NextGen America Celebrates 4/20 and Earth Day with Week of Action and Launch of 2022 Influencer Program
New program taps social media creators to educate and mobilize young people on marijuana policy, climate and the power of their vote
Austin, TX — This week is Green Week, encompassing the holidays of 4/20 and Earth Day, and NextGen America is celebrating with a week of advocacy actions focused on addressing the climate crisis, legalizing marijuana and expunging federal cannabis convictions.
To celebrate and amplify those efforts, NextGen also launched its latest social media influencer program aimed at organizing and mobilizing young people to the polls in 2022. Beginning this week and continuing through Election Day, NextGen will collaborate with online creators, who will serve as messengers, validators and brand ambassadors for NextGen’s voter registration and education and GOTV efforts.
This week creators from across the country are highlighting NextGen calls to action around climate policy and marijuana reform, using their unique and resonant voices to make the case for action and engagement.
“Mobilizing young people to participate in the coming elections starts with providing accessible, reliable information on the issues that matter most. We’re partnering with social media creators to inspire action and meet young voters where they’re at,” NextGen America President Cristina Tzintzún Ramirez said.
Other Green Week activity includes information sessions on climate legislation including a 4/20 event with Ground Game Texas Co-Founder Julie Oliver; and a dating app organizing event called “Find Your (Cli)mate or Best Bud.” NextGen organizers, meanwhile, will be registering voters outside marijuana dispensaries and registering voters via kayak during a shoreline cleanup event in Houston, Texas, among many other events.
“This Green Week, we are highlighting urgent issues that are important to young people – the climate crisis and criminal justice reform,” Tzintzún Ramirez said. “Young people, and especially young people of color, are being hit hardest by the impacts of climate change and the criminalization of marijuana. It is more important than ever to bring awareness to these issues and encourage young people to take action now.”
NextGen’s 2022 influencer program will primarily work with influencers on Instagram and TikTok, with additional campaigns on Snapchat and Twitch. The program will feature influencers across NextGen’s eight key states and nationally with an audience under 35 years old.
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About NextGen America
NextGen America is the leading national organization for engaging young people through voter education, registration and mobilization. We invite 18-to-35 year olds — the largest and most diverse generation in American history — into our democracy to ensure our government works for them and to find new solutions to the dire challenges facing our society and the world. Since 2013, NextGen America has registered more than 1.4 million young voters and educated many millions more.