Local group holds nonpartisan event to encourage youth to vote

SPRING GARDEN (WPVI) -- Opportunity Youth United held their first Civic Engagement Summit Friday in Philadelphia's Spring Garden section.

The nonpartisan event is geared toward young people, specifically from low-income, urban and tribal communities.

"Why should I? Literally, why should I?" said Jamiel Alexander, Opportunity Youth United.

That's a common response Jamiel Alexander gets from unregistered young people. It's his job to educate them.

"Not necessarily try and push somebody on them, but OK this particular policy talks about low-income, education, juveniles, so its up to us, this leadership conference, right now," said Alexander.

"We want to be able to find strategies to connect them, and to make sure they reach their biggest potential and have access to the American dream," said Eddy Encinales, Opportunity Youth Nation.

"It's an inaccessibility to information for some of these people that grow up in low-income communities because some of those organizations providing information aren't transparent," said Kimberly Phan, Opportunity Youth United.

Workshops at separate locations across the city, including the Community College of Philadelphia and the School District Headquarters, took place throughout the day.

Mayor Jim Kenney veered off the nonpartisan tone when speaking about presidential candidates, but also spoke with passion about those before who lost their lives to give us this right.

"The people who made this country work and saved it from Nazism and fascism never got the credit they deserved, and that's why we need to honor those folks," said Mayor Kenney. "The best way to honor them is to vote. If you don't vote, you're dishonoring them."

If you weren't able to attend Friday's event, you can still be involved with Opportunity Youth United. It's not just about being involved with the upcoming election, it's about staying involved.