Millennial Action Project Holds their Largest Future Summit Yet, Hosts White House Officials

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

August 2, 2021

 

MEDIA CONTACT:

Stacy Lewis

[email protected]

 

WASHINGTON, DC —The Millennial Action Project (MAP) held its fifth annual Future Summit, the largest bipartisan conference in the nation for young state legislators, virtually on July 29-30, 2021. A bipartisan group of 79 legislators from 36 states and Guam attended the event to hear from expert speakers, participate in bridge-building breakout sessions, and evaluate tactics to foster a more collaborative governing culture in their statehouses. Legislators and policymakers from around the country tuned in via zoom for a keynote address from Evan Spiegel, Co-founder and CEO of Snap Inc.; and a morning plenary address from White House officials Julie Chávez Rodriguez, Director of Intergovernmental Affairs; and Gabe Uy, Associate Director of Intergovernmental Affairs.

“We believe we can create a more inclusive, effective, and representative democracy if we can support the next generation of political leaders,” said Layla Zaidane, President and CEO of the Millennial Action Project. “Future Summit is proof of the potential that young people have to transform how we do politics. Lawmakers shared innovative ideas across state and party lines — from promoting entrepreneurship to investing in a resilient energy infrastructure. This powerful coalition-building can spark bold solutions to the problems our country faces, and bridge the trust gap that exists between young people and those elected to serve them. Events like Future Summit change the narrative about what is possible in our democracy, and we are inspired by the many young legislators committed to building a better future together.”

The Future Summit builds relationships across state and party lines, empowers legislators to effectively work across the aisle, and connects them with innovative policy resources and ideas. Participants shared ideas on topics including leveraging pandemic momentum in criminal justice reform, responding to changing energy dynamics for a more resilient future, and investigating the future of American elections through emerging civic technologies.

Julie Chávez Rodriguez, the Director of Intergovernmental Affairs at the White House, explained her optimism for collaboration across party lines. “There tends to be a lot of noise in terms of polarization and partisanship, but what we have found and what we are encouraged by is our state and local leaders who are focused on getting things done and delivering results. We have found tremendous partnership across the aisle and throughout the country,” she said. “In these moments of crisis, we have the opportunity to build a more collaborative government that’s more effective and efficient in delivering benefits and services to the American people.” 

 

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The Millennial Action Project (MAP) is a national, nonpartisan 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to activating young policymakers to bridge the partisan divide and lead a new era of collaborative governance. In 2013, MAP organized America’s first-ever bipartisan caucus for young members of Congress, the Congressional Future Caucus. Shaping the next generation of leadership, MAP’s Future Caucus Network has expanded into 31 state legislatures and grown into the largest nonpartisan organization of millennial elected officials in the U.S.