Vote That Jawn amplifies Philadelphia youth voices to boost voter turnout

The organization uses writing, poetry and art to engage younger voters and get them excited about civic engagement.

Published on Feb. 22, 2026

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Vote That Jawn is a Philadelphia-based organization led by youth voices that aims to increase voter participation among young people in the city. Founded in 2018 after the Parkland shooting, the group uses creative mediums like writing, poetry and art to amplify the issues and concerns of local youth and inspire them to get involved in the political process.

Why it matters

Engaging younger voters is crucial for the long-term health of democracy, as research shows that voting habits formed early in life tend to persist. By empowering Philadelphia's youth to make their voices heard, Vote That Jawn hopes to cultivate a new generation of engaged citizens and boost turnout in local elections, where young people have historically been underrepresented.

The details

Vote That Jawn was started by University of Pennsylvania professor Lorene Cary, who was inspired by her students' activism following the Parkland shooting. Together with college and high school students, Cary launched the organization in 2018 with the goal of getting young Philadelphians excited about voting and civic participation. The group uses a variety of creative mediums, from writing and poetry to visual art, to amplify the issues that matter most to local youth and encourage them to get involved.

  • Vote That Jawn was founded in the fall of 2018.
  • The organization launched its website and began its outreach efforts in 2018.

The players

Lorene Cary

A University of Pennsylvania professor who was an instrumental figure in founding Vote That Jawn after being inspired by her students' activism following the Parkland shooting.

Vismita Holavanahalli

A former Central High School student who got involved with Vote That Jawn by submitting artworks and sharing why civic engagement is important to her.

Carson Eckhard

The youth director at Vote That Jawn, who discovered the organization while a student at the University of Pennsylvania and now works to coordinate youth voices and organize the group's efforts.

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What they’re saying

“I didn't really found it. I was an instrument of students who, after the Parkland shooting, were writing articles about young people.”

— Lorene Cary (whyy.org)

“I think we saw firsthand in 2020 on a national scale what a big role Philadelphia played in a national election. Our goal is to kind of have that moment every local election, where young people are seeing the real impact that getting to the polls have.”

— Carson Eckhard, Youth Director, Vote That Jawn (whyy.org)

What’s next

Vote That Jawn plans to continue its efforts to engage Philadelphia's youth and boost voter turnout in local elections through its creative programming and outreach initiatives.

The takeaway

By empowering young people in Philadelphia to make their voices heard through writing, poetry, and art, Vote That Jawn is working to cultivate a new generation of engaged citizens and ensure that the city's youth have a meaningful say in the political process.