NextGen America Celebrates Pride 2023

Throughout June, NextGen will educate and mobilize young people on LGBTQ+ issues and the power of their vote

Austin, TX — To honor Pride Month, NextGen America – the country’s largest youth voter organization – is organizing all month long to activate millions of queer voters online and in-person with voter registration and advocacy events in Arizona, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Virginia.

On June 24, NextGen Education Fund, Texas Rising, and the Human Rights Campaign co-hosted a speed-dating event – “Climate Crush” – at the Rio Grande Valley Pride to engage hundreds of young voters. At the event, organizers encouraged attendees to mobilize on issues like climate justice and LGBTQ+ rights. This in-person activation expanded on NextGen America’s online dating app organizing program, which was most recently leveraged to turn out voters in Wisconsin’s Supreme Court election.

RGV Pride attendees participate in ‘Climate Crush’ speed dating

“NextGen is proud and excited to celebrate queer youth this month and all year long,” NextGen America President Cristina Tzintzún Ramirez said. “As lawmakers across the country work to attack and roll back LGBTQ+ rights, advocacy and celebration for this community has never been more important. That’s why this Pride, NextGen is honoring joy, fun, and connection through our events and conversations. Young people will not stand for the hateful and discriminatory laws targeting LGBTQ+ people, and we are determined to stand up, organize, and use our power for a better future.”

“We loudly and proudly displayed the beauty and vibrancy of LGBTQIA+ Texans at this past Saturday’s Pride celebration, and I cannot think of a more vital time to boldly, unapologetically proclaim that we are here to stay in Texas,” Texas Rising Senior Regional Program Coordinator, Stephanie Dominguez (she/her/ella) said. “While anti-LGBTQ extremists at our state legislature did everything they could to try and erase us this session, we know that their lies and attacks can never take away the powerful, strong community that we’ve built with each other. LGBTQIA+ Texans belong here. We’re not going anywhere, and I know that our love will always win.”

Activating young LGBTQ+ voters is critical to NextGen’s overall efforts, with 27% of Gen Z identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or other. Additional Pride programming includes a digital Pride Week of Action to provide education on current anti-LGBTQ+ legislation and collaborate with queer influencers on social media to highlight LGBTQ+ history and culture.

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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 1.3 million young voters and contacted 9.6 million young eligible voters during the historic 2022 midterm elections.