The Golden Report: The New Mobilize.org: Champions of the Millennial Generation

Today, the youth civic engagement field woke up to the news that two large players: Mobilize.org and Generation Engage, were merging into what I am calling the “new Mobilize.org.”

It is an exciting day for those within both organizations, and those of us actively involved in the sector to advance our aligned vision of education, empowering and energizing the Millennial Generation but, more importantly, it is an exciting day for those who may never know—or care about—organizational bureaucracy.

That’s because our work on behalf of all Millennials impacts all Millennials. When Mobilize.org (which today also announced a new mission statement: investing in Millennial-generated solutions) puts their support behind a project that advances their mission of Democracy 2.0, that is one more reason to take note of the generational shift the Millennials represent. (A shift that the Pew Research Center is exploring in 2010 with a yearlong series). It is one more potential project that can be scaled, one more solution to our society’s most complex and systemic problems that can be achieved.

Joining forces is vital, especially in the non-profit sector and especially in the youth engagement sector, when our work is so similar and so important. Today, the new Mobilize.org sets an important example and takes a dramatic step forward for an organization that was only born eight years ago on the campus of UC Berkley.

I have been privileged to work closely with Maya, Ian & the Mobilize team over the last year and a half, including a time as a program associate planning Constitutional Convention: Building Democracy 2.0. I've also worked with Decker and have a great appreciation for his work leading Generation Engage. They have been tremendous advocates of my work as co-founder of myImpact.org- as an organization that is officially a project of Mobilize.org. We will be looking to Mobilize’s example as we make critical decisions this year about the future of our organization, including aligning our efforts with others who share our vision to engage more young Americans in volunteering and service. It should also be mentioned that behind today’s development is the careful and deliberate guidance of Mobilize Founder, now the Executive Director of the National Conference on Citizenship, David Smith. Dave is the hallmark of a generational leader; we are all the beneficiaries of his stewardship.

I had a chance to visit with the new Mobilize Team yesterday and join in the fun as they produced the following video, playing on the theme song from a previous generation, as they continue to chart the future of a new one:

(Listen for my voice at the end)