Meet the Founding Members of the Youth Advisory Council

Meet the founding members of the Youth Advisory Council (YAC)! These young people helped write the bylaws and build the structure for how the council works. Collaborating with Citizens & Scholars leadership, they share their lived experiences to assist in shaping our organization’s decisions and strategies. We asked them a couple of quick questions so you can get to know them better.

Anthony Akator Jr, 2023 Youth Civic Impact Fellow

Why did you want to join?
I wanted to join the YAC because I wanted to be a part of a national movement of young people committed to civic engagement and community service.

What’s your favorite part of your experience so far?
My favorite part of the YAC has been the opportunity to attend various in-person conferences that have connected me with other young people and explore the country I love.

Why should other young people consider participating in the YAC?
History belongs to those who dare to believe in themselves and their communities. Serving in the YAC is not just an opportunity for collaboration it is also a catapult to a more robust civic future for you and your community.

Da’Taeveyon J. Daniels, 2023 Civic Spring Fellow

Why did you want to join?
The driving force behind my decision to join the Council was the culture of support and excellence I’ve experienced firsthand as a C&S fellow, Civic Solutions awardee, and now an inaugural YAC member. I wanted to give back to that community while also shaping how young people engage with it in the future.

What’s your favorite part of your experience so far?
My favorite part has been having a real hand in shaping the future of youth involvement at both the YAC and Citizens & Scholars. Working to build meaningful feedback mechanisms that amplify young voices has been an energizing and rewarding experience.

Why should other young people consider participating in the YAC?
Your voice will not only be heard here, it will be valued and empowered. If you want to make an impact while growing alongside other passionate young leaders, the YAC is the place to do it.

Kilan White, 2023 Civic Spring Fellow

Why did you want to join?
I wanted to join the YAC to help increase my generation’s voice and ability to make an impact on civic engagement, as well as getting to work with other civic-minded youth leaders!

What’s your favorite part of your experience so far?
I have enjoyed the opportunity to be a part of the active implementation of many ideas, rather than simply providing feedback or thoughts on the issue. I’ve also loved designing the bylaws for the YAC and envisioning the role YAC members might have in the future.

Why should other young people consider participating in the YAC?
I would encourage anyone who is civic-minded and passionate about our generation having a voice in civic spaces to join the YAC!

Pragya Upreti, 2020 Civic Spring Fellow

Why did you want to join?
Working on the YAC has been such a formative experience. I was eager to join the inaugural team because, put simply, so much is at stake in our communities today–a reality I feel more sharply as I wrap up my undergraduate experience in North Carolina. Today, schools and universities across the United States are facing the most severe crackdown on academic freedom in over half a century. And despite the chilling effect of censorship that has tested the bounds of compliance by our educational institutions, young people are moving the needle on everything from protecting our most vulnerable communities to standing with unwavering conviction for our right to speak truth to power.

What’s your favorite part of your experience so far?
I am deeply grateful for the ways in which our inaugural cohort has supported the C&S team to continue uplifting youth who are daring to question and radically reimagine. And watching how the C&S leadership team leverages the expertise of young people in shaping organizational endeavors has been a real privilege. This team has been my reminder that the struggle for justice is collective.

Why should other young people consider participating in the YAC?
To all young people: these spaces are for you. They affirm you. They need you. They belong to you.