Dear All,
It's happening! I am so thrilled to announce the launch of KidsRise.org!
KidsRise is built on the voices of 10 to 17-year-olds. These are our future voters, and their votes will be educated and informed. But these voices will not wait until they turn 18. They need to be heard now.
Kids are innovative thinkers and intuitive users of technology and social media. They are natural networkers and problem solvers. They are not bound by stale conventions. In this time of manufactured division, they can bring us together.
We begin with images, of kids and their thoughts, their concerns and their aspirations. Our goal is to photograph kids from all over our country. But this is only the start.
KidsRise will be a platform for these voices, through local and national activism, coalition building, community organizing, grant writing, and much more. Our aim is to create a generation of voters who are empowered leaders and confident decision-makers.
SO RISE UP!
We will be sharing a photo a day. Follow KidsRise on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Music.ly, and Snapchat. I encourage kids to share their concerns with each other through their causes and passions, not artificial labels and divisions.
We aim to create a new generation of critical thinking, socially aware, proactive voters. It is not about an agenda or a platform. It's about their voice.
With Warm Regards,
Smeeta Mahanti
KidsRise is pending 501(c)(3) nonprofit status.
Smeeta Mahanti is the Founder and Executive Director of KidsRIse. Her work as a professional photographer and her particular love for working with kids and teens is the inspiration behind KidsRise. With a Masters in Education from the University of Texas, Smeeta has worked as an advocate for student-led organizations and higher education at Columbia University and in the Bay Area. KidsRise brings together Smeeta's love for portrait photography and her passion for helping kids connect with each other to make their voices heard.
Born and raised in East Lansing, MI, Smeeta currently lives in Berkeley, CA with her husband, three kids, and their dog Hazel.