Rise Up Weekend

2021 National Civic Leadership Training Summit
June 25-26, 2021
Register To Vote

Young voters, especially youth of color, turned out in record numbers for the 2020 Election. In fact, a historic high of 55% of young people turned out to vote in 2020, an increase of 9% from 2016. Since then, young people’s enthusiasm has been met with an alarming rise in voter suppression bills aimed at restricting our freedom to vote. As of April 2021, 361 restrictive voting bills have been introduced in 47 states. 

These bills take aim at restricting early and absentee voting, enacting stricter voter ID laws, and making voter registration harder. With 70% of youth voting early or by mail in the 2020 Election, these bills target young voters with surgical precision. In this 50th anniversary year of the Twenty-Sixth Amendment, which lowered the voting age to 18 and prohibits age discrimination in voting, this will not stand. Its promise clearly remains unfilled. 

That’s why we rose up! At Rise Up Weekend, we rose up against the alarming increase in voter suppression bills and in support of each other, an inclusive democracy, and expanding voting rights for all Americans. When we organize our campuses and communities and vote in every election every time, we lead our democracy and nation forward.

In case you missed it or just want to catch it again, you can Rise Up + Replay the full content of Rise Up Weekend with our YouTube playlist.

2021 Schedule

FRI, 6/25

Time Session
12 - 5 PM ET The Unfulfilled Promise of the Youth Vote (Sessions Open to Public)
12:00 PM ET Welcome: Ready to Rise Up Speakers: Alexandria Harris, La Toria Lane, Representative Nancy Pelosi, and James White
12:15 PM ET State of Voting Rights Today Speaker: Ari Berman
12:30 PM ET The Unfulfilled Promise of the 26th Amendment Speakers: Representative Lucy McBath and Allison Rank
12:45 PM ET The Road Ahead Speakers: Alexandria Harris and Tina Tchen
12:50 PM ET Equitable, Accessible Democracy & Voting Rights Speakers: Rachel Campbell and Marc Elias
1:15 PM ET Fair Districts Now! Speaker: Anna Del Castillo
1:30 PM ET Two Bills to Change the Future Speakers: Nancy Abudu, Senator Amy Klobuchar, Evan Malbrough, and Congressman John Sarbanes
1:55 PM ET Inspirational Message Speaker: Representative Sean Patrick Maloney
2:00 PM ET The Power of Youth Speakers: Jamira Burley, Brandon Daye, Tamia Fowlkes, Wambui Gatheru, Anusha Natarajan, and Christina Williams
2:35 PM ET Inspirational Message Speakers: Governor Phil Murphy and John Leguizamo
2:40 PM ET What's in Your Toolbox? Speakers: Alicia Garza and Shaniqua McClendon
2:55 PM ET What Do You Meme? Speaker: Skylar Mitchell
3:05 PM ET What's in Your Digital Toolbox? Speaker: Mo Banks
3:15 PM ET Inspirational Message Speaker: Andre Henry
3:20 PM ET From Street Movements to Action at the Ballot Box Speakers: Jon Grinspan, Alexandria Harris, and Congressman Mondaire Jones
3:50 PM ET Living the Legacy: Two Generations of Fighting for Civil and Voting Rights Speakers: Alan Bond, Secretary Julián Castro, and Rosie Castro
4:15 PM ET Living the Legacy: From the Civil Rights Movement to BLM and the Fight to Transform the Future Speakers: Jeffrey Clemmons, Dave Dennis, Danny Glover, and Máxima Guerrero
5:00 PM ET Social Hour

SAT, 6/26

Time Session
12 - 5 PM ET From Movement to Action (Sessions Open to Andrew Goodman Network)
12:00 PM ET Day Two Kickoff Speakers: Representative Veronica Escobar and La Toria Lane
12:08 PM ET Speed Networking
12:20 PM ET Building Momentum for an Advocacy Movement Speakers: Aklima Khondoker and Angie Vuong
12:40 PM ET Introduction to AGF's Alumni Association Speakers: MacKenzie Bills and Ivan Wei
12:50 PM ET Campus Action Planning Speakers: Jarvis Benson, Wambui Gatheru, Christina Pollonais Amaya Rearden, Gabby Slaughter, Caroline Smith, Elise Sturgeon, and Alyssa Tomins
3:10 PM ET Hitchhiker's Guide to Poll Working Speaker: Evan Malbrough
3:30 PM ET Run For Something Speaker: Ross Morales Rocketto
3:45 PM ET Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Training Sessions Speakers: Jarvis Benson, Laura Bowser, and Sabrina Lynch
4:45 PM ET Fulfilling the Promise Call to Action Speaker: Desmond Meade
5:00 PM ET Thanks for Rising Up with Us! Speaker: La Toria Lane

