Why Tom Steyer Is Mobilizing Millennials & Gen Z for Biden
In this episode of Our Future Now!, National Children’s Campaign co-founders Natalie Mebane and Jonah Gottlieb are joined by Jaime Henn co-founder of international climate organization 350.org and current director of Fossil Free Media to discuss their favorite moments as activists, funny stories from the frontlines and why you don’t have to know what you’re doing to start making change.
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In this episode of Our Future Now!, National Children’s Campaign co-founders Natalie Mebane
and Jonah Gottlieb are joined by philanthropist and former democratic presidential candidate Tom Steyer, to talk about his work mobilizing Millennials and Gen Z to vote in the 2020 elections. We talk about everything from Tom’s starting point in activism, his organization NextGen America and why this generation can mobilize the change for a better world.
Visit vote4ourfuture.org to learn more about how Zero Hour and the National Children’s Campaign are galvanizing Americans to vote on behalf of our nation’s 74 million children, who deserve bold climate action and environmental justice.
Learn more about NextGen America at: https://nextgenamerica.org/
Learn more about elections in your area at: https://ballotpedia.org/Main_Page
Apply for your absentee ballot here: http://www.vote4ourfuture.org/votebymail.html
Natalie: Our Future Now is produced by Goal 17 Media, storytellers for the common good.
Tom Steyer: If the Biden campaign, thinks the reason they got elected and won is because of bunch of young people who care about climate voted for them, they have to deliver.
Natalie: Hi, I’m Natalie Mebane
Jonah: and I’m Jonah Gottlieb. We’re co founders of the National Children’s Campaign. And welcome to this episode of Our Future Now
Natalie: Jonah, it is important that Gen Z and Millennials come out to vote this year in record numbers. And today we are joined by a guest who understands more than anyone, how important it is to mobilize this critical demographic.We are super excited to be joined by Tom Steyer.
Jonah: Tom Steyer is a businessman philanthropist, environmentalist activist, and former presidential candidate. He is the founder of next gen America, an organization fighting for progressive candidates up and down the ballot. And he serves as the co-chair for Joe Biden’s climate engagement advisory council.
Natalie: Tom, I want to thank you so much for joining us today.
Tom Steyer: Natalie. It is fantastic to be here with you and Jonah.
Natalie: Thank you again. We’re happy to have you, and you know, just to kind of jump in a bit in terms of your work, you’ve been doing this work for a long time, and I’m really interested in, we know about, you know, you’ve been super successful in business, but you have kind of switched over full time to activism and mobilizing people for issues.
What brought you into this? What made you want to do this work?
Tom Steyer: Well, I think a couple of things. I mean, one is, I have four kids who are now between the ages of 26 and 32, and 15 years ago, we were sitting around a table in the kitchen and talking about what people a hundred years from now, we’re going to look back at us and say, Gosh, those people are brain dead.
They were absolutely absent. They missed the big point. And I was saying to the kids, what do you guys think? What are they going to say about us? That, you know, we blew and they were talking about climate and they said, dad, it’s just, we’re not dealing with it. And I started to look really hard at why the most sophisticated advanced country in the history of the world was not dealing with a fundamental question about the health and survival of its citizens.
And, and, and it really got me going, and that was 15 years [00:02:30] ago and I quit my job eight years ago, having worked on it in the interim part time, because I didn’t want anyone to think that there was a conflict, but I wanted to take away. That goes and just say, look, I’m not thinking about anything else. I have no compromising issues here.
This is me trying to work together with people across the spectrum to work on climate and justice. And I’m going to do the best I can. And let me [00:03:00] say that I’m no, I’m super lucky. I’m a white guy. Okay. So there’s a lot of issues that were taken off the table for me at birth. But beyond that, I’m a super lucky white guy because I had parents who took care of me, great education, you know, all the advantages put together over hundreds of years by people sacrificing to build a system.
