Young Legislators Honored for Groundbreaking Bipartisanship

Washington, DC | December 11, 2023 — Future Caucus today announced the recipients of its 2023 Rising Star Awards, recognizing the accomplishments of young legislators who exemplify its mission to transcend political polarization through Gen Z and millennial public service. 

The awards reception will take place Tuesday, December 12 at the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in Washington, DC. The event will feature Congressman Maxwell Frost (D-FL), a recipient of Future Caucus’ inaugural Generational Changemaker Award; with keynote remarks from Adam Met, recording artist, AJR as well as founder and executive director of Planet Reimagined, and Layla Zaidane, President & CEO of Future Caucus. 

The event also marks the celebration of Future Caucus’ 10-year anniversary, showcasing a decade of impact by the next generation of leaders committed to working collaboratively on policy for a better future.

The sixth annual Rising Star Award will be presented to Georgia State Representative Dr. Jasmine Clark (D) and Delaware State Representative Michael F. Smith (R). Both representatives lead a bipartisan caucus of young lawmakers in their respective states; they convene young, innovative legislators from both sides of the aisle to work together on policy issues impacting their constituents through local Future Caucus chapters.

“It has been my honor to serve as co-chair for the Georgia Future Caucus,” said Rep. Clark. “I truly believe our biggest wins come when we reject hyperpartisan divides and work together on policy that improves the lives of all Georgians. In Georgia, that means looking at how the Future Caucus can come together on information and policies that deal with technology and more.”

“I’m extremely honored and humbled to receive the Rising Star Award,” said Rep. Smith. “During my tenure, I’ve worked extremely hard to bridge the partisan divide, to bring people together, and to help solve problems for constituents throughout the state of Delaware. Thank you to the selection committee and everyone who has recognized that work. In a world of politicians, I aspire to be a public servant who showcases what good governing is all about.”

The Cherisse Eatmon Collective Impact Award, given to a group of lawmakers who have gone above and beyond to build bridges in their legislature, will be presented to the Vermont Future Caucus. Led by state senate co-chair Sen. Becca White (D) and state representative co-chair Rep. Casey Toof (R), the Vermont lawmakers are being recognized for their outstanding, future-focused leadership and political bridge-building. 

“The Vermont Future Caucus is excited and proud to have won this award,” said Rep. Toof. “Our efforts to work together across the aisle on issues that affect younger Vermonters didn’t go unnoticed by the Future Caucus and we could not be more proud to receive this award.”  

“It is a distinct honor to be recognized with this award,” said Sen. White. “We are greatly appreciative of the continuing support provided to Vermont’s Future Caucus.”

“As we mark a decade of Future Caucus, our Rising Star Awardees showcase how young legislators are changing the way America governs,” said Layla Zaidane, President & CEO of Future Caucus. “Their dedication to effective policy making underscores the transformative power of next-generation leadership. Gen Z and millennials want public servants who deliver results, not contribute to partisan gridlock. This year’s recipients demonstrate a trend we’ve seen over the last decade— when young Americans are given the chance to lead, they build creative coalitions across lines of difference that produce innovative solutions to old problems. We congratulate the awardees and hope their example shifts the narrative about what is possible in our democracy.”

About Future Caucus

Future Caucus 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, it organized America’s first-ever bipartisan caucus for young members of Congress — the Congressional Future Caucus. Shaping the next generation of leadership, the organization’s Future Caucus network has expanded into 33 state legislatures and grown into the largest nonpartisan organization of Gen Z and millennial elected officials in the U.S. More information is available at: www.futurecaucus.org.

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