Co-President Kandea Gandhi and our interns, fall 2026.

Youth Interns with the LWVBAE have been actively leading civic engagement initiatives. From designing educational flyers and “Vote with the League” posters to writing local articles and attending city council meetings, interns are making a direct impact by helping to strengthen civic awareness and participation. At the 61st anniversary event of the Voting Rights Act, two Gen Z leaders spoke to the audience gathered at UCB for the nationwide event. Other interns organized social events, led voter registration drives, and presented ballot measures and propositions as part of the Get Out The Vote (GOTV) efforts, and contributed to the LWVBAE’s article regarding the importance of taking informed action and safety from violence when the gang rape case at Cornell University hit the news.

A recent intern meeting that took place on October 11 focused on strategic ways for political communication and centered on a video presentation. Some key takeaways are the importance of being a ”thermostat,  not a thermometer”, meaning shaping the conversation instead of reacting to it, using positive messaging; and engaging the base.

Afterward, in breakout rooms, interns discussed how to apply these strategies to their own civic engagement efforts. As the election season continues, interns have implemented these communication strategies through voter pre-registration drives, GOTV phone and text banking, and educating the community about  local measures and  Proposition 39. Through these efforts, the LWVBAE youth continue to demonstrate the power of youth leadership in fostering an informed community. 

– Genevieve Yang