JLMLF’s B.R.I.D.G.E. Program Is Encouraging Lifelong Civic Engagement
Amplifying Youth Civic Engagement is one of the four pillars of our work at the John and Lillian Miles Lewis Foundation.
After a successful pilot of our B.R.I.D.G.E Program last year—highlighted by a voter registration event at the John Lewis “Empathy” sculpture in Decatur—we launched our 2025 efforts with Cedar Grove High School, Charles R. Drew Charter School, and Druid Hills High School.
This year, we are focusing on civic education, equipping first-time voters with the knowledge and tools they need to be active, informed, and responsible participants in our democracy. This included:
- Civics and Democracy: The essential roles and responsibilities of citizens, the functions of government, and how their voices can influence local and national issues.
- The Voting Process: Detailed preparation for voting—including how to meet voting requirements, and the etiquette and expectations at the polls—ensuring first-time voters are prepared and confident.
- Civic Awareness and Research: The importance of reviewing sample ballots, researching candidates and issues, and understanding how personal decisions impact broader outcomes.
- Active Advocacy and Community Leadership: We also encouraged students to extend their engagement beyond the classroom, making voting a family and community tradition, and talking with friends and relatives about the value of participation.
Rather than focusing only on the next election, we are building a long-term culture of informed civic engagement—empowering the next generation to lead with knowledge, responsibility, and a sense of collective possibility.
Reminders for the Upcoming Election
- Friday, October 31 is the deadline for early voting in Georgia. Click here for locations.
- Tuesday, November 4 is Election Day
- If you vote outside Georgia, click here for early voting information in your state.
Don’t forget to vote—and inspire someone else to do the same!
The John and Lillian Miles Lewis Foundation’s B.R.I.D.G.E. program is focused on supporting and encouraging the next generation of civic leaders by recruiting and training Civic Engagement Ambassadors, leveraging Project-based Learning and state-of-the-art curricula; promoting leadership development, organizing on-site voter registration events, fostering a student-led civic culture using the latest technology and data analytics.
As a nation, if we care for the Beloved Community, we must move our feet, our hands, our hearts, our resources to build and not tear down, to reconcile and not to divide, to love and not to hate.
