Featured Keynote Panel
Civic Youth Panel
This year, we will celebrate America’s 250th birthday by looking toward the future, asking: how can we invest in the generations of Americans to come? Instead of a keynote speaker, we will host a panel of young civic leaders, who will discuss the current state of our democracy, their dreams for the future, and what we can all do to help.
Kenzlie Reed, Nebraska Kid Governor Cabinet
Stephany Orellana Gomez, 2026–27 Nebraska Youth Poet Laureate
Nsreen Ahmed, Civic Action Coordinator for New American Youth Leadership Academy
Melisa Becerra Gonzalez, Development and Training Specialist at the Nebraska Civic Engagement Table
SIX COMMUNITY LEADERS WILL BE AWARDED
From neighborhood organizers to youth advocates, the 2026 Strengthening Democracy Awards honor those who show that democracy thrives when everyone belongs.
