The Community Perspective: The Power is in the People

By Jess Scott, Blue Future Spring for Progress and Change organizer

I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to have organized with Blue Future during these past weeks. As I progress in my academic career, professional endeavors, and personal growth, I know that I will be taking with me refined skills in organizing, leadership, and advocacy. Through establishing a Youth Advisory Council under Councilperson Erika Strassburger in District 8 of Pittsburgh City Council, I have learned the value of open communication and gained confidence in my ability to lead and demand actions be taken.

Currently, our work is focused on mobilizing youth voters to turn out to vote to re-elect Councilperson Erika Strasburger. We have done this by hosting open forums where the Councilmember speaks directly to youth in Pittsburgh to address our concerns. Additionally, we have hosted phone banks and canvassed safely in person. Our work is centered around people first policy that takes into account the needs and voices of the youth in District 8 but also throughout the entirety of the City of Pittsburgh. It is imperative that youth have a voice and a seat at the table where decisions are being made and that is why we are also trying to establish a city-wide initiative to include youth in these conversations and decision-making process.

Through the Blue Future training, I have gained awareness of certain areas of issue advocacy that are having a direct impact on the youth of Pittsburgh. Climate change, reproductive rights, LGBTQIA+ equality, equitable workforce, and job development, are just a few of the issues I have personally taken lessons learned from training back to my organizing efforts locally. Additionally, I immensely valued the open dialogue around intersectionality and the importance placed in recognizing those aspects. I enjoyed being surrounded (virtually) by a coalition of youth and staff members from across the nation who encouraged my growth and development by serving as a support network. Furthermore, hearing from community advocates, elected officials, candidates, experts in their fields, supported by development even more as I was able to learn from them and their journeys. I am personally someone who wants to continue community organizing throughout my future and I know that I will be taking the lessons I have learned from Blue Future alongside me.

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About Jess: Jess Scott (he/him) is a student at the University of Pittsburgh studying Economics and Political Science. He is passionate about community organizing in the fight for representative democracy. He was drawn to Blue Future for the opportunity to work with an organization that valued the youth perspective in the political process.