About | Vote16MA

About

Vote16MA

We are a group of high schoolers who believe that 16 and 17-year-olds should have a right to vote in local elections. We have the right to drive, the right to work, the obligation to pay income taxes and we even have the right to register to vote at 17. But we can’t vote until 18. This doesn’t make sense to us, and we need you to help us change this in MA.

Leadership

LaJuan Allen

Director of Vote16USA

LaJuan Allen began his career as the Community Relations Coordinator for Mayor Jorge O. Elorza in Providence, Rhode Island, and most recently served as Director of Policy & Partnerships. His portfolio included leading, implementing, and coordinating policy initiatives and high-quality, quick turnaround research, and analysis in support of the mayor’s policy agenda. LaJuan, in collaboration with the city’s COVID recovery office, provided leadership with the implementation of the City of Providence’s COVID-19 Recovery and Resiliency Plan, including exciting key programs and initiatives recommended by the city’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Task Force. In his role, he supported the Director of Diversity., Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) by providing strategic guidance around city policy and was responsible for broadening and strengthening meaningful partnerships with key external stakeholders. LaJuan served as the lead advisor on all aspects of the Mayor’s Youth & education priorities, providing creative and strategic leadership that supports the implementation of the mayor’s investments around youth & education, including overseeing the City’s participation in Harvard’s By-All-Means Initiative and served as the key liaison between the Providence School Board, Providence School Department, Rhode Island Department of Education, and Charter Schools.

He currently serves as the Director of Vote16USA at Generation Citizen, an organization committed to amplifying the voices of young people in our democracy. LaJuan leads Vote16USA’s strategic initiatives, communications, fundraising, partnerships, and grassroots campaigns. Under Allen’s leadership, the organization plans to drive forward an intrapreneurial campaign to move Vote16USA from a successful phase of incubation at Generation Citizen to becoming an independent hub for the movement to lower the voting age to 16, expand its outreach efforts, engage with policymakers, and build a broad coalition of supporters to advance the movement for voting rights for 16- and 17-year-olds

LaJuan became the first person in his family to graduate from college earning a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science/Public Policy and Sociology from the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in 2018. In May of 2022, LaJuan graduated from the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth with a Master’s in Public Policy with a concentration in Education Policy. LaJuan currently serves as a member of the Providence Promise Board of Directors and is an adjunct faculty at College Unbound in Providence, Rhode Island.

Anya Khera

Chair, Vote16USA Youth Advisory Board and Vote16MA

Anya Khera is a high school junior in Wellesley, Massachusetts, involved in local and state efforts to lower the voting age to 16. Anya leads a Vote16 Massachusetts Coalition and is working to progress the movement in her hometown. Her advocacy tactics range from lobbying council members and leading educational sessions to thought leadership, including running a stakeholder podcast, “Voices for Vote16”. She is an elected member of Wellesley’s Town government and has worked for MassDems and Warren for Senate. She is also a member of the Massachusetts MetroWest Athena Council, Young Leaders Learning Community at Tufts CIRCLE, and of the League of Women Voters (Wellesley). She founded and leads a Youth Civics Club and chapter of Amnesty International at her school, and is an active member of Girl Up and Model UN. Outside of school and work, she enjoys fencing, playing violin, and writing poetry.

How do we do this?

First and foremost, we need support from youth from around Massachusetts. We are intelligent, civically engaged individuals who will use the right to vote to better future elections. Therefore, we need as much support and action taken from different schools around the state to demonstrate support. It doesn't matter if you're a Republican, Democrat, or independent. We need to lower the voting age for the representation of young people! We are also looking to expand our coalition and build partnerships.