((PKG)) COALITION Z
((TRT: 5:45))
((Topic Banner: Young, Political and Organized))
((Reporter/Camera: Aaron Fedor))
((Producer: Kathleen McLaughlin))
((Editor: Kyle Dubiel))
((Map: New York City, New York))
((Main characters: 5 females; 1 male))
((NATS))
((Courtesy: Coalition Z))
Stop the silence, end gun violence.
Stop the silence, end gun violence.
((Josephine O’Brien, Executive Director, Coalition
Z))
Coalition Z is a national student-led policy
organization that basically aims to get Generation Z
involved in the policy making process
((Courtesy: Coalition Z))
and turn our passion for social change and activism
into concrete policy change.
Coalition Z was founded in 2016 by three students at
the Dalton School in New York City, named Zoe
Davidson, Alex Lehman and Bryson Wiese. We’re
now a national organization with over 500 members in
33 chapters in 13 different states.
((end Courtesy))
((Durga Sreenivasan, Executive Director, Coalition
Z))
So, Generation Z, we’re obviously the generation after
millennials and I believe the official start date of
Generation Z, if you’re born in 1998, that’s when you,
that’s where Generation Z begins.
((Courtesy: Coalition Z))
But it’s really anyone in middle school, high school
and college right now, I believe is more of a loose like
((end Courtesy))
definition of who Gen Z is right now.
((Courtesy: Coalition Z))
So, Coalition Z is a completely youth-led political
action group and we are promoting liberal ideals and
((end Courtesy))
liberal causes in America.
((NATS))
((Popup Banner:
Gen Z Americans are more racially and ethnically diverse
than older generations; most view that diversity positively.
They’re also less likely than older Americans to see the
US as superior to other nations. – Pew Research))
((NATS))
((Charlotte Ritz-Jack, Executive Director, Coalition Z))
A lot of the work that we do at Coalition Z is recruiting
people who want to be engaged,
((Courtesy: Coalition Z))
who really want to be the next leaders of our political world
but aren't necessarily given the resources from the
beginning.
((end Courtesy))
((NATS))
((Josephine O’Brien, Executive Director, Coalition Z))
The issues that are most important to Generation Z, I
would say first and foremost, definitely climate change.
((Courtesy: Coalition Z))
Racial justice is really important to our generation. I think
healthcare is particularly important to our generation. I
think it's important to note that
((end Courtesy: Coalition Z))
like we literally grew up through multiple financial crises.
((Courtesy: Coalition Z))
Like one of the first news stories I remember as a child
was the 2008 financial crisis. I was like six years old. And
right now, we're coming of age in obviously another
financial crisis.
((end Courtesy: Coalition Z))
((NATS))
Assault weapons have got to go. Hey-hey, ho-ho.
Assault weapons have got to go.
((Gabe Sender, Policy Director, Coalition Z))
I'm the Policy Director for Coalition Z, which means that I
was responsible for developing the policy platform
((Courtesy: Coalition Z))
that we recently put out onto our website. And I'm also
involved with connecting youth to candidates to make sure
that we have an outreach in our community.
((end Courtesy))
((Samantha Chong, Graphics and Media Director,
Coalition Z))
I do social media. I'm the Graphics and Media Director.
((Maria Silva, Graphics Designer, Coalition Z))
I design graphics for Coalition Z.
((Courtesy: Coalition Z))
So, we try to put out pictures that really speak to kids and
that show like kids and teenagers and even adults to some
extent. We try to like show diversity and try to get people
involved.
((end Courtesy))
((Charlotte Ritz-Jack, Executive Director, Coalition Z))
Hi, do you have your fast pass? If you don't, that's okay.
They'll look up your information inside. It just makes
everything a lot….
((Voter 1))
I'd like to go faster.
((Charlotte Ritz-Jack, Executive Director, Coalition Z))
Yeah, yeah.
((Voter 1))
How are you?
((Charlotte Ritz-Jack, Executive Director, Coalition Z))
Good. How are you?
((Charlotte Ritz-Jack, Executive Director, Coalition Z))
Poll working is one of the easiest ways someone like me,
who's 17, can engage with our democracy without having
the ability to vote and I'm not going to be able to vote
actually in the next primary election here in New York,
next June. So, I have a full two years until I'm eligible to
vote.
((Courtesy: Coalition Z))
I think my first exposure to kind of electroral organizing
was when I was four years old. Every year, my parents
took a trip to Pennsylvania to knock on doors and I went
with them when I was four and we knocked on doors. And
it was my first opportunity
((end Courtesy))
to talk to voters and talk to people outside of my little
California, New York, progressive bubble. There are
Coalition Z members in New York, in Pennsylvania, North
Carolina, Ohio, California, Texas, Florida, all working the
polls.
((NATS in Spanish))
Hi. Espanol?
((Charlotte Ritz-Jack, Executive Cirector, Coalition Z))
There’s another line for seniors.
((Voter 2))
Where?
((Charlotte Ritz-Jack))
It’s faster, right over here.
