Representative Tishaura O. Jones to Meet with Young, Progressive Elected Officials in Washington

200 progressive elected officials under age 40 will gather to discuss policies, leadership

State Representative Tishaura O. Jones (D-63) will join more than 200 other young, progressive elected officials in Washington, DC next week at the fifth annual convening of the national Young Elected Officials Network.

The participants, progressive elected officials from across the country, are all under the age of 35. The young leaders will meet with a number of national leaders in Washington and share with each other their policy ideas, leadership strategies, and best practices.

“After I was elected, older elected officials often assumed that I was either an Intern or Legislative Assistant. The advent of term limits has changed the age demographic of our state houses in some states and it’s important to get an opportunity to network with other young elected officials from across the country. I know this is a cliché, but we are the future and the YEO Network does a great job of bringing us together so we can develop relationships to move our country forward.”

Rep. Jones, 38, was elected to the Missouri House of Representatives in 2008. At the convening, she will be participating as panelist in a discussion titled, “The State of the Union: A State and Local Perspective.”

The Young Elected Officials (YEO) Network, organized by the People For the American Way foundation, consists of over 550 young, progressive city, county, state and federal officials from all 50 states. Most are at the start of their political careers; 89 percent are interested in running for higher office in the future.

“These young elected officials play a critical role in our local, state, and national governments,” said Andrew Gillum, Tallahassee City Commissioner and executive director of the YEO Network. “They are leaders in policy debates around the country, and manage billions of dollars in public funds. They are passionate, innovative, and committed to helping their communities be places of freedom, fairness, and opportunity. The YEO Network National Convening is a great way for them to work together to share ideas and empower each other as they continue their careers in public service.”

The Young Elected Officials Network is a program of People For the American Way Foundation. The program provides a network of support for young elected leaders to share ideas and discuss issues that affect their common interests and constituencies.