About The YACU

The Young Americans Coalition for Unity (YACU) is empowering young people across America to engage in politics and make a difference. As the US's only youth-led non-partisan & bipartisan organization focused on youth political engagement, the YACU seeks to give everyone -- no matter their party, ideology, or background -- a chance to make change. We're hosting special events, creating a nationwide network of local chapters, and fostering bipartisan discussions daily.

At the YACU, you can volunteer, lead, make new friends, and pursue opportunities only our coalition can provide. Whatever you believe, wherever you are, and why ever you're here: the YACU welcomes you.

Our Mission

The Young Americans Coalition for Unity is a nonprofit organization dedicated to engaging youth in politics and promoting unity and bipartisanship. We work to empower both high school and college students to engage in bipartisan discussion and become politically involved in their local community and national politics.

Our Board

The Board of the YACU is comprised of leaders of major teams at the YACU. Board members are either founders of the organization or carefully selected and elected to their position by the other board members to fulfill a vacancy. The Board works to lead each of their respective teams, as well as drive the organization as a whole, making decisions that affect the social structure.

Andrew (Political Director)

Andrew Juan is a political activist, organizer and policy researcher, dedicated to making the voices of young Americans heard in our modern political process. A high school senior based on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, Andrew has worked with a variety of political organizations. He served as the National Youth Director for a presidential campaign, creating the campaign's official youth organizing group. In addition, he has been on the Board of Directors of several environmental and local nonprofits.

Michael (Organizing Director)

Michael Li is a political and community organizer who has been involved with the political scene since 2016. Delegating organizing efforts on local and national platforms, he believes that keeping a community active and engaged about fixing the problems they face is important in bringing change. Passionate about giving those without a voice a platform, Michael has worked with the socioeconomically disadvantaged, youth, and AAPI community to make their voices heard in the political scene.

Carlos Bindert

Carlos is an incoming student at RIT, majoring in Industrial Engineering. His work in high school as the robotics club founder, tech crew lead for drama club productions, and IT assistant led to a profound interest in aggregating technology for a better and more efficient world. Carlos has also taken an interest in politics following the 2016 election and is registered as a local Election Judge. When he's not busy, you can find him playing Factorio or teaching other peers about personal finance.

Alexis (Digital Director)

Alexis is a high school student from NJ who loves to engage in political discussion via social media and volunteer whenever she can. Her dream is to promote bipartisanship via youth political involvement. She is a member of the French National Honors Society, as well as her school’s various activities. She loves to listen to music, and you can often find her with her earbuds in and the volume turned up a little too high. Alexis also enjoys the arts, watching sitcoms, and laughing at memes.

Derek (Tech Manager)

Derek Kaplan is a high school student from Pennsylvania who cares deeply about good governance. He is an experienced computer programmer who has been coding since he was 8 years old. Derek took an interest in politics during the 2018 midterm elections, and he is fascinated with how technology can improve the political arena. In addition to his passions in computer science and politics, he plays drums in his high school marching band, wind ensemble, and jazz band.

Kanika (Communications Director)

Kanika Tiwari is a senior at the University of Alabama at Birmingham studying Political Science and Mass Communications. She is dedicated to doing her part in creating a better, more equitable future for all. She was an intern for a state senate campaign and has volunteered for several political campaigns, as well as worked for a non-partisan survey research firm. Outside of academics and volunteering, Kanika participates in her university’s band program and campus greek life.

Ivan (Senior Leadership Representative)

Ivan Sinyavin is a junior at the Scarsdale High School who developed a passion for politics during the 2016 presidential primaries. Ivan helps manage YACU's chapter network and is also volunteering at a political campaign. Ivan enjoys exploring US-Russia diplomatic ties and learning the Russian language with an ambition to study international relations in college. In his free time, you can find him on the rowing machine, playing video games, and walking his dog, Zeus.

Sydney (Senior Leadership Representative)

Sydney is a sophomore who loves traveling, foreign affairs, and politics. She is co-captain of her mock trial team and has interned on political campaigns across the country. Sydney is on the youth board for her city and the Director of Curriculum for a global non-profit. She is passionate about focusing on what unites us rather than what divides us. If she's not volunteering, she's reading, baking, or on a plane to somewhere new.