((Josephine O’Brien, Executive Director, Coalition Z))
The day of the election was very, very stressful. I know
we had our Coalition Z chapters and people in Coalition Z
all over the country,
((Courtesy: Coalition Z))
really getting down and doing work. We had three phone
banks for our Senate candidates and our House
candidates throughout the country.
((Charlotte Ritz-Jack, Executive Director, Coalition Z))
And then when it was called, I think it was just a day of
joy.
((end Courtesy))
I actually found out because I heard the banging of the
pots outside my apartment window and everyone
cheering.
((Courtesy))
I live in Uptown Manhattan. And like, old ladies came out
of their houses and they were dancing and there was
someone playing saxophone on my corner and…
((end Courtesy))
((Josephine O’Brien, Executive Director, Coalition Z))
It has been a challenge, especially to be sometimes the
youngest people in the room in
particular, because sometimes we'll be brought into
political spaces as kind of like the Gen Z voice
((Courtesy: Coalition Z))
and like the high school voice. And that's always a really
difficult role to play because like Gen Z has a wide range
of experiences and backgrounds and views and issues
that they care about.
((end Courtesy))
((NATS: Josephine O’Brien, Charlotte Ritz-Jack))
Yeah. So, I was talking to students for Ossoff and
Warnock earlier this weekend.
Right.
((Durga Sreenivasan, Executive Director, Coalition Z))
So, in the coming years, we’re definitely going to continue
to grow
((Courtesy: Coalition Z))
our leadership to engage more young people around the
country.
((end Courtesy))
Definitely just growing Coalition Z and making our voices
heard.
((Courtesy: Coalition Z))
((Josephine O’Brien, Executive Director, Coalition Z))
At the same time, we're going to start working with other
progressive organizations
((end Courtesy))
like the Sunrise Movement, to start holding Joe Biden
[President] accountable, because as we mentioned,
((Courtesy: Coalition Z))
progressives and young people helped get Joe Biden
elected. So, we're going to make sure that our values, our
views, our policies are really reflected in this
administration.
And then, of course, we're not going to forget about the
local level. Our New York City chapters are really going
to be focused on the upcoming 2021 municipal
elections. And then, our chapters nationwide are going to
be focused on local elections in their area.
((Charlotte Ritz-Jack, Executive Director, Coalition Z))
We’re going to go off to college soon and I'm really excited
about the group of young people that are going to rise into
the organization and take over some of the roles that are
going to be left
((end Courtesy))
And I think there's so much opportunity there. And I'm just
really excited to see where it goes.
((Josephine O’Brien, Executive Director, Coalition))
Yes, I agree with that.
((NATS))
((TRT: 5:45))
((Topic Banner: Young, Political and Organized))
((Reporter/Camera: Aaron Fedor))
((Producer: Kathleen McLaughlin))
((Editor: Kyle Dubiel))
((Map: New York City, New York))
((Main characters: 5 females; 1 male))
((NATS))
((Courtesy: Coalition Z))
Stop the silence, end gun violence.
Stop the silence, end gun violence.
((Josephine O’Brien, Executive Director, Coalition
Z))
Coalition Z is a national student-led policy
organization that basically aims to get Generation Z
involved in the policy making process
((Courtesy: Coalition Z))
and turn our passion for social change and activism
into concrete policy change.
Coalition Z was founded in 2016 by three students at
the Dalton School in New York City, named Zoe
Davidson, Alex Lehman and Bryson Wiese. We’re
now a national organization with over 500 members in
33 chapters in 13 different states.
((end Courtesy))
((Durga Sreenivasan, Executive Director, Coalition
Z))
So, Generation Z, we’re obviously the generation after
millennials and I believe the official start date of
Generation Z, if you’re born in 1998, that’s when you,
that’s where Generation Z begins.
((Courtesy: Coalition Z))
But it’s really anyone in middle school, high school
and college right now, I believe is more of a loose like
((end Courtesy))
definition of who Gen Z is right now.
((Courtesy: Coalition Z))
So, Coalition Z is a completely youth-led political
action group and we are promoting liberal ideals and
((end Courtesy))
liberal causes in America.
((NATS))
((Popup Banner:
Gen Z Americans are more racially and ethnically diverse
than older generations; most view that diversity positively.
They’re also less likely than older Americans to see the
US as superior to other nations. – Pew Research))
((NATS))
((Charlotte Ritz-Jack, Executive Director, Coalition Z))
A lot of the work that we do at Coalition Z is recruiting
people who want to be engaged,
((Courtesy: Coalition Z))
who really want to be the next leaders of our political world
but aren't necessarily given the resources from the
beginning.
((end Courtesy))
((NATS))
((Josephine O’Brien, Executive Director, Coalition Z))
The issues that are most important to Generation Z, I
would say first and foremost, definitely climate change.
((Courtesy: Coalition Z))
Racial justice is really important to our generation. I think
healthcare is particularly important to our generation. I
think it's important to note that
((end Courtesy: Coalition Z))
like we literally grew up through multiple financial crises.
((Courtesy: Coalition Z))
Like one of the first news stories I remember as a child
was the 2008 financial crisis. I was like six years old. And
right now, we're coming of age in obviously another
financial crisis.
