Angelo Turner founded United States Advocates for Youth Foundation, known as USAY Foundation, in June 1992 out of his frustration with the Los Angeles riots of that year. It became clear to Angelo that the youth of America were feeling disenfranchised with the political process. Angelo penned an Opinion-Editorial piece entitled "Are You Angry? Well Get Out and Vote!" which was geared towards high school seniors and college students that chose to express their frustration with society in counterproductive ways. During the ensuing years USAY Foundation was a part-time hobby of Angelo and a few friends. Angelo continued his volunteer work of registering young Americans to vote while working in major gifts development for a number of respected organizations including Scripps Health, The Gemological Institute of America and the American Cancer Society. In addition to his development work over the past seventeen years, Angelo has served on a number of youth advocacy, criminal justice and medical oversight commissions. Some of his service includes serving as Vice President of the State of California Osteopathic Medical Board, member of the U.S. Senate Master Plan Advisory Board on Juvenile Criminal Justice, member of the City of San Diego Police Department Commission to Address Racial Profiling, member of the City of San Diego Police Department African-American Advisory Commission, member of the Mayor of San Diego's Youth Council, and several African-American advisory councils to sitting members of the United States Congress. While working in the global diamond industry and, while traveling for leisure, Angelo had the opportunity to experience firsthand people even 90 years old waiting in hours long lines to cast their ballots. His experiences in the Third World nations of Asia and Africa that he visited bolstered his respect for the roots of voting rights in the United States. Angelo firmly believes that many Americans that do not take seriously their duty to vote, need to be educated on the reality that voting rights have not always existed here nor are they guaranteed indefinitely into the future. He continues to be surprised by how many people do not realize that voting rights at home came only after wars, protests and boycotts forced progress. For too many Americans, these struggles are a distant and forgotten story.

Angelo believes that the price of liberty is eternal vigilance and he has written many Opinion-Editorial pieces for major newspapers on social issues of the day. From now until November 2008 Angelo will be traveling around the nation to educate young Americans on voting rights and registering them so they can make their views known to our government's elected leaders.

Angelo resides in San Francisco and San Diego, California.

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USAY Foundation, now 15 years old, has decided to go nationwide and online to take the message of voting rights and the importance of being involved in one's community and nation to America's youth. USAY Foundation exists by the grace of people just like you who opt to donate generously of their talent and financial resources.

The hope of USAY Foundation is that we can all debate and discuss issues of importance to our nation. At the end of the day, even when we choose to disagree, that we may all unite in positive action and use this site and its resources to stay informed, form our own opinions and get involved on behalf of our beautiful and wonderful country. No force is great enough to defeat or destroy America. But if we continue to fight amongst ourselves and divide one another and undermine each other we will arrive at defeat from within.

Caryn brings to USAY Foundation over ten years of experience in marketing, communications, technical copywriting and website content for leading corporations such as The Discovery Channel, Scripps Health Foundation, Boston Scientific, McDonald's Corporation, Mrs. Fields, Chevron-Texaco, Shell Oil and Loews Entertainment Cineplex. Caryn also volunteers for the Salvation Army.

Caryn resides in Austin, Texas.

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A Young, Diverse Nation

The United States of America is just 231 years old, this July 4th. We are a young nation. We are a diverse nation. We are a strong and brilliant nation. It is morning in America. The day is young and full of hope and great promise if we can only learn to take positive action to improve our society. The sun is shining brightly on us and the world is looking to us to use our gifts and our resources to lead responsibly. An informed and involved electorate ensures we do just that.