And I’m not remotely unaware at any moment in my life, [00:03:30] how lucky I was to get that. But I also am someone who feels like those people sacrificed their most you know, most of those people will never be heralded. Most of them were very poor offering everything, and some of them were my ancestors. And I want to make sure that I’m in that tradition, American tradition of being willing to.
Be a link in the chain towards justice and fairness and [00:04:00] democracy and freedom. It’s a selfish desire. I want to be part of that group. I mean, I look at you guys, you know, a different generation from me doing the exact same thing, and I see that as the exact same interest of wanting to have your life have, meaning, want to be affiliated with people.
From before and still to come, but also people right now who you respect and admire and love and pushing forward towards the things you really believe. That’s the whole point about a meaningful life. And so I deeply would, selfishly want that hunger for that to be part of that group of people for all the.
Meaning that that can give to my life, but also because I want to be part of that chain of building something great over generations and centuries and still to come.
Jonah: I think that that was really well put in. Like, if you’re a genuinely good person and care about making the world a better [00:05:00] place than working to make the world a better place is inherently good for you as well.
Tom Steyer: And pleasurable, deeply joy. You know, I said to everybody, and this is, let’s just talk about it right now. I mean, this is about a month before the election, before election day, the election is going on right now. Millions of ballots have been cast already. But, I mean, I say to everybody, this is a great opportunity because you don’t have to wonder about right and wrong here.
I’m not equivocal of like, well, I’m partially in on this one, but I see the other side it’s like no this is a very, very, very clear issue for me. And I think for a lot of people, including both of you, I’m looking at something that is antithetical to my deepest values about justice. Economic racial and environmental antithetical to my values about what prosperity means, what [00:06:00] health and safety look like, you know, across the spectrum of the country in the world.
When I was your guys’ age, if you had said to me that there was going to be a direct attack on American democracy. You know, absolutely straightforward, visceral, potentially violent way. And that, wasn’t the number one thing on my mind, I would have said you’re nuts. You’re nuts. That is like ground zero, for what I care about.
And this year you [00:06:30] kind of say there are other, you know, you look at the climate issue and you go, is there something bigger than safety of human beings? Life on earth, health. So it’s rough, it’s a, it’s a real crisis. And that’s the opportunity for all of us at a historic time and be part of winning something really important, not a joke, not, you know, a theoretical change, an absolutely critical change in the physical world in the way we relate to each [00:07:00] other in a, in a kind of a different way of viewing each other, the planet along all the lines that I said in terms of justice and safety.
Jonah: Absolutely. But just to backtrack for a second and give folks some context who are listening, you’ve obviously been engaged in this work for much longer than just this election cycle. And so in 2013 you started next gen America, which focuses on preventing climate disaster and also promoting prosperity for all Americans.
So what was kind of your motivating factor to start this organization? And what are some of your proudest moments at NexGen?
Tom Steyer: The more we go along, the more I see justice and the natural world as being to link things that seem to me to be critical for human beings. So when I think about what we’ve done, I mean, it’s basically been in terms of functionality.
NextGen is the largest youth voter mobilizer in American history. It basically, what does that mean? That means we have an organization in the swing States that basically, tries to register, engage and support voting by people between the ages of 18 and 35.
And why would that matter?
That’s two generations for most of the people know the difference between millennials and gen Z, but 18 to 35 is the biggest group of people in the United States.
18 to 35 is the biggest group. It’s also by far the most diverse group in American history. If you define people by race and ethnicity, It is also by far the most progressive group in America, voting at half the rate of other Americans. So I looked at that and said, here are the people that need to be listened to.
Here are the people who care are knowledgeable, are passionate. Don’t believe in the system. It’s a lot easier to go to them and help them register and say, we’re not trying to tell you how to think. We’re just trying to convince you that you matter that your generation matters that if you vote, everything changes.
Jonah: So Tom is, you know, Natalie and I helped lead the DC climate strike on September 20th.
Tom Steyer: I do know that.
