By: Alice Moren
The rain didn’t stop these organizers from engaging with Gen-Zers and Gen-Alphas about the importance of voting.
On September 29, the Asian-Pacific Americans Voting and Organizing to Increase Civil Engagement (APA Voice) hosted the Youth Voter Fest, where members used their civil rights to engage teenagers and young adults alike from the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities to vote for the upcoming presidential and mayoral election, informing them on who’s on the ballot. The event was a collaborative effort between various NYC-based organizations — such as the Chinese American Planning Council, South Queens Women’s March and the Adhikaar — with all being members of APA Voice.
The event lined up 69th Street and 34th Avenue in Woodside, Queens with a variety of booths filled to the brim with information regarding the 2024 election. To engage these young voters, the event included trivia games about the local and state government, which not only provided guests with prizes but also educated them on who’s on the ballot; raffles with tons of prizes; and goodie bags with fliers and trinkets based on each organization and their goals. Throughout the afternoon, music can be heard in the background, providing entertainment starting with DJ Manly who played current hits, and afterward, a performance by singer-songwriter Alicia Love and K-pop dance club Kover Dance.
However, voting engagement wasn’t the only main focus of the event — the APA Voice also wanted to use this festival to highlight the importance of community engagement. There was a clothing drive, which sought to help out those in need by having guests donate their unwanted clothes.
“I think so much of what gives us power as citizens,” said Gwen Phangnasay Le, the organizer of the event and member of the Minkwon Center. “And I think that requires connection [and] relationship building. It requires us to feel that we have a responsibility to one another. So I hope that people just talk to each other, build a relationship, make new friends, connect over the things that they care about.”
In line with helping out voter engagement, some booths explained what each electoral candidate does; the New York City Liberties Union (NYCLU) Team AOC being one example. The non-partisan organization’s booth focuses on Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez — congresswoman of the 14th district in the state — and her goals, most notably that of Prop 1, which intends to “protect abortion and freedom for all,” according to NYEqualRights.org.
“We want to make sure that all New Yorkers know about Yes on Prop One,” said Mabel Tso, a representative of NYCLU. “To make sure our fundamental rights and access to abortion is protected in the New York State Constitution.”
Other organizations, such as the South Queens Women’s March, used their voice to give back to the community. At their booth, representatives such as Nerissa Martinez helped guests register to vote. If they had already registered, they would take pledges, having them vow to vote every election year. They also inspired guests to use their voices as well, having them speak up on their opinions on what they prioritize in a community. Towards the end, guests were able to spin a wheel and win a variety of prizes related to the organization’s goals, specifically that of sexual health. Some of the gifts included condoms, period products, candles,
Since 2010, the APA Voice coalition has successfully managed to register over 10,000 people to vote, according to their website. They hope to help out those in marginalized communities, educating them and encouraging them to exercise their right to vote.
