Citywide Youth Coalition's Campaigns
Citywide Youth Coalition partners directly with youth to develop campaigns that uplift, builds power, and supports them in every aspect of their lives, from schools to social spaces, while equipping them with the tools to advocate, organize, and fight for their own liberation. By centering youth voices and leadership, CWYC helps build a generation of change-makers ready to challenge injustice and transform their communities.
"WE VOTE NEXT"
We Vote Next is a youth-powered campaign to transform our democracy by demanding that young people, particularly those most impacted by systemic injustice, have the power to vote in local elections starting at age sixteen. This campaign reimagines civic engagement through a justice-centered lens, challenging exclusionary structures and creating a future where young people don’t just participate in democracy, they shape it.
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With this campaign, CWYC is organizing to:
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Expand local voting rights to 16 and 17 year olds
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Uplift youth voices in policy and electoral processes
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Build political homes and infrastructure that reflect the lived realities of young people
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We Vote Next is not just about ballots,
it's about building the democracy we deserve
"Care Not Cops"
Care Not Cops is a youth-led campaign that was revived in response to the New Haven Board of Education's decision to pilot School Resource Officers (SROs) in the city's K–8 schools. They use the verbiage of
"Middle schools", but New Haven only have K-8 schools, it's very misleading. This decision came after earlier commitments to move away from school policing by investing in mental health supports, restorative practices, and the resources students need to thrive. Those commitments were never fully realized.
Rather than simply opposing SROs, our young people are leading with a vision for what true safety looks like. They are reimagining school safety by strengthening relationships between students, teachers, families, and school staff, while advocating for investments in counseling, restorative justice, conflict resolution, and community-based support. Together, we are working to create schools where every young person feels seen, valued, supported, and genuinely safe—not because they are policed, but because they are cared for.