Jonah: Yep. And we invited every single presidential candidate. And you were the only one, um, who was willing to come and hang out with us at the strike that day. And so as a youth, you know, as young people organizing and trying to change things, it’s really inspiring seeing adults whose work is so focused on our future.
And making a better world for our generation. And of course the issue of climate change is perhaps the number one issue that’s discussed when we’re thinking about my generations, right to a better future. And so for you, why is climate change so central to your advocacy?
Tom Steyer: At the heart of climate, for me really is two really simple things.
Protecting the most vulnerable amongst us. There’s no way I think about climate. And I think about pollution and toxicity and who, what it looks like when you’re dealing with people who are subject to it. And that means, you know, the famous examples, Flint, [00:10:30] Michigan is a famous example, but there are a lot of Flint’s Denmark.
South Carolina is a Flint. There are places along the, uh, Valley in California where people can’t drink the water. And when you see. Sick kids when you see toxicity, when you, when you cannot, but see that it’s disproportionately in Black and Brown communities, low income Black and Brown communities. And you realize what this means, which is sickness and death.
You have to care about it. So I look at this, I mean, Jonah, it’s kind of like, what are we on earth for? Are we really going to watch this? As passive failures or are we in fact going to be active problem solvers, caring for each other, caring for the natural world and preserving a place for you guys, for me, for everybody, and for every other being on this planet.
Jonah: Absolutely. And in terms of getting involved, I’ve started my activism with the fires in 2017. And now at the time
Tom Steyer: Cause You’re from Petaluma, right?
Jonah: Yeah. And now at the time of recording, I literally have evacuees in my house right now. And so obviously young people are clearly being impacted and will continue to face the impacts of the climate crisis for years to come, which is why it’s so important [00:12:00] that we include young people and use the voices and use leadership in policy discussions, and in trying to change things and solve these issues.
And so you’ve been helping. Lead that effort with the Biden campaign. Um, and so I’m just wondering what kind of are you doing right now within the Biden campaign to engage young people and what can young people do to engage their peers?
Tom Steyer: Well, you know, it’s funny within the Biden campaign, I am, co-chairing a council on, climate engagement, which is really trying to reach out to people, including specifically young people. I mean, I was talking to a group of young people yesterday who are workers in clean energy businesses to talk about where that’s going, where their futures are going and kind of how it fits into the Biden plan.
But look what young people can do for the next month. Honestly, the biggest thing we can do is change the administration. Elect Biden. [00:13:00] He’s someone who cares and knows about this and will bring in people who care and know about this. And that’s got to happen and flip the Senate.
You know, if Mitch McConnell is running the Senate of the United States of America, a democratic president can take a lot of actions, but there are a lot of things that are also 100% off the table.
And so that just can’t happen. You know, it’s kind of, you look at this and this is a. If you look at the science and where the trajectory is in terms of the climate and the [00:13:30] implications of the climate, in terms of fires, floods, storms, sea rise, drought, all the things that are happening. We don’t have four years to waste.
You know, it’s not like a problem where you go, like people will die, but the system will survive. This is a systemic problem that gets worse and is building on itself. So I think for the next month, everybody’s task has got to be we’re all in to save ourselves and to [00:14:00] do that. We’re going to have to save the country and we’re going to have to save the democracy.
But right now, for everybody 18 to 35, you’ve got to be all in for each other and we’ve gotta be all in together and make this happen. And that’s exactly how I see it. I feel like it’s a historic opportunity.
If the Biden campaign thinks the reason they got elected. And one is because a bunch of young people who care about climate voted for them, they have to deliver.
If they think that the reason it’s a secret and no one knows that those people voted in. The reason they won is that a bunch of suburban Housewives flipped from being Trump voters to Biden motors. Then they think they have to deliver for them. They got to know that it’s young people who care about the following things, who made them when that changes everything.
