As a part of our incredible 10-year anniversary celebration, NextGen America is proud to announce the Gen10 — ten of our nation’s brightest young leaders who champion NextGen’s mission and bring generational change to our country!
As one of the nation’s largest multiracial, multicultural, multigenerational organizations uplifting the voices of the youth civic engagement movement, we’re proud to work alongside these leaders who reflect the diversity of our community.

[accordion heading=&#8221;Read Bio&#8221; content=&#8221;Zahra is a youth climate activist, entrepreneur, author, and TED speaker. Her recently published book &#8216;Climate Optimism: Climate Wins and Creating Systemic Change Around the World&#8217; (Mango Publishing) explores data-driven reasons for environmental hope. She spends a majority of her time as the CEO of the startup In the Loop, a company on a mission to make selling used apparel online easier for thrift and consignment store owners.&#8221;]

Zahra Biabani

[accordion heading=&#8221;Read Bio&#8221; content=&#8221;Congressman Greg Casar represents Texas&#8217;s 35th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives, which runs down I-35 from East Austin to Hays County to the West Side of San Antonio. The proud son of Mexican immigrants, Greg has passed policies to protect families from being separated, raised wages for thousands of workers, and has successfully fought to expand civil rights protections.&#8221;]

Greg Casar

[accordion heading=&#8221;Read Bio&#8221; content=&#8221;Nadarius is a community activist, organizer, and delegate in the Virginia General Assembly. He comes from a military family with a background in business entrepreneurship. Nadarius graduated from Virginia Union University, an HBCU in Richmond where he studied the fine arts and was the head drum major of Ambassadors of Sound marching band. Nadarius became an activist in 2016, after a KKK march disrupted classes on his campus. He co-founded the charter chapter of Generation Now Network, an organization committed to faith-based activism, advocacy, and education. He also organized the Black Lives Matter protests in Richmond and Hampton Roads following the murder of George Floyd, where the police incited their own riot against a nonviolent protest. Nadarius was pepper sprayed and tear gassed. These experiences led Nadarius to become a profoundly engaged advocate for equity, particularly in the areas of healthcare, housing, and education. Nadarius went on to organize with nonprofit Virginia For Our Future, The Outreach Team, and Freedom VA. In 2021, Nadarius won a historic primary against a long-time incumbent to become the first African American delegate to represent the 79th district, and the youngest Democrat ever elected to the general assembly in over 400 years. He was recognized by The Nation magazine as one of 2021&#8217;s most significant victories for progressive leaders in America.&#8221;]

Nadarius Clark

[accordion heading=&#8221;Read Bio&#8221; content=&#8221;An organizer by trade, Anderson Clayton was recently elected the chair of the state’s Democratic Party. A longtime volunteer, staffer, and party official, Anderson previously served as chair of the Person County Democrats. Anderson started her career as the director of communications for the College Democrats of North Carolina and was a field organizer for multiple national-level campaigns. Her research and outreach efforts have focused on rural voter engagement and diagnosing the landscape of rural America as it relates to the progressive movement. She graduated from Appalachian State University with degrees in journalism and political science.&#8221;]

