Generation Progress is a youth-centered

research Research is creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge. It involves the collection, organization, and analysis of evidence to increase understanding of a topic, characterized by a particular attentiveness to ...

and

advocacy group Advocacy groups, also known as lobby groups, interest groups, special interest groups, pressure groups, or public associations, use various forms of advocacy or lobbying to influence public opinion and ultimately public policy. They play an impor ...

that promotes progressive political and social policy through support for young people, students, and young activists in the United States. Generation Progress is the youth engagement arm of the

Center for American Progress The Center for American Progress (CAP) is a public policy think tank, research and advocacy organization which presents a Modern liberalism in the United States, liberal viewpoint on Economic policy, economic and social issues. CAP is headquarter ...

. Launched in 2005 as Campus Progress, in 2013 the organization was renamed Generation Progress to reflect the group's work to reach beyond college campuses and involve older, working-class, and non-college-bound young people, in progressive activism. Their main issue areas cover gun violence prevention, criminal justice reform, progressive economics, student debt, immigration, and climate change. Generation Progress has a sister organization, Generation Progress Action, that engages in political and electoral advocacy activities in elections.

History

From the organization's founding in 2005 until 2012, Generation Progress was led by David Halperin, former White House speechwriter to President

Bill Clinton William Jefferson Clinton (né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician and lawyer who was the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, ...

. Halperin was succeeded by Anne Johnson, and then by Maggie Thompson, who formerly led the Higher Ed, Not Debt campaign. The current executive director of Generation Progress is Brent J. Cohen. As of 2021, Edwith Theogene is the current director of advocacy at Generation Progress.

Activities

Generation Progress has programs and multiple networks across issue areas. The organization lobbies

Congress A congress is a formal meeting of the representatives of different countries, constituent states, organizations, trade unions, political parties, or other groups. The term originated in Late Middle English to denote an encounter (meeting of ...

and state governments, produces media content, and conducts trainings. Generation Progress has worked with Senator

Elizabeth Warren Elizabeth Ann Warren (née Herring; born June 22, 1949) is an American politician and former law professor who is the Seniority in the United States Senate, senior United States senator from the state of Massachusetts, serving since 2013. A mem ...

in an attempt to curb rising student debt through a proposal which would lower interest rates and increase taxes. The organization held it first yearly national conference in Washington D.C. in July 2005. The event featured President

and Rep. John Lewis. Subsequent national conferences have featured

Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...

Tammy Baldwin Tammy Suzanne Green Baldwin (born February 11, 1962) is an American politician and lawyer serving since 2013 as the Seniority in the United States Senate, junior United States senator from Wisconsin. A member of the Democratic Party (United Stat ...

, Samantha Power, Majora Carter, James A. Forbes, Nancy Pelosi, Russ Feingold, Keith Ellison, Tom Daschle, Ralph Nader,

Seymour Hersh Seymour Myron Hersh (born April 8, 1937) is an American investigative journalist and political writer. He gained recognition in 1969 for exposing the My Lai massacre and its cover-up during the Vietnam War, for which he received the 1970 Pulitzer ...

, and

Fat Joe Joseph Antonio Cartagena (born August 19, 1970), better known by his stage name Fat Joe, is an American rapper. He began recording as a member of Hip-hop, hip hop group D.I.T.C., Diggin' in the Crates Crew (D.I.T.C.) in 1992, and pursued a sol ...

. The organization's events have been co-sponsored by

Rock the Vote Rock the Vote is a Nonprofit organization, non-profit organization in the United States. Through registering new young voters, the group aims to "channel the energy among young people around racial, economic, and health justice into one of the mo ...

and the League of Women Voters.

References

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External links

Generation Progress

Generation Progress on OpenSecrets.org
Political and economic think tanks in the United States American political blogs Center for American Progress Progressive organizations in the United States Organizations established in 2005 2005 establishments in the United States Student political organizations in the United States

History

Activities

See also

References

External links