Nine young leaders across the country will host locally-driven, youth-serving civic gatherings this summer during Civic Season
Atlanta, GA — As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, Made By Us, a national coalition of more than 500 museums, historic sites, libraries, and cultural institutions, today announced the inaugural recipients of the Youth250 Community Microgrants — nine young leaders who will host original civic events in their communities this Civic Season.
The grants represent direct support of youth-led civic life at the local level, supporting events ranging from participatory budgeting experiences and civic art salons to storytelling gatherings and community cultural celebrations. Each event is designed, led, and hosted by a young person, rooted in their own community, and centered on participants under 30.
"One of the biggest barriers to young people stepping into leadership isn't a lack of ideas — it's a lack of access to resources," said Alex Edgar, Youth Engagement Manager at Made By Us and Co-Founder of Youth250. "These microgrants are about closing that gap and trusting young people to lead."
This summer's events will take place as part of Civic Season, the period between Juneteenth (June 19) and Independence Day (July 4) that Made By Us has established as a national civic moment, now in its sixth year. The 2026 edition coincides with America's 250th anniversary, making it the most significant Civic Season to date.
The inaugural Youth250 Community Microgrant recipients are:
Shayna Canty — Stroudsburg, PA — A One Direction–themed community event blending music, crafts, and fandom with the U.S. 250th, raising awareness for local mental health and recovery organizations.
Nsisong Udosen — New York, NY — A hands-on civic art salon where participants use clay to explore memory and imagine the future.
Catherine Dao — Los Angeles, CA — A creative button-making gathering where young people express identity and values through art and civic self-expression.
KaRa Lyn Thrasher — Phoenix, AZ — A participatory budgeting and storytelling experience empowering young people to shape local decisions and share their voices.
Angelina Johnson — Washington, DC — An unfiltered U.S. history trivia night mixing pop culture, overlooked history, desserts, and space to reflect on the country's future.
Alexandra Vidal — Fort Lee, NJ — A casual trivia night where young people connect, share community hopes, and explore civic issues together.
Kaylee LaTocha — Anchorage, AK — A live youth performance featuring original monologues on America's 250th, with music and a recorded time capsule of young voices.
Khadidah Stone — Birmingham, AL — An interactive storytelling experience where young people reflect, record their civic commitments, and contribute to a growing archive of youth voices.
Sofia Alvarez — Los Angeles, CA — A community cultural celebration uplifting LA's Latino community through music, vendors, and local resources.
The microgrant program is part of Youth250, a first-of-its-kind national effort placing young people at the center of America's 250th anniversary. Through a Bureau of 100 paid, trained youth advisors, a Gen Z Scorecard adopted by more than 450 organizations, and a 300-member Content Corps of young creators, Youth250 is ensuring the Semiquincentennial is shaped — not just witnessed — by the next generation.
###
About Made By Us: Made By Us is a national coalition of more than 500 museums, historic sites, libraries, and archives working to connect young adults ages 16–25 to civic life and history. Through Civic Season, Youth250, Wish Walls, Letters to America, and other initiatives, Made By Us builds the movement that activates America's history institutions as bridges to active citizenship for the next generation. Learn more at historymadebyus.org.
Our Declaration Convenes 60+ Young Leaders to Reimagine the Nation’s Next 250 Years Through Intergenerational Dialogue and Creative Expression
Wednesday, February 18, 2026
Contact: y250press@teamdsb.com
Watch the event coverage on C-SPAN here
Philadelphia, PA – On February 17, more than 60 young adults from across the country gathered at the National Constitution Center to draft and sign a youth-written “Our Declaration” outlining their commitments and vision for America’s next 250 years.
Held steps away from where the Constitution was adopted, Youth250: Our Declaration positioned Generation Z not only as observers of history, but as co-authors of what comes next. The event, part of the national Youth250 initiative led by Made By Us, was broadcast in part on C-SPAN and marked a defining civic moment in the lead-up to the nation’s semiquincentennial.
Through facilitated workshops, intergenerational dialogue, and creative performance, participants reflected on what it means to inherit American democracy at a milestone anniversary. The day culminated in the signing of a large-scale Declaration scroll, visualized live (see attached photos). The physical document will now travel to museums and institutions nationwide, amplifying youth voices in the months leading to July 4, 2026.
Alex Edgar, Youth Engagement Manager at Made By Us and Co-Founder of Youth250, said, “Young people came to Philadelphia to write, sign, and claim ownership over a new Declaration that reflects the country we intend to build, and to be clear about who has been included and who has been excluded from the American story. Youth250 is about turning reflection into action and ensuring this generation is not just observing the 250th anniversary, but actively defining a future where more people see themselves in it.”
Panels explored the generational forces shaping Gen Z and featured a “Founder Mindset” spark talk by PolicyLink President and CEO Michael McAfee, who encouraged participants to see themselves as founders of the nation’s future. The program also included a response panel of national leaders who engaged directly with youth calls for accountability, imagination, and civic responsibility.
Youth250 is a first-of-its-kind national effort that includes a Bureau of 100 paid, trained youth advisors coaching hundreds of institutions nationwide, a science-backed Gen Z Scorecard taken by more than 400 organizations, and a broader campaign activating storytelling and public commitments across industries. The initiative continues through July 4, 2026 and includes Civic Season, the nationwide engagement period between Juneteenth and Independence Day.
More information about the effort and Our Declaration is available here.
Youth250 is led by Made By Us and made possible through generous support from PolicyLink, the Hearthland Foundation, the Bezos Family Foundation, and the National Constitution Center. The February 17 gathering was hosted at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, steps from where the Constitution was adopted.
###
About Youth 250: Youth250 is a first-of-its-kind national effort placing young people at the center of America’s 250th anniversary. Through a Bureau of 100 paid, trained youth advisors, a science-backed Gen Z Scorecard adopted by more than 400 organizations, and nationwide creative activations, young leaders are advising institutions and co-creating how the Semiquincentennial is commemorated. At a moment of deep polarization, Youth250 offers a forward-looking counterpoint, with a youth-written Declaration that reframes what the next 250 years should stand for and will travel to museums and institutions nationwide ahead of July 4, 2026.
Sign up for our newsletter
Made By Us © 2025
Sign up for our newsletter
Made By Us © 2025