Anderson Clayton

[accordion heading=&#8221;Read Bio&#8221; content=&#8221;Lt. Gov. Austin Davis is the youngest lieutenant governor in the country and the first Black lieutenant governor in Commonwealth history. Inspired by the history-makers who came before – leaders like Pennsylvania House Speaker K. Leroy Irvis and state Supreme Court Chief Justice Robert Nix Jr. – Austin is determined to motivate a new generation of public servants to break even more barriers. Austin’s path to the second-highest office in the Commonwealth started in McKeesport, a former steel town in western Pennsylvania. Growing up, he watched his mom – a hairdresser for more than 40 years – juggle raising a family with putting food on the table, and he watched his dad work hard as a union bus driver. At the age of 16, Austin was living in McKeesport, when gun violence came to their doorstep. After a shooting in his neighborhood, he got involved in his community, starting a youth advisory council with the mayor and a youth gun violence prevention program at his high school. Austin went on to study political science at the University of Pittsburgh, becoming a first-generation college graduate and then pursuing a career in public service. He returned to McKeesport to work for the Allegheny County executive. In that role, he helped create the first violence prevention office within the Allegheny Department of Health. By the age of 21, he had earned praise from the Tribune-Review, which called him &#8216;a veteran at the politics of helping others.&#8217; In 2018, Austin successfully ran for the state House of Representatives to represent the Mon Valley and his hometown of McKeesport, becoming the first African American to represent his legislative district. As lieutenant governor, Austin presides over the Pennsylvania Senate, chairs the Pennsylvania Board of Pardons, leads the Local Government Advisory Committee, and serves on the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Council. Gov. Josh Shapiro has also appointed Austin to chair the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency. While serving as lieutenant governor, Austin is focused on combating the epidemic of gun violence, supporting small and minority-owned businesses, advocating for working-class Pennsylvanians, and being a champion for communities that feel like they’ve been left behind. Austin currently resides in Allegheny County with his wife, Blayre Holmes Davis.&#8221;]

Austin Davis

[accordion heading=&#8221;Read Bio&#8221; content=&#8221;The first member of Generation Z to be elected to Congress, Maxwell Frost is proud to represent the people of Central Florida in the U.S. House of Representatives. As a young member of Congress and Afro-Latino, Congressman Frost brings a fresh, progressive perspective to an institution formerly out of reach for young, working Black and Latino Americans.&#8221;]

Maxwell Frost

[accordion heading=&#8221;Read Bio&#8221; content=&#8221;From New Orleans, Ashanta is a senior majoring in history and has a deep-rooted passion for civic engagement, having worked with youth to empower their literacy in civic root since she was in high school. Ashanta believes history is a discipline that naturally enhances the human experience as it informs us of our identity and position in society. Her professional goals include becoming a history educator for middle-high school students.&#8221;]

Ashanta K Gleason

[accordion heading=&#8221;Read Bio&#8221; content=&#8221;Jasmine Green is the Director of Education with 1Hood Media, working to provide arts education and professional development programming to artists within our community. She is also a visual artist and poet from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.&#8221;]

Jasmine Green

[accordion heading=&#8221;Read Bio&#8221; content=&#8221;Francesca is a mom, service industry worker, and community organizer. Elected in 2020, Francesca serves as the first and only Asian American elected official in the Wisconsin Legislature. Her legislative priorities include the Economic Justice Bill of Rights, Healthy School Meals for All, and building a care economy for and by working families. She also is the co-founder of the Culinary Ladies Collective, Dane County Food Collective, and The Healthy School Meals for All Wisconsin coalition. She serves multiple community-centered boards and is the co-owner of Morris Ramen restaurant. Francesca is working to build the inclusive and accessible government the people of Wisconsin deserve – one that honors the potential of all our communities and comprehensively supports resourcing their needs to ensure that everyone has an opportunity to thrive and lead.&#8221;]

Francesca Hong

[accordion heading=&#8221;Read Bio&#8221; content=&#8221;Alexandria, 17, is the founder and board president of Earth Uprising International. She began her activism at 13 as a co-founder of the U.S. Youth Climate Strike. Alexandria has mobilized voters for climate as an advisory board member for Evergreen Action and she is a recognized speaker and author.&#8221;]

Alexandria Villaseñor

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The Senate race is Georgia is fast approaching, and young voters will decide the outcome of this election. Ready to join this fight?

Introducing NextGen’s Gen10

Take a look at our inaugural Gen10 leaders below.

Zahra Biabani

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Greg Casar

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Nadarius Clark

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Anderson Clayton

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Austin Davis

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Maxwell Frost

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Ashanta K Gleason

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Jasmine Green

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Francesca Hong

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Alexandria Villaseñor

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