2021 Speakers

The star-studded Rise Up Weekend not only inspired but provided participants with meaningful lessons from celebrities and activists who have demonstrated leadership building skills.

Nancy Abudu

Nancy Abudu

Deputy Legal Director for the Voting Rights Practice Group, Southern Poverty Law Center
@SPLCenter

MO BANKS (THEY/THEM)

MO BANKS (THEY/THEM)

Director of Communications, The Andrew Goodman Foundation

JARVIS BENSON

JARVIS BENSON

Program Manager, The Andrew Goodman Foundation

Ari Berman

Ari Berman

Author and Senior Reporter, Mother Jones

MacKenzie Bills

MacKenzie Bills

Alumni Network Co-Chair, The Andrew Goodman Foundation

Alan Bond

Alan Bond

Ambassador, The Andrew Goodman Foundation

Laura Bowser

Laura Bowser

Founder, Vaud Consulting

Jamira Burley

Jamira Burley

Founder, I Am Here To

Rachel Campbell

Rachel Campbell

Alumni Network Member, The Andrew Goodman Foundation

Julián Castro

Julián Castro

Former U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development

Maria del Rosario “Rosie” Castro

Maria del Rosario “Rosie” Castro

Activist and Educator

Jeffrey Clemmons

Jeffrey Clemmons

Ambassador, The Andrew Goodman Foundation

Brandon Daye

Brandon Daye

Ambassador, The Andrew Goodman Foundation
@thebrandondaye

Anna Del Castillo

Anna Del Castillo

Fellow, The Andrew Goodman Foundation

David J. Dennis, Sr.

David J. Dennis, Sr.

Civil Rights Activist

Marc Elias

Marc Elias

Chair, Perkins Coie Political Law Group
Founder, Democracy Docket

Congresswoman Veronica Escobar

Congresswoman Veronica Escobar

U.S. Representative of Texas’ 16th Congressional District
@VGEscobar915

The Forms

The Forms

Band

Tamia Fowlkes

Tamia Fowlkes

Ambassador, The Andrew Goodman Foundation
@Tamia18

Alicia Garza

Alicia Garza

Principal at Black Futures Lab, Author of "The Purpose of Power," & Co-Founder of The Black Lives Matter Global Network
@ChasingGarza

WAMBUI GATHERU (SHE/HER)

WAMBUI GATHERU (SHE/HER)

Director of Programs, The Andrew Goodman Foundation

DANNY GLOVER (HE/HIM)

DANNY GLOVER (HE/HIM)

Actor, Director, Political Activist, and AGF Advisory Board Member

Jon Grinspan

Jon Grinspan

Curator of Political History at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History
@amhistorymuseum

Máxima Guerrero

Máxima Guerrero

Migrant and Human Rights Activist

ALEXANDRIA HARRIS, ESQ.

ALEXANDRIA HARRIS, ESQ.

President, The Andrew Goodman Foundation

Andre Henry

Andre Henry

Musician

Congressman Mondaire Jones

Congressman Mondaire Jones

U.S. Representative of New York's 17th Congressional District

Aklima Khondoker

Aklima Khondoker

Chief Legal Officer, New Georgia Project

Senator Amy Klobuchar

Senator Amy Klobuchar

U.S. Senator from Minnesota

La Toria Lane

La Toria Lane

Ambassador, The Andrew Goodman Foundation

John Leguizamo

John Leguizamo

Actor

Sabrina Lynch

Sabrina Lynch

D&I Consultant

Evan Malbrough

Evan Malbrough

Fellow, The Andrew Goodman Foundation
Founder, The Georgia Youth Poll Worker Project

Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney

Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney

U.S. Representative of New York's 18th Congressional District

Representative Lucy McBath

Representative Lucy McBath

U.S. Representative of Georgia's 6th Congressional District

Shaniqua McClendon

Shaniqua McClendon

Political Director, Crooked Media

Desmond Meade

Desmond Meade

President, Florida Rights Restoration Coalition
@desmondmeade44

Skylar Mitchell

Skylar Mitchell

Fellow, The Andrew Goodman Foundation

Ross Morales Rocketto

Ross Morales Rocketto

Co-Founder, Run for Something

Governor Phil Murphy

Governor Phil Murphy

Governor of New Jersey

Anusha Natarajan

Anusha Natarajan

Ambassador, The Andrew Goodman Foundation
@anusha.natarajan716

Speaker Nancy Pelosi

Speaker Nancy Pelosi

Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives

CHRISTINA POLLONAIS, ESQ.

CHRISTINA POLLONAIS, ESQ.

Senior Program Manager - Growth and Impact Strategist, The Andrew Goodman Foundation

Portugal. The Man

Portugal. The Man

Band

Allison Rank

Allison Rank

Associate Professor of American Politics, SUNY Oswego

Amaya Rearden

Amaya Rearden

Ambassador, The Andrew Goodman Foundation

Congressman John Sarbanes

Congressman John Sarbanes

U.S. Representative of Maryland’s 3rd Congressional District

GABRIELLE SLAUGHTER (SHE/HER)

GABRIELLE SLAUGHTER (SHE/HER)

HBCU Lead Program Manager, The Andrew Goodman Foundation

CAROLINE SMITH (SHE/HER)

CAROLINE SMITH (SHE/HER)

Senior Program Manager: Partnership Strategist, The Andrew Goodman Foundation

Elise Sturgeon

Elise Sturgeon

Ambassador, The Andrew Goodman Foundation

NICOLE TAYLOR

NICOLE TAYLOR

Senior Program Manager - Partnership Strategist, The Andrew Goodman Foundation

Tina Tchen

Tina Tchen

President and Chief Executive Officer, TIME’S UP

Alyssa Tomins

Alyssa Tomins

Ambassador, The Andrew Goodman Foundation

Angeline Vuong

Angeline Vuong

Campus Champion, The Andrew Goodman Foundation

Ivan Wei

Ivan Wei

Alumni Network Co-Chair, The Andrew Goodman Foundation

James White

James White

Running Back, New England Patriots

Christina Williams (She/Her)

Christina Williams (She/Her)

Ambassador, The Andrew Goodman Foundation

2021 Ambassadors

Meet our inspiring Andrew Goodman Ambassadors! These stellar student activists are developing their leadership skills through our programs, including Rise Up Weekend.

Jeffrey Clemmons

Jeffrey Clemmons

Ambassador, The Andrew Goodman Foundation

Sadia Saba

Sadia Saba

Ambassador, The Andrew Goodman Foundation

Get In Touch

2021 Partners

Rise Up Weekend was a collaboration between The Andrew Goodman Foundation and a collective of organizations committed to increasing student voter turnout.

Campus Election Engagement Project

Campus Election Engagement Project

Every Vote Counts

Every Vote Counts

Scholars Strategy Network

Scholars Strategy Network

2021 Supporters

Thank you to our Rise Up Weekend partners for their financial and/or in-kind support.

Bark Media

Bark Media

Bombas

Bombas

Crooked Media

Crooked Media

Film Movement

Film Movement

Manageroo

Manageroo

Patagonia

Patagonia

Puffin Foundation

Puffin Foundation

Red Bay Coffee

Red Bay Coffee

Incubating a New Generation of Leaders at the Andrew Goodman National Civic Leadership Training Summit

On the 50th anniversary of the Voting Right Act, The Andrew Goodman Foundation hosted its first Andrew Goodman National Civic Leadership Training Summit. Every year, we bring together Andrew Goodman Ambassadors from participating campuses for several days of intensive training. Through hands-on projects, lectures, and leadership development activities, Andrew Goodman Ambassadors learn the fundamentals of impact-oriented campus organizing and voter engagement. The Summit is offered exclusively to Andrew Goodman Ambassadors, with preference given to Andrew Goodman Team Leaders. For more information, contact your school’s Program Manager.