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Next Meeting:
|
February 16,, Thurs 6pm at Jay Leff's House - 439 South
Willard St.. |
Who We Are
NYRA-Vermont
is a state chapter of the National
Youth Rights Association, and is dedicated to protecting the civil
and human rights of young people in the State of Vermont. To learn more
about us, or to become a member of the chapter, contact Ken
Boring or Hardy
Machia by e-mail.
Ken Boring, a 20-year-old resident of Duxbury, spearheaded this initiative with the assistance of former gubernatorial candidate Hardy Machia to help bring a balance of justice to the state on behalf of Vermont youth. Aaron Voldman, president of the Chittenden County-based organization Youth for Democracy, also played a key role in generating support for the chapter’s creation. Taking the lead of youth rights issues on the plate will be drinking and voting. The organization is advocating that the state lower its voting age to sixteen and its drinking age to eighteen.
The two immediate issues NYRA-Vermont has decided to work on will be the voting age and the drinking age. When asked about the former, Hardy Machia said that, “During my campaign for governor, I met many 16- and 17-year-olds interested in politics. Many were better informed than older voters on issues. Society requires them to pay taxes and places arbitrary age limitations on them which might have no bearing on their qualifications. I'm looking forward to working with these young Vermonters to create a political voice for them."
Other issues supported and advocated for will be the repeal of juvenile curfew laws, and increased recognition of student rights at Vermont schools and colleges.
About NYRA
The National Youth Rights Association, the nation’s
foremost youth rights organization since 1998, is a Washington D.C.
based, youth-led, 501(c)3 non-profit. Its mission is to promote awareness
of the legal and civil rights of young people in the United States,
and has done so since its founding in 1998. NYRA has nearly 5,000 members
and has been featured on CNN, Fox News, PBS, NPR, Pacifica, and in the
Boston Globe, LA Times, Christian Science Monitor, Baltimore Sun and
dozens more.
NYRA Quote of the Month
"No guarantees come with children's liberation. But neither the promise of great benefits to all nor the prediction of great difficulties ahead can serve as the reason for granting or denying rights to children. Rights will be granted because without them children are incapacitated, oppressed, and abused."
- Richard Farson "Birthrights"