“And yes, I’ve heard the voices telling me I can’t. Too young. Too loud. Too much. But when I hear that, I think back to the women who deserved so much more. And I remind myself that when I push forward, I’m not just doing it for myself and my goals — I’m doing it for them, and for the millions of others who weren’t given the chance.”
Jer’Niyah Hanna, 11th grade
Allderdice High School
Who We Are
Founded in 2023, the Allegheny Youth Vote Coalition is a group of local and national nonpartisan organizations with the shared mission of:
✔ Welcoming students into civic engagement
✔ Supporting the next generation of informed voters
✔ Opening dialogues between youth and elected officials
✔ Helping students realize the power of their vote
Coalition members include PA Youth Vote, The Civics Center, National Council Of Jewish Women-Pittsburgh, League of Women Voters of Greater Pittsburgh, The Black Political Empowerment Project, and Women and Girls Foundation.
The Need
Our coalition addresses an urgent and vital need—to build confidence and foster curiosity about the voting process, especially at the local level. We believe that teens can be activated by peer-to-peer organizing , interactive civic education and training, and conversations with elected officials. Together, we can equip youth with the tools they need to engage meaningfully in the democratic process. We can show teens that when they speak, someone will listen; That their lives and ideas are important.
What We Do
Host Youth Vote Huddles with students from accross Allegheny County, where students meet and discuss the issues that matter to them, learn from their peers, and develop plans to engegae their classmates in the democratic process
Support teen leaders to plean and facilitate school-based mayoral candidate interviews, in partnership with Pittsburgh Public Schools
Provide teens with the knowledge and resouces they need to lead student-organized voter registration drives at their high schools