neighbors
5 THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT
Ranen Miao
Millburn High senior works to get out the vote
WRITTEN BY JO VARNISH
MIAO’S POLITICAL INVOLVEMENT LED TO HIS POSITION
WITH THE PROXY PROJECT
“I chair The Youth Progressive Policy Group here in New Jersey, and
we are lobbying to lower the voting age to seventeen,” says Miao.
Recognizing his abilities, The Proxy Project reached out to Miao as they
were looking to get more high schoolers involved in politics, and to help
increase voter turnout. “I was very interested,” he says, “because our
votes are what makes our democracy run, and having young people be
the catalyst for change is really beneficial.”
THE PROXY PROJECT TAKES A PERSONAL APPROACH
Ranen Miao
“The young person who can’t vote activates their vote by communicat-
ing with their proxy about the importance of voting,” says Miao. “We
rely on the one-to-one connection to interest people in voting and
helping them realize it matters. It is easier not to vote when you feel it
doesn’t matter, versus when a young person is saying, ‘The future of my
life is in your hands, so you have to vote on my behalf.’ Having someone
counting on you to vote is important.”
MIAO HELPS EXTEND THE REACH OF THE PROXY PROJECT
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HOLIDAY 2018 MILLBURN & SHORT HILLS MAGAZINE
COMMUNITY SERVICE IS MIAO’S PRIORITY
As Key Club president, Miao has created care packages for soldiers,
Thanksgiving food drives and 5K runs. “I also work with the Red Cross
and Make a Wish Foundation to help children with terminal illnesses,”
he says.
MIAO INTENDS TO STAY INVOLVED IN THE PROXY
PROJECT AFTER HIGH SCHOOL
When Miao graduates high school and moves on to college, he intends
to continue his work with The Proxy Project. “It’s really meaningful and
can change the way we currently approach activism,” he says. “When I’m
in college, I want to focus more on social media, on branding and
outreach to ensure that The Proxy Project can grow a stronger
infrastructure across the country.” ■
To find out more about The Proxy Project,
go to theproxyproject.net.
Submit your ideas for
neighbors
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S
ince moving to Millburn from Edison for ninth
grade, Millburn High School senior Ranen Miao,
17, has become an important member of his
community. He has served as Key Club president
and a member of the debate team for four years;
his many debate tournament successes include
firsts at the Princeton Invitational and Blake Round Robin,
and winning the New Jersey State Championship, for which
he received a Governor’s Award.
But it is in his role as youth director for The Proxy
Project that he may have the most far-reaching impact on
his peer group. The national initiative, which was launched
this spring by two journalists and some activist teens,
matches 14-17-year-olds and other ineligible voters with
registered voters, who are then motivated to cast ballots on
behalf of not only themselves, but their buddy “activators.”
Organizers hope The Proxy Project can grow into a major
force for civic engagement in 2020 and beyond.
“As youth director, I work to expand our operations into new congres-
sional districts,” Miao says. “So far, I have found friends and contacts
in 28 states who are interested in the project, and we are in over 50
congressional districts, where we have students also taking on the
responsibility of helping to recruit.” High school students engage their
peers and spread the message of The Proxy Project. “That is the most
powerful way to get more interest, although we also advertise online
through social media, and we also reach out through other student-run
groups,” he says.