Q&A with Vanessa Waserman, Civic Nation 

In the 2024 presidential election, more than 21 million eligible Gen Z voters stayed home, and recent research shows nearly a third of young people doubt that democracy can address the country’s needs. Civic Nation, a Kresge Education Program grantee partner, is working to change that.

This spring, the organization’s When We All Vote initiative launched Pass the Mic to Gen Z, a national, nonpartisan effort to listen to and act on the priorities of more than one million young people over the next five years. Grounded in a first-of-its-kind survey of 5,500 Americans ages 18 to 29 conducted with the Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) at Tufts University, the initiative is meeting young people where they are. 

Kresge spoke with Vanessa Waserman, executive vice president of corporate partnerships and development at Civic Nation, about the initiative’s impact and why this work matters now. 

Civic Nation describes itself as an “impact hub” that houses several national initiatives, from When We All Vote to the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge. How does that model function, and what does it make possible that a standalone organization couldn’t do?

Civic Nation’s unique impact hub model is designed to help mission-driven initiatives maximize their impact. By providing critical shared services like communications, fundraising, data and analytics, human resources, finance and legal support, our central hub team empowers each initiative to stay focused on their core work, whether that’s organizing, creating, or activating. Our model reduces overhead and increases efficiency across our initiatives, directing more resources to the work we do. 

The hub model also gives us the flexibility to pilot, test and quickly scale the bold ideas and campaigns that meet the moment, something that might not be possible for a standalone organization. Our initiatives and campaigns benefit from an expansive network of partners that allows us to amplify our messaging and engage young people and communities that may be harder to reach. Together, Civic Nation’s ecosystem includes over 4,000 community, sports, corporate, and media partners, more than 450 celebrities, athletes, and social media influencers, and more than 55,000 volunteer lawyers. 

Pass the Mic to Gen Z is built on first-of-its-kind research — a national survey of 5,500 young people ages 18 to 29. What did the data tell you that surprised you, and how did it shape the design of the initiative? 

Our research added nuance to a quality that’s often overlooked in conversations about young voters: Gen Z is engaged and passionate across the political spectrum, despite current narratives. Young people care deeply about the issues impacting their lives, with the economy, housing, and healthcare dominating across demographics. We also learned that one of the biggest barriers to Gen Z’s civic participation is not a lack of interest, but rather access to trusted information. 

These findings shaped Pass the Mic to Gen Z from the start. Rather than asking young people to meet us on our terms, we meet young people through trusted messengers and authentic activations that make democracy accessible and enjoyable. The research also made it clear that organizations looking to empower the next generation of voters must address the economy in ways that align with their everyday experiences, connect the things they care about to the candidates and issues on the ballot, and cultivate nonpartisan paths to political engagement as political parties continue to be less important to younger generations. 

Your research found that nearly a third of young people have little confidence that democracy is working, and that more than 21 million eligible Gen Z voters sat out the 2024 election. Why does rebuilding that trust start with listening rather than mobilizing? 

For too many young people, civic engagement has become a transactional experience –politicians and organizations are talking at them, not with them, and telling Gen Z what they should care about. If we want to rebuild trust in our democracy, we have to start by understanding young Americans’ experiences and priorities. Through our national survey and ongoing listening campaign, we are giving a voice to this generation and using what we learn from them to shape our civic education and engagement efforts. Ultimately, we empower Pass the Mic to Gen Z participants with the resources, information, and opportunities to take action they need to make their voices heard and increase civic engagement across the country. 

One of your first campus stops was North Carolina A&T, the nation’s largest HBCU. What role do colleges and universities, and HBCUs in particular, play in Pass the Mic to Gen Z’s strategy? 

Colleges and universities are central to Pass the Mic to Gen Z’s strategy because they’re where many young people are learning how to participate in our democracy for the first time. We were thrilled to kick off our listening campaign at North Carolina A&T because HBCUs, in particular, have a long history of civic leadership and have always played a critical role in mobilizing young voters and protecting voting rights in Black communities. 

We also know that there is still work to do. In 2020, Civic Nation’s ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge found a 15% gap between voter registration and turnout across 45 HBCUs. And now, our Pass the Mic to Gen Z research found that Black Gen Zers are more likely to face transportation and voter registration barriers. 

Your survey identified Gen Z’s top political issues. How are you turning what you’re hearing into action? 

Once young people tell us what matters most to them, we follow up with trusted, nonpartisan civic education and resources that connect their top issues to what’s on their ballot. 

Going beyond a transactional civic engagement model, we’re continuing the conversation through our national listening tour at college campuses, sporting events, festivals, and online spaces across the country. Combining our national research survey, creative listening campaign, and relevant follow-up, Pass the Mic to Gen Z is driving the next generation of voters to the ballot box by connecting key issues to voting. 

Pass the Mic to Gen Z sets an ambitious goal: reaching one million young people over five years. What early indicators tell you the model is working? 

Since our launch in April, nearly 45,000 young people have participated in Pass the Mic to Gen Z. Our first sweepstakes generated more 10,000 survey responses, a second sweepstakes had another 20,000 more, and collaborations with content creators have reached more than 250,000 people with authentic conversations that encourage participation. 

The numbers are telling us that when we give young people an opportunity to join the conversation, they show up and speak out. Our work on the ground is showing us that trusted messengers and culturally relevant experiences is an effective way to build trust and deepen civic engagement. It’s still early, but we are seeing strong indicators that our model can create lasting engagement over the next five years. 

Pass the Mic to Gen Z’s listening tour continues at college campuses, sporting events and festivals across the country. Learn more here.