A Chicago citizen's group is mounting a new campaign to seed state boards and commissions with a youthful, diverse group of activists.

 “[Applying for boards or commissions] isn’t something that a person couldn’t do before, or that they can’t do on their own,” says Public Action for Change Today organizer Amy Totsch.  “But our hope is that by doing this and kind of thinking about it together, we will be able to use this as a way to teach, and become, good leaders.”
 
PACT is a non-partisan, grassroots organization centered on politically empowering young adults from communities across the city.
 
PACT is fed up with Illinois’ political “culture of corruption” Totsch says.  An email sent out by group officials last month called for young people to assist in the “gargantuan task” of reforming state government.

Illinois has more than 300 boards and commissions, and more than 500 vacancies, according to Libby White, a spokeswoman for Gov. Pat Quinn.

Last month PACT leadership began compiling a list of civically engaged young adults who might fill some of those vacancies. Political affiliation, ideology, race and class were not weighed in making the list, according to Totsch.

One person on PACT’s list is Brandon Sammut, a 24-year old senior associate at non-profit organization Teach For America.  He is eyeing a slot on the state Board of Education.
 
“For me, what’s most inspiring is the opportunity to influence education policy in the state of Illinois,” Sammut says.  “I think my work with public education here in Chicago, in particular with under-resourced communities, gives a unique perspective that I want to make sure is represented.”
 
Sammut says that young adult’s involvement in public affairs is lacking, and that reversing that trend will benefit both state politics, and issues pertinent to young people.
 
“[Young adults] should be competing for these spots as much as anybody else,” says Sammut.  “I think they have something special to contribute.”
 
Gov. Pat Quinn signed an executive order in April to increase transparency for board and commission appointments. One element of that effort is appointments.illinois.gov, where citizens can view members of the state’s boards and commissions, and apply to fill vacancies.

Dick Simpson, the former alderman who now heads the political science department at the University of Illinois-Chicago, praised PACT's efforts.

“Any organization that attempts to recruit people who are really concerned and committed is good," he says. “I think it’s important to make it much more broadly known that new people are being appointed [to boards and commissions] and that anyone can apply.  That is not very well known yet."