Overview
2022 brought a mix of encouragement and disappointment for young adults in America. The Biden Administration entered office in 2021 with an ambitious set of goals. Despite some genuine triumphs, progress toward a more prosperous and equitable future for young people seems to be at a halt.
Many Administration priorities with empowering potential for young adults did not survive the 2021-2022 legislative cycle. Crucial pandemic-era supports were allowed to atrophy or expire. Wages remain too low for too many. Years of hard work, consistent advocacy, and effective storytelling on the part of the nation’s young adults culminated in the Administration’s 2022 cancellation of up to $20,000 in federal student debt for borrowers in the greatest need. This historic victory, though, remains incomplete and under legal threat. The razor-thin balance of power that emerged in the wake of the 2022 midterms, however, means that the policymaking environment provides some opportunities to pursue transformational change. YI will continue to fight for expanded economic opportunities for 18-34 year-olds, both nationally and regionally.
Health Care
- Prioritize Affordable and Equitable Access to Health Care Coverage
- Fight for Reproductive and Maternal Health Care
- Ensure Young People Have the Tools and Information to Get Vaccinated Against Covid-19 and other Viral Illnesses
Higher Education
- Increase affordability of and equitable access and completion to postsecondary education for racialized, low-income, and first-gen students;
- Strengthen systems, policies, and practices supporting academic success and close the opportunity gap
- Expand mental health resources at colleges and universities
Workforce & Finance
- Expand and improve equitable career pathways for young adults, especially racialized and low-income young adults
- Widen and deepen access to vital support for basic human needs through employers
- Fight for all work to pay a living wage
- Protect and expand young adults’ ability to unionize and engage in collective bargaining
