| Consultation: | Young Greens AGM 2021 |
|---|---|
| Agenda item: | G Nominations for Roles (Liberation Groups) (nominations close 23:59 2nd July) |
| Proposer: | Kirsty McMillan (Richmond Green Party) |
| Status: | Withdrawn (invisible) |
| Created: | 06/03/2021, 20:20 |
I am running for re-election as co-chair of the Under 18 Greens because I believe I can continue to grow our group's presence within the Green Party as well as externally. Over the last year, more and more young people have been learning about the issues facing our generation and our planet, more and more young people are realising the devastation the Conservatives have left us with, and more and more young people have been joining the Green Party.
We have to continue this trend. We have to engage young people: talk about politics in a way that is accessible and covers issues teenagers care about. We have to show young people that being a Green isn’t a waste of their potential: that it is a radical party with real power.
That is what the Under 18 Greens have started to do over the past year, with our current committee. We have set up social media accounts on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, hosted an online event, established a mailing list and created a Slack group to meet our members. My fellow co-chair Fola and I were even featured in one of Sian Berry’s mayoral campaign videos! Unfortunately, due to COVID restrictions, we have been unable to arrange a Green Party presence at social and environmental justice protests, but in the coming months this opportunity may arise. However, I have demonstrated over my term as co-chair my passion for getting young people into politics.
Under my joint leadership over the next year, the Under 18 Greens would collaborate with the Young Greens and other liberation groups to organise a Green Party presence at marches. This way, we can start to attract media attention, and gather support among activists and young people passionate about a range of Green issues: from tackling poverty to anti-racism.
Under 18s in particular are a largely ‘untapped market’ of future voters. Climate strikers should all be Green supporters, and yet most of them are not. All of those strikers will be potential voters at the next general or local election, and we need to make sure they join us. We must spend time with under 18s, rather than ignoring them as many parties continue to do. With my successful record, I think I am the best candidate to take on this challenge.
