Two Baltimore students from The Bryn Mawr School are joining nearly 200 high school students from across the country to participate in the American Civil Liberties Union’s (ACLU) annual Summer Advocacy Institute in Washington, D.C.
Bryn Mawr students Chris Bradley and Sophia Tallamraju, alongside other high school students from around the nation, will get hands-on experience with lawyers, lobbyists, community activists, and other experts dedicated to defending citizens’ constitutional rights.
The Institute is for rising junior and senior high school students, and is intended to give them the tools they need to engage their communities around civil liberties and civil rights.
The program takes place from June 30 – July 6, and participating students will “engage with lawyers and political activists to build expertise and knowledge in advocacy – including issues such as criminal justice reform, voting rights, and religious freedom; participate in debates; and develop successful media and social networking strategies, all while observing policy development on Capitol Hill,” according to the ACLU’s press announcement.
On July 5, students participate in a “day of action,” during which they will take to the steps of the Capitol building to advocate for trans justice and gender affirming care.
Participants will also attend a young influencer panel entitled “Social Media Change-Makers: The Power of Online Activism,” moderated by Schuyler Bailar, the first transgender athlete to compete on an NCAA Division I men’s team at Harvard. The panel features Jameela Jones, Interim Audience Editor at Scalawag Magazine with a focus on social media, diversity, equity, and inclusive content creation; and Annie Wu Henry, Creative Director at AAPI Victory Fund and Digital Consultant for the Working Families Party.
Additional Summer Institute speakers include Anthony Romero, ACLU Executive Director; Amber Hikes, ACLU Deputy Executive Director for Strategy and Culture; Cecillia Wang, ACLU Deputy Legal Director; and Jeffery Robinson, Executive Director of the Who We Are Project, among others.
In order to be chosen for the Institute, students had to complete an application that included letters of recommendation, and two essays on topics describing their interests in civil rights and civil liberties, activists, and how they feel the current political climate impacts them, their community, and their generation.
According to the website, the program seeks out students who “demonstrate a keen interest in civil liberties issues and social justice advocacy,” though they’re not required to have much experience in organizing or advocating. “However, students who are already deeply immersed in civil liberties issues and or advocacy will have the opportunity to deepen their skill-set and expand their organizing network.”
A key element of the program is for students to learn how to mobilize issue-based campaigns, create teams, strategize how to engage with policymakers, and maximizing their impact on things that matter most to them.
