Coalition for America's Future

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An Open Letter to the Next Generation of American Leaders

To our Communities, Colleagues, Partners, and Peers,

In the shadow of recent events within our own communities, the State of Minnesota, and around the nation, we are calling for young people to come together and coalesce behind a better future and affirm our unwavering commitment to all members of our immigrant, international, and marginalized communities. We stand in solidarity with the people of Minneapolis who now act as a first line of defense against the outright assault on our constitutional rights and freedoms.

Furthermore, we firmly condemn the ongoing state-sanctioned, state-sponsored violence by DHS, ICE, and federal authorities against documented immigrants, undocumented immigrants, and US citizens alike. The loss of life that has already occurred in 2026 alone is only further compounded by the callous and brutal propaganda perpetuated by elected and appointed members of our federal government.

We–a coalition of students, academics, and young professionals–cannot in good faith continue to call ourselves “emerging leaders” without recognizing and standing against complicity in systems of violence and oppression. Our frustration is shared by student leaders at Berkeley Law, who have already taken great initiative to advocate for the passage of the Federal Officer Accountability Act, inspiring tremendous action to advocate for a crucial legislative check on federal agents’ authority. We stand united with our peers, our neighbors, our friends, and our family–regardless of citizenship or documented status.

In celebration of Black History Month and recognition of those who dedicated their lives to this service, we are compelled in this moment to reflect on the words of the late, great Congressman John Lewis:

Speak up, speak out, get in the way. Get in good trouble, necessary trouble, and help redeem the soul of America.

For those of you who share in our contempt for the past decade of hateful, divisive, inhumane rhetoric that has come to define this political era, you may lie awake at night, paralyzed by fear of the future hurdling towards us. Our dreams are clouded by the shadow of uncertainty in our rights, democracy, and ability to freely pursue our dreams. Yet every morning, we wake up hungry and hopeful for a sunrise that promises a redeemed America, unburdened by oppression and hate.

This Presidents Day, February 16th, we call on young people across the country to begin the necessary work. Let this day be a day of service in which we come together and commit ourselves wholly, truly, and completely to our communities. Let this be a day where we dedicate time to re-discover what it means to have difficult, civil conversations about real issues and tangible solutions. Let this be the inflection point.

Those forces that seek to oppress us and strip us of our rights, decency, dignity, and community first ensure we are made to feel alone. At this very moment, the ruling elite works tirelessly to ensure that people young people especially feel as though our actions are powerless against them and we should instead cower in submission.

Yet, if history has proven anything–it is the immense and unique power embedded within academia to stand against oppression. Precedence for such action has long been established among highly educated civil rights advocates: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr (BA, BDiv, PhD), Dr. Huey P. Newton (BA, MA, PhD), Dr. Angela Davis (BA, MA, PhD), John Lewis (BA, BA), Thurgood Marshall (BA, LLB), Dr. Mahmood Mamdani (BA, MA, PhD), and many more. Now is not the time to reaffirm neutrality among educators or within institutions of higher education. Silence from our institutions risks systemic acquiescence from systems that otherwise raise profound questions about dignity, fairness, and constitutional compliance.

We know that transformation is hard, but never impossible. Systems can change, and have done so for hundreds of years. In turn, we call upon students, educators, and administrators everywhere to play a visible, active leadership role in addressing the serious humanitarian and constitutional crises that strike at the very heart of our democratic republic. While providing resources and support are essential, the magnitude of this moment calls for institutional voices within and throughout academia to speak clearly and united against tyranny and for the society we endeavor to create.

We conclude our call to action by remembering and reflecting on the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in his letter from Birmingham Jail:

Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.

Join this Coalition for America’s Future. Protect and believe in a better world to come. United we stand, divided we fall.

Sincerely,

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