Empowering The Next Generation of Voters (Fall 2025)

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 Civic Engagement / Voter Registration rallies at Cedar Grove High School, Charles R. Drew Charter School, and Druid Hills High School.

Cedar Grove High School

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Charles R. Drew Charter School

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Druid Hills High School

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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.

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LAUNCH18 is the Foundation’s high school voter registration work under the broader B.R.I.D.G.E. program, which supports and encourages the next generation of civic leaders.