Dominicanos USA’s Summer of Youth RECAP

Dominicanos USA is wrapping up a remarkable summer with its first-ever Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP), providing 83 youth employees (ages 14-21) with the opportunity to gain hands-on experience engaging our community through voter registration efforts.

Rising leaders of the community embarked on a journey that would expand their knowledge on the electoral process of the United States and help them make a difference in their communities with Dominicanos USA. SYEP youth immersed themselves into Dominicanos USA’s political work culture for six weeks and by the end of program, they were able to register a total of 1,362 citizens of New York City. SYEP youth employees chronicled their field experience in reflection essays, which helped document how impactful civic engagement can be on the nation’s youth.

“I feel very good participating in a movement that helps to make a difference in the community by registering people and educating them about voting because many people don’t know their vote counts.”

– Katherine Perez, SYEP youth 

“Civic engagement is very important at Dominicanos USA…the great thing is that this sense of urgency for civic engagement allows us  to channel that to the participants in a way that motivates them to get involved.”

-Farrah Mejia, SYEP site monitor

Our vision at Dominicanos USA includes early integration in civic engagement with the goal of having more young people become active citizens, creating sustainable leadership that strengthens our nation’s democratic society. The 2015 Summer Youth Employment Program equipped participants with the tools they need to improve their interpersonal communication and develop their leadership skills to become influencers in their communities.

For more from our participants, check out the SYEP essay reflections and be sure to follow DUSA’s efforts to integrate the youth in voter mobilization efforts on #DUSASYEP
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