80 Million Strong was a coalition aiming to unite young Americans to own and direct their economic reality. The summit

Summit

Summit may refer to:*Summit , the highest point of a mountain, hill, road, or railway.-Locations:United States* Summit, Arizona* Summit, Arkansas* Summit, California** Summit, Butte County, California** Summit, Kern County, California...

, taking place July 14–15, 2009 in Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....

, looked at the problems that young people face in order to find constructive, long-term solutions. Stakeholders convened, proposing legislation that creates new jobs for the new economy.

Steps to doing this:

1. Convening a summit of young people in Washington, DC to discuss this problem and propose solutions
2. Developing federal legislation based on the summit's recommendations
3. Building a grassroots coalition that truly reflects and empowers the Millennial generation

The coalition is now official disbanded.

Coalition

• Mobilize.org
• Roosevelt Institution
  Roosevelt Institution
  The Roosevelt Institute Campus Network, formerly the Roosevelt Institution, is the first student-run policy organization in the United States...
  
  
• Student Association for Voter Empowerment
  Student Association for Voter Empowerment
  The Student Association for Voter Empowerment is an association of students with the stated aim of "work[ing] to bring young Americans into the political process by breaking down barriers to electoral participation and encouraging youth-led policy solutions."- Student Voter Act :The Student Voter...
  
  
• United States Student Association
• Generation Engage
• ServeNext
• Young People For
• Advocates for Youth
  Advocates for Youth
  Advocates for Youth is a nonprofit organization and advocacy group based in Washington, D.C., USA, dedicated to sexuality education, the prevention of HIV and of sexually transmitted disease, teenage pregnancy prevention, youth access to condoms and contraception , equality for LGBT youth, and...
  
  
• Future Majority
• Campus Camp Wellstone
• The League of Young Voters
• Campus Progress
  Campus Progress
  Campus Progress, launched in February 2005, is an American non-profit organization that promotes progressive political and social policy through support for student activists and journalists on college campuses in the United States...
  
  
• Hip Hop Caucus
  Hip Hop Caucus
  The Hip Hop Caucus is a national, non-profit organization in the United States, which aims to promote political activism for young U.S. voters using hip-hop music and culture....
  
  
• Declare Yourself
  Declare Yourself
  Declare Yourself is a campaign initiated during the 2004 United States presidential elections to encourage young people to register to vote. It began as the "Declaration of Independence Road Trip", a 50-city cross-country tour of a rare Dunlap broadside of the Declaration of Independence lasting ...
  
  
• Concord Coalition
  Concord Coalition
  The Concord Coalition is a political advocacy group in the United States, formed in 1992. A bipartisan organization, it was founded by former U.S. Senator Warren Rudman, former Secretary of Commerce Peter George Peterson, and the late U.S. Senator Paul Tsongas. The Concord Coalition's advocacy...
  
  
• Voto Latino
• HeadCount
• Pike County Youth Coalition
• SHOUTAmerica
  SHOUTAmerica
  ShoutAmerica is a non-profit organization headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee that seeks to protect the long-term interest of the nation through the achievement of sustainable healthcare reform.-History:...
  
  
• The Nation
• Rock The Vote
  Rock the Vote
  Rock the Vote is a non-profit organization in the United States of America whose mission is to engage and build the political power of young people....
  
  
• Earth Aid
• National Network for Youth
  National Network for Youth
  National Network for Youth was founded in 1974 as the National Network of Runaway and Youth Services . Back then, NNRYS was the membership association of community-based organizations that had emerged in the 1970s to focus on the needs of youth in runaway and homeless situations...
  
  
• George Washington University's Graduate School of Political Management
• ChangeUpMag.com
• George Washington University's Semester in Washington Politics
• Young People First

Background

• Youth unemployment is nearly 8% higher than the national average, with a 17.3% unemployment rate for those 16-24, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ May data.
• Statistics indicate that people ages 16–24 represent one-third of the unemployed, even though they make up 15 percent of the nation's work force.
• African Americans and Hispanics are even more adversely affected by the crisis, with unemployment rates among 16-19 year olds eclipsing 30%.
• Young people amass over $2000 in credit card debt by the age of 24.
• African American 20-24 year olds are unemployed at a rate of 25.1
• Additionally, 30% of young people are uninsured, the highest of any age group.
• Despite common myths, the most common reason that young people do not hold insurance is because s/he cannot afford it and/or does not have access via an employer-sponsored plan.