The Andrew Goodman Foundation is dedicated to uplifting young voices in our democracy. Their work supports young voters every step of the way to ensure they are making educated, influential choices that contribute to society. By working with students on college campuses and first-time voters around the country, The Andrew Goodman Foundation is mobilizing our country’s most powerful population to be agents of change. Learn more about their work here!
Why does your work focus on young voters?
Young people aged 18-29 are one of the most underrepresented voter groups in the US — yet their values have the power to transform our nation. The Andrew Goodman Foundation supports youth leadership development, voting accessibility, and social justice initiatives on campuses across the country with mini-grants to select institutions of higher learning and other financial assistance to students. Our vision is that young people will become active, engaged citizens who ensure a just democracy and sustainable future. Through our work, we hope to make young voices and votes a powerful force in democracy.
Who was Andrew Goodman?
In May of 1964, the historic Civil Rights Act was under attack by segregationists in Congress. That month, Andrew asked for his parents’ permission to join Freedom Summer, a voter registration project aimed at registering Black Americans to vote in Mississippi. On Andy’s first day, he and two other civil rights workers, James Chaney and Michael Schwerner, were murdered by the Ku Klux Klan. The story of these three young men struck a public chord that contributed to the eventual passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Goodman, Chaney, and Schwerner embodied the coalitions of Black and white, Jewish and Christian, young and older Americans working together to form a more perfect union for all. Now a historic figure and role model to many, Andrew Goodman was first a beloved son, brother, friend, theater student, and passionate advocate for fairness and equality.
Can you tell me about your advocacy work?
All Americans have the right to an equal vote, not just in name, but in practice. As student civic engagement has grown in the last few years, so have the arbitrary barriers that impede their ability to vote. When people can’t vote, voices aren’t heard, and that means our democracy isn’t working. Burdensome voter ID and proof of residency requirements obstruct students’ path to the ballot box, as does lack of access to convenient early and Election Day voting sites. With the full weight of the 26th Amendment on our side, we’re uplifting student voices and votes in our democracy by litigating for student voting rights and accessibility. We will not stand idly by while student votes are being suppressed. We’re standing up, showing up, and speaking out.
What does your impact look like?
Andrew Goodman Vote Everywhere is a multi-year effort, supporting and empowering student leaders who drive long-term voter engagement, public policy, and social justice initiatives. Their work has a lasting impact on a local, state, and national level. As a mobile and transient population, students face unique challenges when registering, voting, and participating in democracy. They are expected to navigate an electoral process that is designed for the average citizen, not a first time voter. To streamline this process for their peers, our ambassadors identify voting barriers and eliminate them in a way that works best for their communities. In addition to voter engagement work, our Andrew Goodman Ambassadors organize their campus, and take action alongside their peers, on matters of social justice.
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