I've been working in, or writing about, progressive youth politics since 2004, when I helped to found Music for America, a now-closed partisan GOTV organization that began in the Dean Campaign grassroots and ended up registering and delivering partisan, progressive messaging to young voters at over 2,400 live music events.  That election cycle also saw the birth of organizations like the Oregon Bus Project, The League of Young Voters, and many more.  Literally dozens of new organizations were started, all dedicated to engaging young voters and counteracting 30 years of conservative investment in developing its own young talent.

Since then, many more progressive youth organization have sprung up, youth turnout has risen in two consecutive cycles, and we are slowly building a new progressive majority.  

It's strange writing about it now.  Less than three months ago a surging youth vote was still thought to be a myth - fools gold that never panned out.  Fast forward to today, and the Obama campaign has rewritten the youth vote narrative.  What was an impossibility is now mainstream wisdom.  This is all amazing, but it's important to realize that this movement is bigger than Obama.  It was here before his campaign launched, and while he is amplifying it and successfully channeling its energy as no one has before, this movement will still be here when Sen. Obama is no longer on the ballot - be that a month from now or eight years from now.  In fact, it has to be here if we want to realize a progressive majority far into the 21st Century.

Thats why I wrote this book, and it's why I think this is so important.  One of the biggest weaknesses of all youth organizing is the lack of institutional memory and understanding about what works in reaching young voters and what's already been tried.  Everyone is always a novice, relearning the same lessons over and over again.  I wanted to tell the story of the boom in progressive youth organizing that occurred during the last five years - culminating in (but not caused by) the Obama campaign.  I wanted to create that institutional memory  we so often lack.

In that task, I think I succeeded.  I hope everyone involved in progressive youth organizing finds it to be a good introduction to the movement they are joining.  For those older folks in the movement, I hope I've put together a compelling narrative that educates about the importance and engagement of young voters today.  With that, here's a quick look at what's in the book:

Youth to Power: How Today's Young Voters Are Building Tomorrow's Progressive Majority

Rise of the Millennials
A look at the new generation of young voters.  Known as Millennials, they are optimistic, diverse, engaged, and outnumber the Baby Boomers.

The Conservative Youth Factory
For three decades the conservative youth movement has outspent their progressive counterparts by 10 - 1.  What has the conservative youth movement accomplished, how has it done so, and what can we learn from their successes and failures?

A Brief History of the Youth Vote
A look at the youth vote from 1972 to the present, this tracks youth activism trends during that time, including the rise of conservative youth in the 1980s.

The [dot] Org Boom
A look at how a cadre of high level donors and young political outsiders with fresh ideas remade progressive youth politics.

Rebuilding the Democratic Youth Brand
A look at how the Young Democrats remade themselves between 2002 and 2006, and how the College Democrats failed to capitalize on the youth boom during that time period.

Hip Hop the Vote: Social Justice and Electoral Politics
A look at how social justice and community organizations decided to engage electoral politics in 2004, and the financial and organizational barriers they face in turning out under-served communities.  

Rebirth of Cool: Culture and Community in Progressive Politics
Popular culture is a progressive's natural ally. This chapter examines how Democrats alienated these cultural allies in the 80s and 90s, and how new youth organizers embraced culture to engage a new generation of voters.

Web of Change: Millennials and Technology
An examination of how Millennials are using technology to change politics.  

If you are interested in reading more about the book or joining me at an event when I'm in your area, you can visit the website - Youth to Power.  If you want a little more detail about what's in the book stop by TPM Cafe's Table of One, where I blogged all week about the book.