sarah burris

MTV Street Team interviews me about what its like blogging the election and young voters. Cool thing is that it got picked up by AP and is now posted on AOL and USNews and World Reports.

My major point emphasizing the importance of blogs is that it allows for you to completely cover something that mainstream media ignores... like.... um... what is a good example of an issue that the media doesn't cover or totally gets wrong? Gosh... there must be something... oh yeah! THE YOUTH MOVEMENT!

When I first started blogging it was 2004 and I pretty much had no idea wtf I was doing. I was a front page reader of Kos but didn't understand where all the other blogs were.... seriously.... I didn't get it, I didn't know too much about politics and all I knew was that I was pissed about the way I saw the Kerry campaign running and that my candidate was losing right along with him.

What a difference 4 years makes... Either way, thanks to all you great readers who, on occasions, think I sound lucid. And thanks to the other bloggers I so deeply admire.

The New Leaders Council has announced its honorees in the first annual Emerging Leaders 40 under 40. Our very own Sarah Burris has been selected as one of those emerging leaders.

It's encouraging to see that progressive organizations are beginning to address and nurture our young talent, and the New Leaders Council may be at the vanguard of that effort.

Here are the honorees:

Libuse Binder
Author of Ten Ways to Change the World In Your Twenties.

Aimee Boone
Deputy Executive Director/Finance Director for the Texas Democratic Party.

Raven Brooks and Gina Cooper
Leaders of Netroots Nation, the key organization focusing on how progressives can use technology to shift the public policy debate.

David Burd and Ethan Porter
Founders of the College Democrats of America Alumni Association.

Sarah Burris
Reporter for Rock The Vote, fundraiser for campaigns in OK, KS, CA, NV and civic youth organizations.

Elizabeth Caputo
President of Democratic Leadership for the 21st Century, New York's premier forum for bringing together progressive candidates and young leaders.

Andre Carson
Won special election in 2008 to represent the 7th Congressional District in Indiana.

Won Choi
Executive Director of Tying Nashville Together, major Tennessee citizen coalition of churches and businesses.

Aimée Christensen
Energy and environment consultant to Virgin, involved in many entrepreneurial efforts, and Board Member of Apollo Alliance.

Jack Conway
Attorney General of Kentucky and leader in public safety issues.

Judith Freeman
Director of the New Organizing Institute, training progressive online organizers and communicators.

Gabrielle Giffords
Congresswoman from Arizona, member of House Armed Services Committee.

Amy Graham
Director of Operations for LiveFeed – hunger relief efforts.

Anton Gunn
Author of Revolution Driven Life, speaker and South Carolina political leader.

Tyler Hudson
Communications pro, youngest staff member and speechwriter of the 2004 Democratic National Convention.

Aaron Keyak
Press Secretary for the National Jewish Democratic Council.

Scott Kleeb
Rancher, PhD, and Nebraska Senate Candidate.

Rachel Kleinfeld and Matt Spence
Co-Directors of Truman National Security Project, the nation's only organization that recruits and trains progressive national security leaders.

Anima LaVoy
Executive Director of Swing Semester, the nation's first political immersion program providing students with 10-week grassroots electoral jobs in swing states.

Ricky Le
Executive Director of California Democratic Congressional Delegation and key leader of Vietnamese community in San Jose, CA.

Sarah Leonard
VP of Glover Park Group Los Angeles, former Spokesperson for America Coming Together, leader of many California campaign efforts.

Nate Loewentheil and Kai Stinchcombe
Executive Director and Founder of the Roosevelt Institute college student policy think tank.

Ian Manheimer
Director of www.Glassbooth.org, which provides info on what Presidential candidate supports your beliefs.

Dyana Mason
Executive Director of Equality Virginia, Virginia's major organization working for full legal equality for GLBT citizens.

Peter Murray
President of the Center for Progressive Leadership, which has trained 3000 young progressive leaders across the nation.

Tony Payton Jr. and Josh Shapiro
The youngest legislator in PA and the Deputy Speaker of the PA State House.

Jon Powers
Iraq War Veteran, teacher and candidate for Congress in NY-26.

Ben Rahn and Jonathan Zucker
Leaders of www.ActBlue.com, the nation's largest online fundraising clearinghouse, with over $60 million raised since 2004.

Edmundo Rocha
Owner of "Para Justicia y Libertad" blog - http://xicanopwr.com/.

Justin Rockfeller
Co-founder of Generation Engage non-partisan youth civic engagement organization.

Tim Ryan
Ohio Congressman since 2003, Appropriations Committee Member.

Sam Stein
Leading political blogger seen on www.HuffingtonPost.com.

Emily Sussman
President and Founder of www.ThinkBlue.net, which researches and supports candidates best helping to engage young voters.

Shaunna Thomas
Director of the Young People For (YP4) program of People for the American Way.

Congratulations to all the honorees and keep up the good work.

If you ever wanted to know what we all looked like here we are.

Michael Connery, Sarah Burris, and Kevin Bondelli