Activists From Advocates for Youth Join Hundreds of Young Leaders in Jobs Summit

WASHINGTON, July 13 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The 80 Million Strong for Young
American Jobs, a coalition of 28 national youth organizations, including
Advocates for Youth, will convene a summit of over 150 young people
representing more than 30 states in Washington, D.C. on July 14 & 15 in the
U.S. Capitol Visitor Center.

Members of Advocates' Youth Activist Network will join other Summit
participants to develop legislative proposals to address the disproportionate
impact of the recession on young Americans.

WHAT: 80 Million Strong Youth Summit on Jobs

WHEN and WHERE:
Tuesday, July 14, 2009 - Conference
Capitol Visitor Center, Rm. 215 A&B
8:30 am to 7:00 pm

Wednesday, July 15, 2009 - Advocacy Day
Capitol Hill
9:00 am to 12:00 pm

WHO: Members of the Youth Activist Network of Advocates for Youth

Aaliyah Nobles Alexander is a 24-year-old program specialist for No Kidding:
Straight Talk from Teen Parents in Texas. This program uses teen parents as
peer educators to deliver presentations to middle and high school-aged youth.

Abbey Marr is a recent graduate from George Washington University and a former
member of Advocates for Youth's International Youth Leadership Council. She
has used passion for advocacy to fight for the rights of young people to make
informed decisions about their lives.

Cree Gordon is a member of Youth Resource, an online peer education site by
and for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (GLBTQ) young
people. Cree is a 24-year-old, HIV + activist who grew up in rural Louisiana
where blacks and whites still attended separate churches. Cree works on issues
of HIV prevention, treatment and care at the local, state and national levels.

Ernesto "E" Dominguez is also a member of Youth Resource, an online peer
education site by and for GLBTQ young people. E works for the City of Portland
as a Youth Program Aide to ensure that the programs and services offered by
the city meet the needs of young people.

Jae Truesdell is also a member of Youth Resource, an online peer education
site by and for GLBTQ young people. Jae is currently working on her Masters
degree in Anthropology and Women's Studies.

Reina Arai recently graduated with a B.A. in Psychology from Earlham College.
Her advocacy work focuses on sexual and domestic violence, teen pregnancy and
reproductive choice issues. As an Obama for America campaign alumna, she is
also an advocate for creating jobs for the Millennial Generation and the
emerging leaders in the United States.

Terica Gant is a member of MySistahs, an online peer education site created by
and for young women of color to provide information and support on sexual and
reproductive health issues. Terica is a graduate of Southern University of
Baton Rouge and is currently pursuing a graduate degree in Social Work.

William Dennis is currently an intern working on Advocates' Young Men's
Project. The Young Men's Project seeks to build the capacity of a local
organization interested in and committed to improving the sexual health of
young heterosexual men of color. William graduated from the University of
North Carolina - Wilmington with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and has an
extensive background in working on adolescent rights.

Young Americans have been hit hardest by the economic downturn and face an
unemployment rate of 17.8%, almost 9 points higher than the national average.
Recent college graduates are entering one of the worst job markets in decades
with an average $27, 000 dollars of student loan debt and little to no income
with which to make payments.

80 Million Strong members will address this crisis head-on at the summit,
where diverse young people from across the country will discuss the precarious
financial health of this generation, propose solutions and package these
recommendations into federal legislation. The goal is to support and inspire
entrepreneurship, widen the path from volunteerism to careers in public
service, and commit a new generation to a new economy defined by higher
education, good health, robust security, and sustainable living. Participants
will leverage the influential and growing voting bloc of young people to move
jobs legislation through Congress.

Advocates for Youth is a national organization that promotes programs and
advocates for policies that help young people make informed and responsible
decisions about their reproductive and sexual health.

SOURCE Advocates for Youth

Brian Ackerman, +1-727-804-6514 (cell), or Sarah Audelo, +1-661-472-0449
(cell), both of Advocates for Youth