National Convening Program Books 2015 YEO National Convening Program Book | Page 13

EXPANDING DEMOCRACY

BUILDING A HEALTHY AND
INCLUSIVE SOCIETY
While the Affordable Care Act (ACA)
continues to be a success for so many,
YEOs must also address communities
and patients still underserved, as
well as the broad health disparities
that exist across race, income, and
geography. YEOs have recognized the
direct links between environmental
health and public health, and the
inequities that connect both. We
also continue to grapple with public
health crises such as unchecked gun
violence and unprecedented threats
to women’s health and reproductive
rights. However, YEOs have taken the
lead on comprehensive and preventative
models, from telehealth and proactive
behavioral health practices in
schools, to culturally competent and
comprehensive sexual health education
and family planning, to Medicaid
expansion and reform.

Democracy post-Citizens
United, McCutcheon, and Shelby
County continues to stumble.
The money that pollutes our
campaigns and the powers
that block our votes shake the
very foundations of our political
system. However, there is a
growing movement to use the
power of the Constitution, as
well as state and local policy,
to regulate those influences.
YEOs have spearheaded
innovative initiatives on voter
registration expansion and
modernization, and fought for
greater access to the polls.
They have introduced new
campaign finance disclosures
and other electoral reforms,
and championed open data and
transparent government. YEOs
continue to share new and best
practices, from creating landlord
voter registration to lowering the
voting age in cities and states
across the country.

EMPOWERING AND EDUCATING
COMMUNITIES
The education system in the U.S.
continues to lag behind other
developed nations and we see
persistent inequities in opportunity
and outcome for our students.
Meanwhile, private interests
continue to fight for control of our
schools and often institute business
models that may or may not meet
the interests of the communities
they serve. While there is no one
model for effective education in
our country, YEOs agree on serving
the needs of students first. YEOs–
some of whom serve as teachers
or administrators themselves–have
found inventive ways to expand
community partnerships and family
engagement, work with teachers to
improve and enhance instruction
and curriculum, and create supports
beyond the classroom for student
success. YEOs have also recognized
the critical role schools play in larger
social is sues and have instituted
restorative justice policies that work
to stem the school-to-prison pipeline
and cycles of violence.