Make Liberty Win in 2017

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By Amber Loveshe

In December of 2016, I was given the honor of becoming the first female Illinois State Chair with Young Americans for Liberty. Little did I know at the time that it would become the best decision of my life. Having previously worked on two political campaigns, I had curiously admired the fact that YAL advocates for policy, not party. As Young Americans for Liberty president Cliff Maloney once phrased it, “Politicians come and go,”. By focusing on educating young voters on policy issues and mobilizing them to challenge current legislation, Young Americans for Liberty is prepping the future generations to change history, and words cannot express how thankful I am to be involved with their organization.

If you’re not involved with Young Americans for Liberty, but are passionate about the liberty movement, you’re doing something wrong. When YAL says their goal is to, “identify, educate, train, and mobilize youth activists,” they mean business. Since joining this team I have met students from across the nation who have rallied on their campuses against free speech codes violating their rights who have successfully changed policy. But it’s not just free speech activism, Young Americans for Liberty also advocates for criminal justice reform, a cause near to my heart as I pursue my degree in Criminal Justice. With their activism project, Incarceration Nation, YAL gives college chapters the resources to bring awareness on campus of the rising incarceration rates in the United States. Still other prominent issues YAL advocates for include reducing the federal deficit, ending NSA spying, and advocating for less war.

But perhaps my favorite part about Young Americans for Liberty is the amount of beneficial events they host for the students within the liberty network. Beginning Saturday, February 11th, 2017, Young Americans for Liberty will kick off their Spring Summit series in Chicago, IL. For one day, young activists from across the Midwestern region will gather at Loyola University Chicago to experience all that YAL has to offer. Congressman Thomas Massie, who made headlines this week for his motion to eliminate the Department of Education after DeVos’ nomination approval, will serve as the keynote speaker for the event. Cato Institute scholars will also be in attendance, debating the topic, ‘Should You Be Able to Sell It’. In addition to hearing from top names in the liberty movement, students will also have the opportunity to network with various organizations for jobs and internships in the future. With so many young leaders involved in YAL’s network, these organizations recognize that these students may be the next Ron Paul. These summits will also serve as an amazing opportunity to receive valuable training on how to engage in activism both on and off campus. This is a perfect opportunity for the millennial generation to gear up for the future of politics as we become the leaders of tomorrow.

While I’m extremely grateful that this year’s first summit is happening in my backyard of Loyola University Chicago, have no fear if you’re not as lucky. Upcoming summit dates include Los Angeles on March 4th, Boston on March 25th, Pittsburgh on April 1st, Denver on April 8th, and Atlanta on April 22nd. I highly recommend locking in your spot before it’s too late!  

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