As the most diverse generations in American history, Gen Z and Millennials have become powerful voices for critical issues across the U.S., stepping up for racial justice and turning out in record numbers in the 2020 presidential election to put their voices to power.
This year’s Levi Strauss Legacy grant – awarded every year to an organization who exemplifies the values instilled at Levi Strauss & Co. by our founder, Levi Strauss – is in support of Generation Progress. Generation Progress – which is housed within the Center for American Progress – educates, engages and mobilizes young people to help strengthen democracy and decrease gun violence.
Generation Progress’ mission is to promote progressive solutions to the political and social issues that matter to young people between the ages of 18 and 35. It strives to uplift the voices and leadership of young people across the country to ensure that their perspectives and needs are represented in policy-making spaces at all levels of government.
Having a fair, functional and inclusive democracy is absolutely vital in order to make progress on the most pressing issues facing our nation. – Brent Cohen, executive director for Generation Progress.
At Levi Strauss & Co., we too, are energized by the spirit of the next generation of advocates and leaders and believe in their collective power to make the world a more just place. The 2020 election has come and gone, and it’s more important than ever that we keep voting rights and engagement top of mind in an off-cycle year. We are proud of the organizations we work with, like Generation Progress, who are driving programs to do just that, showing the intersection of racial justice with issues of voting rights and gun violence prevention.
Through online advocacy tools to educate and encourage youth to call for passage of key legislation like background checks (HR8), investments in community violence intervention efforts, and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, Generation Progress is hoping to draw the connections on so many issues that are important to young people.
“At Generation Progress we view pro-democracy reform as essential to making progress on the issues that young people care about, including gun violence,” said Brent Cohen, executive director for Generation Progress. “Strengthening our democracy means making sure that everyone who is eligible to vote has access to vote and that their vote counts the same amount, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, or zip code. In doing so, we believe that we will finally see legislative progress on the issues that matter most to young people.”
We’re honored to recognize the work of Generation Progress through our annual grant and we look forward to seeing their efforts in action this year.
