Young leaders: Sign up NOW for the Next Up Summit in Chicago

CHICAGO — Across the country, young people are leading some of the nation’s most critical fights for social and economic justice. At the 2015 Next Up Young Worker Summit in Chicago on March 19-22, young leaders will build a common agenda, provide young activists the tools they need to build power, and begin mapping out the strategy we’ll need to claim the future we deserve.

The summit’s three big goals:

EDUCATE — This summit is about action. And the first step is making sure young people have the skills, the knowledge and relationships they need to make change. More than 80 unique workshops — developed for and by young people — will deliver a 360-degree view of the modern labor movement. Young people will leave the summit understanding how public policy shapes our lives — from trade policy to labor law reform and mass incarceration — and will learn how to bring their skills, institutions and voices to the workplace, to their unions and to the political process, as well as how to hone their organizing skills from tweets to door knocks and strategic planning.

ASPIRE — This summit is about thinking big. It’s about owning our future. It’s about coming together to change lives and improve our communities. Summit participants will hear from high-profile speakers and youth activists; community allies and union organizers; politicians and labor leaders. But most importantly, young workers will lift up their own voices to develop their vision for the future — connecting their lives and communities to the big picture of what’s happening in our economy and committing to big and small steps that will strengthen local labor movements.

ORGANIZE — Ideas are inspiring. Action is powerful. Every day of the conference, young workers will challenge themselves to translate the lessons of the conference into action items back home. State-based breakout sessions will allow participants to identify and discuss opportunities to build the labor movement in their states and communities. Using the workshop trainings as a starting point, participants will put together action plans to organize other young people into the campaigns that matter most back home.

To make the summit more affordable:

Registration: Register NOW at the early-bird rate of $45 before the Feb. 15 deadline. The price increases to $60 starting Feb. 16.

Accommodations: The AFL-CIO group rate includes hotel rooms for $149 per night and two-bedroom suites for $179 per night. This group rate is available until Feb. 24, or until the block is full, so the earlier you book, the better. If you know someone else who is attending, consider sharing a room or a suite.

Transportation: Amtrak is offering a 10% discount on fares to Chicago.  Consider sharing a ride with others you may know coming from the same city or somewhere nearby. Consider using public transportation to get to the hotel. You can get directions from the Chicago Transit Authority website.

If you need to rent a car, you can use the following AFL-CIO discount codes:

Avis: A409901 (AWD)

Budget: Z858401 (BCD)

Hertz: 1216760 (CPD-ID)

Visit the Next Up website for more information about the summit’s program.