This month People For the American Way Foundation’s Young Elected Officials (YEO) Network, the first and only national initiative to provide a network of support to the newest generation of progressive leaders at every level of elected office, surpassed the 1,000 member mark. Recently, hundreds of those members from across the nation gathered at the YEO Network National Convening 2015 to participate in collaborative discussions and issue-based training sessions.

The YEO Network began ten years ago as a small group of elected officials dedicated to promoting progressive values, and has since grown to over 1,000 members making a difference in local school boards, state legislatures, and the United States Congress. Past and current members of the Network include rising stars like Congressman Joaquin Castro and his brother, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julián Castro, who attended the first YEO convening a decade ago.

“The commitment and passion young elected officials bring to their offices every day proves that this 1,000 member mark is only the beginning for our network,” said Andrew Gillum, director of youth leadership programs at People For the American Way Foundation. “Ten years in, we are continuing to build and grow each day to build a stronger, more equal, more just country.”

“The YEO Network has come to symbolize the power of young, progressive leadership,” said Michael Keegan, president of People For the American Way Foundation. “Each elected official in this network is making real change in their community. But this isn’t only about the work that 1,000 young leaders are doing all across the country—it’s about the collective force of a movement that’s literally changing the face of our nation. I look forward to seeing what we can achieve together in the next ten years.”

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