fellows, getting the chance to connect with other young activists and connect in-person was a huge highlight of the program. Lana’s favorite part of the program was having a group of her peers to give her fresh perspectives
Provide us with a quick overview of your capstone. Why did you choose this topic/pathway?
Each of the Fellows chose distinct topics and action pathways for their respective Capstones. Lana chose abortion access as her focus, and she developed an educational presentation on the state of abortion access in Arizona for her student organization. She selected this topic and strategy because “knowing the history of abortion access and key players helps voters feel more connected to the political process.”
Niki, on the other hand, tackled the subject of political literacy through a social media experiment. She told us, “I have always had a knack for social media and figuring out how to best figure out algorithms and adjust my content accordingly. I also wanted to help boost others’ political literacy because I have been blessed with an education and experiences like this so I wanted to give back to those who may not be as fortunate.”
Mary, after realizing “the importance of voting, especially on a local and state level,” through the Fellowship, chose youth voter registration as her project. “I decided to focus on youth specifically,” she says, “because I think youth in Arizona should be encouraged to be civically engaged and if they were, it would make a huge difference in Arizona's politics
What was your biggest takeaway from the experience?
Niki, experiencing her greatest success as the Fellowship was wrapping up, says: “My biggest takeaway from the experience was to remain persistent – persistent with reaching out, advocating, and keeping yourself hopeful.”
At the end of the session, Lana found herself most impacted by the power of organized action. She realized that “working with other groups and individuals can make a task far less daunting, and helps your movement gain momentum. Individuals also have power themselves, to create events or spread information.”
Mary also discovered her own power, telling us “My biggest takeaway from the experience was realizing how powerful one person's advocacy and voice is.”
Do you see yourself continuing with advocacy in the future? How so?
All three of the alumna answered this question with a resounding “yes!” Going forward, Lana wants “to be involved in the campaigns of local politicians, and continue speaking with voters about the issues that matter to them.” Niki and Mary want to expand their efforts; while Mary stresses the importance of speaking to friends and family, Niki hopes to expand her platform to create digestible content about politics for a broad TikTok audience.
What advice do you have for other students working in politics/activism?
“Just get involved. This space has a lot of knowledgeable, talented, and kind people who put on events or are willing to just talk,” said Lana.
Mary adds that “everything you do makes a difference, no matter how small it is.” But she also stresses the importance of self-care: “I think when facing large problems it is overwhelming and it can be helpful to remember that it is okay to take breaks and take care of yourself first.”
Niki agrees – realizing how slow-moving your impact can seem, she advises other students to “never lose hope.”
We foresee a growing crew of young activists wielding the tools of political engagement, making change for Arizona!