Nia Batra (left) and Maya Flowers-Glass (right) door-to-door canvassing for the Georgia Youth Justice Coalition. Photo credit: Claire Becknell
On a hot Sunday afternoon in August, Nia Batra stood with a group of canvassers from the Georgia Youth Justice Coalition (GYJC) in Atlanta’s Kirkwood neighborhood. Nia is 16-years-old, and even though she herself is too young to cast a ballot in November, she is determined to make a difference.
Clipboard and pamphlets in hand, Nia set off with fellow canvasser, 14-year-old Maya Flowers-Glass.
“This election is crucial, especially in Georgia, where every vote counts,” Nia told 285 South, referring to the narrow margin of just under 12,000 votes that decided Georgia’s outcome in the last Presidential election. “We’ve knocked on more doors than that. This election isn’t about convincing people; it’s about turnout.”
Nia’s parents immigrated from India, and she said many immigrants can’t vote because they’re not citizens. That’s why, she said, it’s more important than ever that those who can, do. Maya agreed and added that access to the ballot can also be a challenge. “I’ve met multiple individuals that have said that they immigrated to the country…and have had a hard time being able to have the access to get out and vote.”
“There are so many undocumented individuals who care so much about these issues but aren’t allowed to vote…So, I’m out here making sure everyone who is privileged enough to be able to vote is able to vote.”
What motivates Nia to knock on doors, she said, are the values her parents instilled in her from a young age. “I grew up with my parents telling me to advocate for others and question authority. I’ve always internalized those values.
“On a scale of 1 to 10, how likely are you to vote?” Maya asked a resident on their doorstep. For the first two hours of their shift, all the people who opened their doors to Nia and Maya on Sunday told them they planned to vote and said they cared about issues like the economy, environmental justice, affordable housing, and fair wages.
Maya, a freshman at Maynard Jackson High School, told 285 South that her activism began around her family’s dinner table. The family would often discuss social justice issues, including the controversial ‘Cop City’ project. Her father told her about the GYJC.
Initially hesitant due to her age, Maya attended the latest state legislative session with GYJC and participated in their “Youth to the Capitol” initiative, where young people go to the Capitol to lobby on the issues that matter most to them. The experience was empowering, Maya said. “It wasn’t odd that I was young…Everyone was learning together in their activism.”
Batra leaving a GYJC pamphlet at the doorstep of a Kirkwood home. Photo credit: Claire Becknell
Nia said she’s been politically active for years and finds strength in her advocacy through the GYJC. She joined the organization at 14, inspired by her older sister, one of the organization’s co-founders.
GYJC has over 2,000 members across the state, mostly between the ages of 14 and 24. The organization encourages young people to get involved through community organizing, canvassing, policy advocacy and youth-led campaigns. “We’re one of the only organizations that truly centers youth voices,” Nia said. “We talk to reporters, hold press conferences, and ensure that our narratives are heard.”
As the 2024 election season heats up, those young members have switched gears and have been ramping up their canvassing efforts — hitting around 100 houses a shift. During these shifts, they ask adults about their plans to vote and what issues they care about most in their community.
For Maya, the stakes are personal. As a public school student, she’s acutely aware of the impact of legislation such as the controversial public school voucher bill, which critics argue diverts funding from public schools to private institutions, and the overturn of Roe v. Wade. “That’s the reason I’m out here… I can’t go to the polls myself. I can’t go cast a ballot,” she said. “I’ve seen the impact in my school systems —not having a bus, having to cut back on supplies…” And, she said, “when Roe v. Wade was lifted, it was scary at such a young age, not knowing how my future was going to turn out.”
Nia echoed Maya’s concerns, adding that criminal justice reform is also high on her list. “I care a lot about the criminal justice system, about making our prisons more humane and ethical,” she said. “So many people go to prison, come out, can’t get jobs, can’t vote, and end up right back in prison.”
Both are driven by a deep sense of responsibility to their communities, especially to those who cannot vote. “There are so many undocumented individuals who care so much about these issues but aren’t allowed to vote,” Maya said. “So, I’m out here making sure everyone who is privileged enough to be able to vote is able to vote.”
Pausing to sit by the roadside and drink water before hitting up another street, Maya and Nia were optimistic about the future. “People are finally starting to recognize like, oh, this really matters, and my vote really does matter. It’s honestly just so cool, and it’s really fun,” said Maya.
The second dispatch of young canvassers for the GYJC on Sunday afternoon. Photo credit: Claire Becknell
Claire Becknell is an award-winning journalist based in Atlanta dedicated to authentic and intentional storytelling. She is passionate about highlighting underrepresented communities and reporting on issues through an intersectional lens.