((end Courtesy: Coalition Z))
((NATS))
Assault weapons have got to go. Hey-hey, ho-ho.
Assault weapons have got to go.
((Gabe Sender, Policy Director, Coalition Z))
I'm the Policy Director for Coalition Z, which means that I
was responsible for developing the policy platform
((Courtesy: Coalition Z))
that we recently put out onto our website. And I'm also
involved with connecting youth to candidates to make sure
that we have an outreach in our community.
((end Courtesy))
((Samantha Chong, Graphics and Media Director,
Coalition Z))
I do social media. I'm the Graphics and Media Director.
((Maria Silva, Graphics Designer, Coalition Z))
I design graphics for Coalition Z.
((Courtesy: Coalition Z))
So, we try to put out pictures that really speak to kids and
that show like kids and teenagers and even adults to some
extent. We try to like show diversity and try to get people
involved.
((end Courtesy))
((Charlotte Ritz-Jack, Executive Director, Coalition Z))
Hi, do you have your fast pass? If you don't, that's okay.
They'll look up your information inside. It just makes
everything a lot….
((Voter 1))
I'd like to go faster.
((Charlotte Ritz-Jack, Executive Director, Coalition Z))
Yeah, yeah.
((Voter 1))
How are you?
((Charlotte Ritz-Jack, Executive Director, Coalition Z))
Good. How are you?
((Charlotte Ritz-Jack, Executive Director, Coalition Z))
Poll working is one of the easiest ways someone like me,
who's 17, can engage with our democracy without having
the ability to vote and I'm not going to be able to vote
actually in the next primary election here in New York,
next June. So, I have a full two years until I'm eligible to
vote.
((Courtesy: Coalition Z))
I think my first exposure to kind of electroral organizing
was when I was four years old. Every year, my parents
took a trip to Pennsylvania to knock on doors and I went
with them when I was four and we knocked on doors. And
it was my first opportunity
((end Courtesy))
to talk to voters and talk to people outside of my little
California, New York, progressive bubble. There are
Coalition Z members in New York, in Pennsylvania, North
Carolina, Ohio, California, Texas, Florida, all working the
polls.
((NATS in Spanish))
Hi. Espanol?
((Charlotte Ritz-Jack, Executive Cirector, Coalition Z))
There’s another line for seniors.
((Voter 2))
Where?
((Charlotte Ritz-Jack))
It’s faster, right over here.
((Josephine O’Brien, Executive Director, Coalition Z))
The day of the election was very, very stressful. I know
we had our Coalition Z chapters and people in Coalition Z
all over the country,
((Courtesy: Coalition Z))
really getting down and doing work. We had three phone
banks for our Senate candidates and our House
candidates throughout the country.
((Charlotte Ritz-Jack, Executive Director, Coalition Z))
And then when it was called, I think it was just a day of
joy.
((end Courtesy))
I actually found out because I heard the banging of the
pots outside my apartment window and everyone
cheering.
((Courtesy))
I live in Uptown Manhattan. And like, old ladies came out
of their houses and they were dancing and there was
someone playing saxophone on my corner and…
((end Courtesy))
((Josephine O’Brien, Executive Director, Coalition Z))
It has been a challenge, especially to be sometimes the
youngest people in the room in
particular, because sometimes we'll be brought into
political spaces as kind of like the Gen Z voice
((Courtesy: Coalition Z))
and like the high school voice. And that's always a really
difficult role to play because like Gen Z has a wide range
of experiences and backgrounds and views and issues
that they care about.
((end Courtesy))
((NATS: Josephine O’Brien, Charlotte Ritz-Jack))
Yeah. So, I was talking to students for Ossoff and
Warnock earlier this weekend.
Right.
((Durga Sreenivasan, Executive Director, Coalition Z))
So, in the coming years, we’re definitely going to continue
to grow
((Courtesy: Coalition Z))
our leadership to engage more young people around the
country.
((end Courtesy))
Definitely just growing Coalition Z and making our voices
heard.
((Courtesy: Coalition Z))
((Josephine O’Brien, Executive Director, Coalition Z))
At the same time, we're going to start working with other
progressive organizations
((end Courtesy))
like the Sunrise Movement, to start holding Joe Biden
[President] accountable, because as we mentioned,
((Courtesy: Coalition Z))
progressives and young people helped get Joe Biden
elected. So, we're going to make sure that our values, our
views, our policies are really reflected in this
administration.
And then, of course, we're not going to forget about the
local level. Our New York City chapters are really going
to be focused on the upcoming 2021 municipal
elections. And then, our chapters nationwide are going to
be focused on local elections in their area.
((Charlotte Ritz-Jack, Executive Director, Coalition Z))
We’re going to go off to college soon and I'm really excited
about the group of young people that are going to rise into
the organization and take over some of the roles that are
going to be left
((end Courtesy))
And I think there's so much opportunity there. And I'm just
really excited to see where it goes.
((Josephine O’Brien, Executive Director, Coalition))
Yes, I agree with that.
((NATS))
