Next Up Action Fund

We are so excited to be an event partner for the Toxic Roots of the Silicon Forest conference at PSU next week! 🌱 This is a timely opportunity to learn about the semiconductor industry’s legacy in Oregon and globally, and hear from local leaders about what we can do to curb the negative impacts of AI data centers and Big Tech.

🎟️ Register by SUNDAY, May 31 at bit.ly/toxicroots (link in bio) 🎟️

If you are a student, low-income, or a young person who would like to attend but don’t have the financial means, please contact us at [email protected] for a comp ticket (limited slots available) 📧

On May 20th at 9:42PM, after three days of marathon budget meetings, Portland City Council approved the FY ‘26-’27 budget, and now it’s off to the Tax Supervising and Conservation Commission (TSCC) 🤯

Join Next Up and our Co-Governance Collective to watch Portland City Council adopt the final version of the FY ‘26-’27 budget on June 17th 📆

We’ll provide dinner and an accessible space for young people with all levels of knowledge and experience with local government to learn directly from our team that has been following council committees and meetings for almost a year! The Co-Governance team will be there to provide context and answer questions in real time during the meeting.

We’ll cover all the amendments that made it into the budget (and recap the drama around those that failed). We’ll also have zines for people to learn more about councilors and council priorities 📺

Join us on June 17th from 5-9:30 to watch our favorite show, Portland City Council meetings 🤭

📍RSVP at the link in bio for location and details

youth spotlight moment: meet Marae! 💟

Marae T. has been familiar with our organization since it was called the Bus Project (throwback!). but it wasn’t until she saw a photo of our Advocacy Manager, Jasia, in our email newsletter that she decided to officially get involved with Next Up; joining our first-ever Community Action Team back in 2023.

ever since then—whether she’s hosting a screening of Sudan, Remember Us, or planning a collab benefit show (stay tuned for that, btw)—Marae has become a pillar of our organization; bringing her insight, knowledge and innately collaborative leadership style to everything she does.

“Next Up is really awesome because we’re trying to have these [difficult] conversations in fun ways, so that it’s not so intimidating,” says Marae. “We’re creating spaces that allow for us to be vulnerable, and learn together, and ask questions, and like, start on different pages. It’s OK to start on different pages.”

Next Up Action Fund provides accessible community building opportunities for 100+ young people across our programs. becoming a monthly donor helps us to sustain our work in championing youth voices! 📣

🔗 head to the link in our bio to read Marae’s full story & become a Disruptor today! 💜

are you passionate about social justice, community organizing and building youth power? 🌷

we’d love for you to apply for Next Up’s UPTURN Leadership Academy! 🌟

this paid, 4-week leadership series develops and builds upon the knowledge and skills of young people interested in learning the origins of social justice, social movements, and building power through community organizing. you’ll be in a cohort with up to 50 other young people across Oregon!

🤍 $23/hr; 5 hours per week.

🌱 this program will run July 14th through August 6th; with virtual meetings held twice weekly.

🗓️ applications due Sunday, June 14th at 11:59 PM PST.

🔗 head to the link in our bio to apply! ✨

celebrating two BIG WINS for progressive, youth-endorsed candidates in Oregon!!! 🥳🥳

a HUGE congrats to Oregon’s newest State Representative, Tammy Carpenter (), and State Senator Myrna Muñoz () !! 🤩

Next Up Action Fund is honored to have played a role in your campaigns—our team loved getting to canvass for you both. 🙂‍↔️🤝

we’re beyond confident that these two lawmakers will go above and beyond to champion youth voices across Oregon! 📣

yay Tammy and Myrna!!!! 💖💗

got any post-election szn plans this Thursday? 👀

we’d loveeeee for you to join us at Next Up Action Fund’s Youth Voice Town Hall 🌟 this Thursday, May 21st ft. & .thuytran 💯

🔗 this is your chance for lawmakers to hear from YOU about what changes and ideas should be prioritized ‼️ RSVP at the link in our bio for location 📍

you’ll get to: meet likeminded peers in-person, chat with & hear from lawmakers, and share what’s on your mind as a young person living in Oregon rn ✨

let’s reimagine the future we deserve together! 🌷hope to see you all there

we’re in the most important week for passing the City of Portland Budget‼️

on April 20th, Mayor Keith Wilson released a 408 page proposed city budget. last Friday, Council amendments were released to the public.

these amendments are opportunites to invest in our communities and ensure the budget is not balanced against the young people’s future and the will of the voters is not overturned. 📣

🔗 today and tomorrow are the LAST days to submit written testimony to be considered for the FY ‘26-‘27 budget! 🗓️

Team Next Up jumped into action this morning to give testimony—s/o devin rowan and zac🗣️—but we need more voices in this process, so submit your testimony today! 📝

Next Up Action Fund has been putting in WORK to get progressive candidates elected across Oregon! 🌟

since the start of election season, our amazing field team—shoutout Syd, Rowan, Zac, Gavin, Meg, Teal & Vince—has knocked 7,233 doors, and talked to 911 people as of the end as of the end of April! (and those numbers are even higher now 💅)

we’ve been doing direct canvassing work for 7 Next Up Action Fund-approved candidates ( ), all of whom are included in our Youth Voice Voter Guide (duh!) (link in bio btw 🗳️👀)

wanna join us for the final stretch? this saturday, we’ll be co-hosting a canvassing event with & for 💯

🔗 we’d love for you to join us! RSVP at the link in our bio, and let’s go knock some doors for Waz! 😎

Next Up Action Fund’s 2026 Youth Voice Voter Guide is officially here!!! 🗳️🌟

✅ here’s our list of youth-endorsed candidates to vote for by May 19th (or by tomorrow if you’re doing mail-in! 📬 vote early this year! fr!)

from the Oregon House of Representatives race, to local City Council elections—these 18 candidates are ready to address the priorities and concerns of young people across Oregon. 📣

📥 you can drop your ballot at any official drop site in Oregon by 8 pm on Election Day, May 19th, 2026. but again! we’d reallyyyy recommend voting early! (by Tuesday, May 12th for mail-in voters!) 💌

🔗 head to the link in our bio for our complete Youth Voice Voter Guide! swipe, share, send to your fam + friends ~ all that good civic duty stuff!