Nevada Student Power

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Who we are

Nevada Student Power is student led and statewide, seeking to improve the lives of marginalized students in Nevada.

We all have power within us. Finding that power and building on it is possible with the support and guidance of our peers.

At every step of the way, we are determined to develop our leaders into the fiercest advocates for themselves. Together, we are learning essential life skills and about the political systems that affect our daily lives.

Workshops and trainings centered around financial literacy and professional success are provided for all students. Political education and trainings help students see the connection of their daily issues to the policies we see on campus, in our state legislature and nationally.

“Being a student sometimes feels impossible. I’ve had to delay my education so many times because it often meant choosing between going to school and the ability to afford food or rent. I’m with Nevada Student Power because I know there has to be a way to make this all easier. We just need to work together, help one another out, and come together to demand the changes that need to be made.”

– Kimberly Estrada, NVSP Co-Director

In 2018, we focused on organizing voters across Nevada.

With ten fellows and our core group of volunteers, we registered 1,183 seventeen to twenty-five year olds by October 8th. Three hundred and fifty six of those voters were registered on National Voter Registration Day. Additionally, we called 26,129 immigrant voters for GOTV in two weeks and participated in twenty-five events impacting around 1,800 people. Those event included our Unity with Charlottesville Rally, a UNLV Voter Registration Day where then-fellow Aranza Marmolejo sat on a panel along with Gabby Giffords, and a training where fellows learned to help people with records with their process to restore their rights to register to vote.

This year, we are focusing on a core set of economic justice issues:

Access to mental health resources
Affordable Education
Affordable Housing
Food Insecurity

Given the intersectionality between these and other social justice issues, we plan on gathering feedback from students via campus issue ID activities.

Our Values

Committed to developing leaders — Through our fellowship programs, we have a built a steady pipeline of leaders in Nevada that continue to be champions of progress in our communities. Not only have former fellows risen up in the ranks of our organization, but many have transitioned into roles in the community that leverage the experience they built through their time with us.
Educating ourselves — We have a curriculum that emphasizes financial literacy and autonomy, and teaches students to find their voice. Whether it is making personal finance knowledge accessible to students, or leading advocacy campaigns to deploy resources for disadvantaged students through local and state agencies, we believe that knowledge is power, and like our parents told us, nadie te puede quitar la educacion.
Fighting for us, not politicians — Our organization stands with students, it’s that simple. As a 501(c)4 organization, we do not endorse candidates or coordinate with their political campaigns. We highlight our issues first and foremost, and talk about candidates in the context of their support for these initiatives.
Diverse — Our leadership and base are reflective of Nevada’s strength through diversity. From the north to the south, we strive to build coalitions and form partnerships across platforms, races, and religions, with the aim to bridge divides that were fabricated to keep us from working together and owning our collective strength.
Intersectional strategy — Being intersectional is having an holistic, ecological understanding of power. It’s about understanding that our liberations are tied together. We understand that addressing economic injustice is meaningless without addressing the inherent racial and gender-based discrimination in society. Every policy discussion we facilitate must keep collective liberation at the forefront of the conversation.
Transparent and open dialogue — We consciously work everyday to ensure that the voice of Nevada Student Power keeps true to that of Nevada students. That is why we are constantly keeping ourselves transparent by keeping communication flowing with impacted students, and our doors open to the public.
Creative — There is no one way to solve a problem. So, understandably, there is no one way to achieve social justice. We are encouraging students to find their way. Be it through art, math, science, or basic people skills; we want students to fight for their rights in a way that aligns best with who they are.

Our Partners

We work with community, state, and national movement partners to heighten the impact of our organizing. These include:

Actionn
Alliance for Youth Action
Mass Liberation Project
Movement Voter Project