Endorsements & Support

Congressional & Gubernatorial Support

Congressman Jim Clyburn
SC-6

Congressman Maxwell Frost
FL-10

Senator Chris Murphy
Connecticut

Senator Richard Blumenthal
Connecticut

STAKEHOLDER Support

Neal Myrick
Tableau Foundation

Jim Margard

I invest in civic influencers because…

As a student in the 1960s and 1970s, I witnessed the emergence of a powerful force that was key to the Civil Rights Movement and the ending of the Vietnam War: student activism. Together with progressive religious leaders, students stared down bayonets—sometimes in the midst of tear gas clouds—to stand up to entrenched power structures of the day. Similarly, today’s youth are emerging as torchbearers for important political and social causes, despite efforts to mute their voices. It is only logical that their voices be amplified instead, given that the future is theirs. Civic Influencers serve as a beacon to light the path forward to that end, developing student civic participation and leadership now and for decades to come.

- Jim Margard

Rabbi Jan Urbach

I invest in civic influencers because…

I’m deeply concerned about the state of American society. All the various hatreds currently on the rise — racism, antisemitism, Islamophobia, misogyny, on and on — they’re all related. Too many politicians know how easy it is to plant lies, stoke hatred and fear, and divide people. And they know that’s an easy path to staying in power. They’ll do whatever it takes, no matter how undemocratic.

Fighting back is long, hard work. It’s so easy to get demoralized, or fear that our vote doesn’t matter.

And then I speak with Maxim Thorne, or I see a video by a CIVIC INFLUENCER, or I meet one of our staff people, and I’m re-inspired. They’re doing the work, person by person, day by day, all year round, of reweaving the fabric of society, working collaboratively and building relationships that allow everyone’s voice to be heard. They’re giving people hope that their vote counts. This is what we need to do if we want to save our democracy, and I feel I need to be part of it.

- Rabbi Jan Urbach

Sheryl Carter

Governor Howard Dean
Vermont

I invest in civic influencers because…

I’ve been committed to social justice for my whole life. I am a direct descendant of enslaved Black Americans and a management consultant who centers child well-being, diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility. I know firsthand that achieving justice and equity in the United States is difficult, yet, I believe the effort is more important because if some of us suffer injustice, none of us are truly free. That is why I support Civic Influencers. Civic Influencers are building change by creating a community of young people which is diverse and intersectional. These young people stand together in solidarity, in pursuit of justice and equity for all of us. Their impact is far reaching. That’s why I believe supporting them is well worth my investment.

- Sheryl Carter

Antoinette ellis-williams

I invest in civic influencers because…

they’re creating change by building a diverse and intersectional community of young people who stand in solidarity with and for each other.

- Antoinette Ellis-Williams

Ralph Dawson

I invest in civic influencers because…

I believe in investing in the best people, and Civic Influencers are some of the best people that I know. I was once a young activist and have no regrets for the sacrifices I made to attempt to better our democracy. That’s the same potential I see in today’s college youth.

My life has been a journey, one filled with challenges and opportunities and moments that shaped who I am today. From my humble beginnings in Charleston, South Carolina to the period of time that I was fortunate enough to spend at Yale. At Yale, there were very few African Americans at the time and we had to be activists to survive, but we were at the forefront of racial change.

I spent 45 years as a lawyer specializing in civil litigation and labor and employment law. And I’ve litigated all over the country. I’ve also been involved in politics, working with Governor Howard Dean and the Democratic National Committee.

This was a passion that has driven me and continues to drive me today to want to be involved with Civic Influencers. This organization is important to me because each year 4,000,000 18 year olds in the United States become eligible to vote. Civic influences has focused on these young people and they understand the importance of the youth vote.

They deploy students across the country from community colleges to trade schools, technical schools and schools serving people of color… What truly resonates with me about Civic Influences is that it uses data-driven strategies and peer-to-peer strategies to help young people make the connection between the importance of voting and the issues that they care about.

I invest in Civic Influencers because I’ve seen the impact made by stopping the threatened MAGA tsunami that would have derailed our country if organizations like Civic Influencers had not been successful in 2022. They inspire young people to be passionate and informed, and they employ the youth to create a more equitable and inclusive society. I believe in the potential of these young leaders to drive positive change and support Civic Influencers.

- Ralph Dawson