And I see it that way. It’s like you read history books and you think that’s history. We’re not living history. We’re living like going to school. You’re, you know, we’re not living history. We’re living, going to work and buying groceries and fixing dinner no. This month, we’re living history, this, this, this next year, we’re living history to see what we can accomplish in a remarkably compressed period of time.
We have to win this election by a lot. Know, you listen to what Mr. Trump said on TV in the first debate. And he basically said, I’m contesting the election. If I don’t win. And the answer has gotta be. Haa you lost by a mile pal? No, one’s listening to you. That’s what has to happen? So I think it’s on all of us to make sure that that happens,
Jonah: knowing that we need this transformational change in a Biden administration. How can we make sure that young people are at the table and helping lead this transformational change?
Tom Steyer: That is a great question. And I think it’s really important because it doesn’t start after the election. I, one of the things that I’ve been trying to do and you know, I’m not sure how successful I’ve been, honestly, but I’m not through trying, is to try to talk as often and loudly as I can saying the difference in this election is going to be turned out by young people.
They care about climate. They care about racial justice. They care about healthcare and cost of college. And I, and I’m, we’re watching it very closely. That’s what next gen does is try to make sure that that happens, but also make sure we’re advocating for those issues. And specifically on climate to make people know, you know, Natalie and I have worked together on climate and we’ve worked together with other climate organizations across the board to say, look, we’re out there.
When the wind happens, we’ve been working. And the reason we’ve been working is we know it’s really important that we do the right thing. And so it’s, so when you say, how can we make sure that young people are part of the group of people making the decisions and moving things forward and having their voices listened to the answer is by talking now about how important they are in the election.
So no one doubts that. A historic number of young people said our future’s at stake. We’re Americans, we’re [00:17:30] showing up. And then after it happens, we’re holding you to account because we’re the difference makers and we need our futures protected.
Natalie: You know, thinking of everything you’ve said and how important it is, especially for everyone to show up to vote this year, but especially young people. What would be your final thoughts in terms of any of our listeners, for folks who still aren’t sure if they want to show up and vote [00:18:00] this November, who might think that a Biden and win is the same as a Trump win and, and it’s, the status quo is going to stay the same.
What would be your final parting words to them to make them know how important it is that they do show up this year?
Tom Steyer: Well, let me say this. They’ve got to show up cause there’s a gigantic difference under every so there’s a chasm between what Donald Trump stands for and what Joe Biden stands for.
There’s a chasm between the people that Donald Trump would [00:18:30] appoint and the people that Joe Biden would appoint. There will be people fighting for justice for young people, intergenerational justice. I promise that because I know I’ll be one of them. A huge part of climate is saying, no, you can’t take the future away from young people.
So you can make a little more money this year. You can’t do that. We’re going to stop you from doing that and that’s got to happen. And so, you know, it’s, it’s absolutely critical that young people leave. It’s absolutely critical that young people participate. And it’s absolutely critical that as a coalition, we stand up for each
Jonah: Tom Steyer, thank you so much for being on our future. Now, today, we really appreciate having you on and your years of work fighting for us fighting for a better world.
Tom Steyer: You know, the crazy thing is, is about Jonah and Natalie. This we could stay and talk on this for longer than people can listen. Honest to goodness. So I’m sorry. I have to go, but it’s a great pleasure seeing you both again.
Jonah: Thank you for listening to this episode of Our Future Now,
Natalie: Jonah, we talked today about how important it is to get young voters out. So I want everyone listening to join us @voteforourfuture.org. So you can join us on October 17th for our get out the vote rally. We are putting on this rally in conjunction with our partner zero hour, and we’d love to have you all there.
We’re going to have speakers, performers and much more.
Our Future Now is produced by Goal 17 media. Storytellers for the common. Good. Thank you to our media partner, Parentology be sure to subscribe on your favorite streaming platform and share this episode with your family and friends on social media,
Jonah: I’m Jonah Gottlieb
Natalie: and I’m Natalie Mebane.
Jonah: And this is Our Future Now.
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