"Being American" on Facebook, A Generation Opportunity Platform for Millennials, Surges to Over One Million Fans

News provided by

Sep 14, 2011, 11:46 ET

New national organization is among the largest groups engaging Young Americans ages 18-29 via social media and grassroots organizing

WASHINGTON, Sept. 14, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- "Being American" on Facebook , a major project and communications platform from Generation Opportunity, has surged to more than one million fans. Generation Opportunity is one of the fastest growing and largest grassroots organizations in the nation dedicated to organizing and mobilizing young adults on issues such as youth unemployment and economic opportunity through a strategy based on social media and ground operations.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110805/DC48058LOGO)

"As more and more young adults and their friends experience the human costs of record high unemployment and the ongoing lack of economic opportunity, they are determined to identify, discuss, and work together on the solutions needed to get America headed in a more positive direction. 'Being American' on Facebook provides both a platform and sourced information for a growing audience that uses this page to discuss issues that matter to them," said Paul T. Conway, the President of Generation Opportunity and a former Chief of Staff at the United States Department of Labor. "The fans have created a community that is very engaged, a dialogue about what makes America great, and a forum for opinions on issues that impact their lives."

The importance and impact of using social media to promote civic engagement has been a growing area of interest since the 2008 elections. A study reported on by CNET news found that 99 percent of young people have profiles on social networks. In addition, a recent Pew study on the issue found that the number of people using social networking sites has doubled since 2008. It also found that "compared with other internet users…a Facebook user...[is] an additional two and half times more likely to attend a political rally or meeting, 57% more likely to persuade someone on their vote, and an additional 43% more likely to have said they would vote." Generation Opportunity will continue to engage young Americans on issues that impact their lives and the nation as a whole, and encourage them through both social media and grassroots organizing to become more civically engaged and make their voices heard.

ABOUT GENERATION OPPORTUNITY
Generation Opportunity is a non-profit, non-partisan 501 (c)(4) organization that seeks to engage everyone from young adults, to early career professionals, college students, young mothers and fathers, construction workers, current service men and women, veterans, entrepreneurs and all Americans who find themselves dissatisfied with the status quo and willing to create a better tomorrow.

Generation Opportunity operates on a strategy that combines advanced social media tactics with proven field tactics to reach Americans 18-29. The organization announced its first communications platform – "Being American," a Facebook page that has already amassed a fan base of more than one million. The page posts links to relevant articles and reports from sources ranging from the federal General Accountability Office (GAO), to The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Brookings Institution, The Wall Street Journal, The Huffington Post, and The Heritage Foundation.

Read about Generation Opportunity here and visit "Being American" on Facebook by clicking here.

For our Spanish-language page – Generacion Oportunidad – click here.

CONTACT: Matthew Faraci
202-997-1636
[email protected]

SOURCE Generation Opportunity