We Are Upstate NY With Ava Mateo, President of 18by Vote

The 2024 election will be one of the most important in our nation’s history. The work of one young Hudson Valley native, Ava Mateo, will help bring a vital demographic—young, first-time voters—not only to the polls but also to help them activate their peers to do likewise.

Ava is a classic Hudson Valley story. She is the daughter of an artist mom and a musician dad who moved to the Catskills Mountains in the 1990s to enjoy its large community of creators and natural beauty. As a child of the Obama era, Ava cast her first vote in 2016. She became more seriously engaged in activism after the 2020 contests and her graduation from college.

Today, as the President of 18by Vote, Mateo is the lynchpin of a nationwide nonprofit that helps young people understand how, when and why to vote. The savvy, youth-led group employs digital media and on-the-ground programs to train young people – from ages 14 and up – to motivate their peers to vote and become involved in civic activity in their communities beyond elections.

Although she has relocated to Brooklyn for work, Ava frequently returns to the Hudson Valley. While there, she socializes with family and friends, dines at her favorite restaurants and takes a dip in her favorite local swimming hole.

Read on to hear about Ava’s vital work with 18by Vote and to learn about her favorite things about life in the Hudson Valley.

Before we get into your work with 18by Vote, tell us a little about your family and life growing up in the Hudson Valley.

I loved growing up in the Hudson Valley. My parents moved to Woodstock in the early 1990s alongside many of their long-time friends. My mom is an artist, and my dad is a musician. They fell in love with the beautiful Catskill Mountains and the community here, and this area became their home. Growing up in such a creative, vocal community has shaped who I am today.  I went to elementary school in Saugerties and then went to Woodstock Day School for middle and high school. I am on the Woodstock Day School Board of Trustees and am grateful to have a way to give back for my life-changing experience there. I was also a part of the Rock Academy as a teenager! From swimming in the Mill Stream to volunteering at People’s Place in Kingston to performing at the Bearsville Theater, my childhood was deeply filled with everything our special community has to offer. While I live in Brooklyn, the Hudson Valley will forever be my home. There is nothing like looking up at Overlook Mountain from your bedroom window, which I was lucky to have done for so much of my life.

When did you become interested in politics, and what inspired you to join 18by Vote?

Growing up during the Obama era when Instagram politics did not exist, I, like many of my peers, was not a politically engaged teenager. The first time I could vote was in the 2016 election as an 18-year-old. After that election, I got very interested in policy rather than politics. As a college student, I began taking political science classes and studying policy, with a particular emphasis on education policy. When I graduated from college in 2020, I was about to start grad school, and I was home in Woodstock over the summer. I was looking for some way to get involved with the 2020 election and a friend of mine from high school, Jazmin Kay, also a Hudson Valley native, was the Executive Director of 18by Vote @18byvote at the time. We reconnected, and I shared that I had experience with program facilitation and curriculum development. She immediately got me involved in founding 18by Vote’s first fellowship program; the rest is history!

What are the main activities and programs of 18by Vote?

18by Vote is a youth-led nonprofit organization that helps young and rising voters understand how, when and why to vote. We do this through digital and on-the-ground programs where young people are given the training, resources and community to activate their peers during and beyond elections. Our program participants – many of whom are paid to ensure equitable participation in our programs – recruit their friends and community members to do high-traffic canvassing on their campuses and to text their peers to ensure they are registered and have a plan to vote. The most effective way to get a young person to vote is through peer-to-peer communication.

In your opinion, why are so many young people disenfranchised by the political process?  What issues do you think might most motivate them toward involvement?

I think the biggest reason young people don’t vote is because it’s not easy. For our youngest eligible voters (ages 18 and 19), the act of registering to vote can be confusing or challenging–from having the information needed to complete the form–to having to update your registration when you move. For voters in their 20s, many remain in transition, frequently moving. Across generations, many individuals may struggle to get to their polling place due to issues with transportation or employment. Beyond the challenges of getting to the polls, politicians do not reach out to young people at the same rate as other generations, who are more likely to show up and vote for them.

Your group is not only dedicated to inspiring young people to register and vote, but to get involved in all forms of civic activity in their communities, not only here in your native New York.  What other states are you reaching with your efforts, and how is this cross-pollination benefiting all your volunteers?

