KFTC meets with international youth leaders

Jefferson County KFTC Electoral Organizers had a unique opportunity this past Saturday to visit with youth leaders from around the world and discuss organizing. Beth Bissmeyer and Linda Stettenbenz met with a delegation comprising youth from Cambodia, Suriname, India, and Bulgaria in a meeting arranged through the U.S. Department of States' International Visitor Leadership Program. The group's aim: tour the U.S. to learn about youth political engagement in the U.S. and how groups foster sustainable involvement.

Everyone in the room shared a little about their homes and what moved them to become active politically. Sophorn Meas, member of the Prey Veng Youth Working Group in Cambodia, said that many people in his country are afraid to participate in politics as a lasting fall-out from the Cambodian Genocide in the 1970s. "I want to encourage people to not be afraid," said Sophorn. "When I participate, I feel free. I feel I can do what I want to do."

The international youth leaders were impressive in their accomplishments and courage, and all were very eager to learn from KFTC’s experiences.  Maryam Zehra, from India, fought hard to merge her Students’ Union at the women’s university with that of the men’s university, which had many more amenities and access to decisionmaking.  Her bio from the State Department says, “This was the first time in the 136-year history of AMU that women even participated in the Students’ Union polls.  She did this despite a slanted campaign by conservatives and a fatwa (religious decree) issued against women contesting elections.”

She asked us one of several tough questions, “How do you organize young people when the only way we can get any respect or accomplish anything is by having an older person to guide us?”  And like we do in KFTC meetings, we all thought about it, and gave our best ideas about reaching out for allies, stepping up and stepping back, and the deeper, more lasting goals of long-term change. 

Delving into KFTC's work, Beth and Linda discussed the organization's history and style of organizing, emphasizing our Voter Empowerment work and the intersection of issues. Members of the delegation had many good questions that led to a great and inspiring exchange of ideas. The Stay Together Appalachian Youth (STAY) project was referenced as an example of young people working in their communities. Also discussed were the many ways youth are actively engaged in KFTC's work, from having college students on the Steering Committee to youth as young as elementary school-age meeting with Gov. Beshear's staff.

Veronika Delibaltova, chair of the Bulgarian Socialist Party Youth Union, echoed some of our own KFTC members, when she said, "Every young person has to follow aims and be part of civic life. The survival of the country depends on youth."

Derryl Boetoe, chair of the National Youth Parliament in Suriname, talked about his efforts to lobby his government for free youth education and anti-violence programs.  He put it simply, "If you want a change, you should be part of the change."

There were several questions near the end about the structure of KFTC and decisionmaking processes, along with funding.  The students were much more familiar with NGO’s and Youth Forums – something we don’t hear much about in the U.S. – and were intrigued and inspired by our methods.