LANSING -- State Representative Shanelle Jackson (D-Detroit), will join 120 of the nation's top young elected officials in Washington D.C., to share ideas and develop policies for action at the local, state, and national level. Jackson is part of the Young Elected Officials (YEO) Network, the nation's premier network of elected officials age 35 and under.
"I am looking forward to the opportunity to work with the talented group of young elected officials at this year's YEO," Jackson said. "I passionately want to represent the people in my district of Northwest Detroit to the best of my abilities, and I am sure this will be a rewarding experience."
Officials from 27 states are expected at the Second Annual Convening of the YEO Network in Washington D.C. March 2-4. The gathering will feature two-and-a-half days of issue and skills training aimed at equipping these leaders with the leadership development support and policy ideas they need to bring about positive change in the community.
A program of People for the American Way Foundation, the YEO Network is directed by Tallahassee (Florida) City Commissioner Andrew Gillum, with assistance from 14 other elected officials from around the country who serve as host committee members.
"The YEO Network has experienced phenomenal growth," Gillum said. "It launched with just 65 members and grew to more than 300 in its first year. These young men and women are true leaders. They are taking on tough issues, and they represent the future of progressive public servants in this nation."
Young elected officials, under age 35, represent 4.8 percent of all elected leaders in congressional, gubernatorial, legislative, city, and county commission seats in the United States, according to a Rutgers University Eagleton Institute of Politics study. They play an important role in shaping public policy nationwide and represent a pipeline of increasingly influential leaders.
The Young Elected Officials Network is a program of People for the American Way Foundation. The program provides a network for young elected leaders to fellowship, share ideas, and develop positions on issues that affect their common constituencies and interest.