As a national, primarily remote organization, our work in different states is highly dependent on where our fellows are located. During higher-profile election years, we utilize data to understand where young voters could have the most impact on determining election outcomes—aka making their voices heard at the ballot!

A big focus of ours is building community. We have virtual community conversations that bring young people together from around the country around topics ranging from mental health to activism strategies. This focus is key for ensuring that young people are engaged during and beyond elections and helps them connect with activists and advocates around the country.

Social media is a key communication and social tool for young people. How much of your effort is dedicated to reaching youth via social media compared to IRL (in real life) events?

As far as the team goes, we recruit young people through social media, word-of-mouth and emails. However, our program participants utilize social media, texting and IRL events such as high-traffic canvassing to activate their peers ahead of elections!

Your group is completely youth-led and lean, with many young women in positions of power.  Who are some of your most important collaborators in 18by Vote?

This has changed and shifted over the years. As I mentioned before, I got involved with 18by Vote thanks to Hudson Valley native Jazmin Kay. As our Vice President, she is still a critical, important collaborator in this work. Our team has since grown and I now have two incredible youth Directors, Mimi Halpern and Jessika Landon, who run 18by Vote with my support.

While your group is decidedly nonpartisan, who are some of the political figures who have served as an inspiration and role model for you as an activist?

I wouldn’t say that I have political figures who are an inspiration to me. I prefer not to idolize politicians. However, I would say the young people I work with constantly serve as inspiration. I also get a lot of inspiration from incredible educators and activists who have had an enormous impact on the world we live in today such as Bell Hooks, Ella Baker, Paulo Freire, and Mary Mcleod Bethune.

What has been your biggest challenge in leading 18by Vote?

The biggest challenge in leading 18by Vote has been creating a sustainable voting organization. Funding for civic engagement initiatives comes in waves and funders/donors do not invest in the same capacity during so-called off-years. To build on that, as a youth leader, I have had to learn a lot quickly to demonstrate and ensure that our youth-led work is worth investing in.

Your efforts with 18by Vote have earned a good deal of media attention and also support via grants from organizations like the Progressive Turnout Project.  How much of your time is dedicated to fundraising to grow the group?

Historically, I have split my time pretty evenly between fundraising, running programs and operations. This continues to be true, although it fluctuates.

The 2024 election is sure to be a landmark event.  What role will your group and, to a larger extent, young, first-time voters play in it?

Every voter makes a difference. Right now, it is critical to engage young people in the political process and help them understand that their vote can make a difference up and down the ballot. Many local elections are determined by a small number of votes. So that means that everyone can make their voice heard! In general, young voters have a high likelihood of determining presidential election outcomes in Wisconsin, Georgia, Arizona, Pennsylvania, Michigan and New York for the House Races. We are focusing our programming on those states to ensure young voters have an impact on the election.

What is your ultimate professional goal? Is it to stay in activism + politics and perhaps effectuate change by running for office one day?

I really enjoy working in the nonprofit space. I identify as an educator and am deeply interested in innovative methods of youth leadership development. So, I plan to continue that aspect of my work and find different ways to catalyze young leaders who I hope will then run for office or just overall make a positive difference in the world!

What about the Hudson Valley makes it unique to live + work here?

The Hudson Valley is such an incredible place where rural living meets so much culture. There is amazing food, music, art and the mountains!

What impact do you, as a young activist and organizer, have on your community?

I am proud to say that 18by Vote has several program participants from the Hudson Valley who have registered and activated voters in the area. This year, NY-17 and NY-19 are our big focus.

What is missing in the area that you wish we had?

More public swimming holes.

Who or what inspires you personally?

The young people that I get the honor of working with.

Tell us something about yourself that people might be surprised to know.

Growing up in the Catskills, I was terrified of the woods at night. This past year, I went on my first sunrise hike and LOVED it!

Follow/Connect Ava Mateo + 18by Vote via Website | Facebook | Instagram

Contributing writer Sal Cataldi is a musician, writer and former publicist living in Saugerties NY.
Photos courtesy of Ava Mateo and 18by Vote

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