Lilly (Member Representative)

Lilly Kurtz is a high school junior from Seattle who, after the 2016 election cycle, developed a keen interest in politics. She has volunteered on various Senate campaigns in her state and across the nation. Lilly advocates for the youth to have a more active voice in politics and seeks to give them that platform and empowerment. She aspires to major in political science and economics in college. Outside of politics, Lilly is a varsity-level coxswain for her school rowing team.

Andrew (Political Director)

Andrew Juan is a political activist, organizer and policy researcher, dedicated to making the voices of young Americans heard in our modern political process. A high school senior based on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, Andrew has worked with a variety of political organizations. He served as the National Youth Director for a presidential campaign, creating the campaign's official youth organizing group. In addition, he has been on the Board of Directors of several environmental and local nonprofits.

Michael (Organizing Director)

Michael Li is a political and community organizer who has been involved with the political scene since 2016. Delegating organizing efforts on local and national platforms, he believes that keeping a community active and engaged about fixing the problems they face is important in bringing change. Passionate about giving those without a voice a platform, Michael has worked with the socioeconomically disadvantaged, youth, and AAPI community to make their voices heard in the political scene.

Carlos Bindert

Carlos is an incoming student at RIT, majoring in Industrial Engineering. His work in high school as the robotics club founder, tech crew lead for drama club productions, and IT assistant led to a profound interest in aggregating technology for a better and more efficient world. Carlos has also taken an interest in politics following the 2016 election and is registered as a local Election Judge. When he's not busy, you can find him playing Factorio or teaching other peers about personal finance.

Alexis (Digital Director)

Alexis is a high school student from NJ who loves to engage in political discussion via social media and volunteer whenever she can. Her dream is to promote bipartisanship via youth political involvement. She is a member of the French National Honors Society, as well as her school’s various activities. She loves to listen to music, and you can often find her with her earbuds in and the volume turned up a little too high. Alexis also enjoys the arts, watching sitcoms, and laughing at memes.

Derek (Tech Manager)

Derek Kaplan is a high school student from Pennsylvania who cares deeply about good governance. He is an experienced computer programmer who has been coding since he was 8 years old. Derek took an interest in politics during the 2018 midterm elections, and he is fascinated with how technology can improve the political arena. In addition to his passions in computer science and politics, he plays drums in his high school marching band, wind ensemble, and jazz band.

Kanika (Communications Director)

Kanika Tiwari is a senior at the University of Alabama at Birmingham studying Political Science and Mass Communications. She is dedicated to doing her part in creating a better, more equitable future for all. She was an intern for a state senate campaign and has volunteered for several political campaigns, as well as worked for a non-partisan survey research firm. Outside of academics and volunteering, Kanika participates in her university’s band program and campus greek life.

Ivan (Senior Leadership Representative)

Ivan Sinyavin is a junior at the Scarsdale High School who developed a passion for politics during the 2016 presidential primaries. Ivan helps manage YACU's chapter network and is also volunteering at a political campaign. Ivan enjoys exploring US-Russia diplomatic ties and learning the Russian language with an ambition to study international relations in college. In his free time, you can find him on the rowing machine, playing video games, and walking his dog, Zeus.

Sydney (Senior Leadership Representative)

Sydney is a sophomore who loves traveling, foreign affairs, and politics. She is co-captain of her mock trial team and has interned on political campaigns across the country. Sydney is on the youth board for her city and the Director of Curriculum for a global non-profit. She is passionate about focusing on what unites us rather than what divides us. If she's not volunteering, she's reading, baking, or on a plane to somewhere new.

Lilly (Member Representative)

Lilly Kurtz is a high school junior from Seattle who, after the 2016 election cycle, developed a keen interest in politics. She has volunteered on various Senate campaigns in her state and across the nation. Lilly advocates for the youth to have a more active voice in politics and seeks to give them that platform and empowerment. She aspires to major in political science and economics in college. Outside of politics, Lilly is a varsity-level coxswain for her school rowing team.

The YACU would also like to thank the following people for their work in the early days of the organization and the time they devoted for a better, bipartisan future:

Iris Lin, co-founder and former Organizing Director

Aidan Chinn, co-founder and former Digital Director

Jazmin Albertie, co-founder and former Organizing Director

Aiden Rood, co-founder and former Communications Director

Charlie Liu, former Technology Director

Andrew LaBerge, former Communications Director

Interested in what we do?