SEPTEMBER 2008 Idea of starting UTSA NYRA Chapter conceived.
JANUARY 2009
1. Site uploaded to subdomain.
2. Planning begins to host a "Lower the Drinking Age Debate" on campus in the Spring 2009 semester (this semester) on campus.
3. Planning begins for various other youth rights related activities and events (pending).
Who we are: Our mission centers on challenging age discrimination against young people, both in law and in attitudes. Many of the basic freedoms afforded to Americans in the Bill of Rights are withheld from youth, and not without troubling consequences for both youth and society as a whole.
What we believe: In brief, NYRA believes that the voting age and drinking age should be lowered to a more acceptable age that would treat youth more fairly. NYRA is opposed to age discrimination, juvenile curfew laws, and Gulag schools or behavior modification facilities. The organization believes that such concepts as driving, education, emancipation, entertainment and free speech should be structured to treat youth fairly and not to discriminate against them with prejudice.
What we've done:(NATIONAL)
-NYRA convinced the San Francisco Board of Supervisors to endorse legislation allowing cities to lower the local voting age.
-NYRA released a study with Dr. Mike Males that shows that teenage drivers are safer than what many think.
-NYRA members in California joined together to try to convince the Democratic Party to support a lower voting age.
-NYRA has appeared on ABC News, CNN, Fox News, and on many local radio shows and newspapers promoting the youth rights movement.
-NYRA member, Adam King, is working to add a student advisor onto his local board of education to provide more representation to the student body.
-NYRA began paying its executive director full time.
What we've done:(LOCAL)
Nothing yet! But we're just getting started!