VYV Youth Summit: Participant Commitment & Connection Form
Welcome! We are so excited to bring together approximately 30 incredible youth leaders, artists, and advocates from across the American South to Atlanta, Georgia, from July 26-July 28, 2026, for the Vote Your Voice (VYV) Youth Summit
This Summit isn't just another conference or a symbolic exercise. Inspired by the deep organizing traditions of the South and visionaries like Ella Baker and leaders of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), we are gathering to move past political cynicism to radically imagine what a truly equitable democracy looks like. Together, we will build a bridge toward a future that serves our communities' survival and power.
Please review our shared purpose and expectations below, sign the commitment, and fill out the fun sections so you can build your Summit community!
Our Purpose & Expected Outcomes
By participating in this Summit, you are joining a strategic powerhouse of youth from across the South committed to creating real change. Together, we will achieve four critical objectives:
Documenting Youth Vision: We will co-create a Youth Call to Action and a Youth Democracy Vision Report to serve as blueprints for young people across the region.
Elevating Youth as Leaders: We will launch a post-summit Youth Advisory Network, build digital communities, and distribute mini-grants to permanently position you as regional and national leaders.
Informing Current Leadership: We will hold a direct exchange with adult stakeholders, using our youth-generated recommendations to hold decision-makers accountable.
Restoring Faith Through Transformation: We will work to redefine and transform the democratic system through our collective imagination and youth power.
My Commitment as a Participant
To ensure we achieve these transformative goals, I commit to the following:
Active Engagement: I will bring my full self, my lived experiences, my creativity, and my radical imagination to every session.
Collective Collaboration: I will respect, support, and listen to my fellow youth leaders, recognizing that our collective power lies in our unity and diverse perspectives.
Future-Building: I am ready to actively design thriving futures for the year 2040 and beyond.
Sustained Impact: I look forward to taking what we build together in Atlanta back to my community and staying connected via the post-summit Youth Advisory Network and digital spaces.
Our Commitment to You: In deep appreciation for your time, energy, lived expertise, and vital contributions to this Summit, you will receive a stipend of $1,000 upon the successful completion of the Summit.
Let’s Get Connected!
We want to celebrate who you are! The info below will be used to create your Summit bio, a post-Summit contact sheet to help everyone stay in touch, and elements for our activities.
"Democracy Doers" Bingo & Playlist Prompts
Your answers here will directly inform our Day 1 & Day 2 Bingo games and our official Summit playlist!