July 22, 2015
Young Invincibles, a national nonprofit headquartered in Washington, D.C., was founded in 2009 by Millennials who recognized that the debate over health care reform did not include the younger generation’s perspective. What started as a one-page website where young adults could share their stories now boasts national influence as it quickly expands its reach by opening offices in major cities across the country.
Young Invincibles represents the interests of 18 to 34 year-olds in the political arena. “We are making sure that our perspective is heard wherever decisions about our collective future are being made,” says Aaron Smith, Young Invincibles Co-Founder.
During the 2014 election cycle, Young Invincibles (YI) partnered with other nonprofits to organize coalitions in Illinois. With the help of Voqal Fund, YI opened an office in Chicago to build its Midwest capacity and quickly became a leader in the NextGen Illinois campaign.
The NextGen campaign engaged young adults across Illinois to gather input on their biggest challenges. During a convention in Chicago in September 2014, Young Invincibles teamed up with other nonprofits like Roosevelt Institute, another Voqal Fund grantee. Along with NextGen participants from across the state, these organizations crafted a 10-item agenda for Illinois focused on policy solutions specific to Millennials.
Through campaigns like NextGen, Young Invincibles and other Millennial-driven organizations are proving to be powerful advocates for the political interests of young adults.