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As many western coffee chains look eastward for growth, Asias bubble tea giants are nurturing new audiences in North America and Europe. World Coffee Portal finds out how this colourful beverage is shaking up branded caf markets in the US and Europe

Photo credit: Nicholas Ismael Martinez

Also known as pearl milk tea or boba tea, bubble tea traditionally consists of milk, black tea, sugar syrup and tapioca balls a starch extracted from the roots of the cassava plant. While bubble teas name is often attributed to the chewy dark pearls that punctuate the beverage, it more accurately refers to the bubbles produced from vigorous shaking during preparation.

Originating in Taiwan in the 1980s, bubble tea is widely considered the brainchild of Liu Han-Chieh and Lin Hsiu Hui, the respective owner and Product Development Manager of Chun Shui Tang tea room in Taichung. The formers experiment with cold tea collided with the latters tapioca-based pudding and the rest, as they say, is history.

Coffee and bubble tea target audiences are very different Bryan Loo, Founder, Tealive

Shake and share

With such an enticing array of flavours, often colourfully presented in transparent cups, bubble tea lends itself to social media sharing, making it particularly popular among under-30s. The hashtags bubbletea and bobatea have been collectively posted nearly five million times on Instagram and viewed more than 8.6 billion times on TikTok.

The visually appealing nature of bubble tea and sharing these experiences on social media has contributed to bubble teas popularity, making it a sought-after beverage, says Kody Wang, Business Development Manager of the worlds largest bubble tea chain, CoCo Fresh Tea & Juice.

Founded in Taipei in 1997, CoCo Fresh Tea & Juice has evolved into a global bubble tea powerhouse with more than 5,000 stores across Asia, Australasia, North America and Europe.

A strong social media presence and marketable product portfolio is also a key consideration for Bryan Loo, CEO of Loob Holding and founder of Malaysias largest bubble tea brand, Tealive. People share photos and videos of their colourful and aesthetically pleasing bubble tea creations on Instagram and TikTok, sparking interest and curiosity among their followers, he says.

We expect demand in North America will continue to grow Kody Wang, Business Development Director, CoCo Fresh Tea & Juice

The global tea party

Facing growing competition in increasingly crowded bubble tea markets, such as Taiwan, China, Vietnam and Japan, many operators are seeking new audiences beyond their traditional heartlands. For Tealive, international growth has been opportunistic. The company is currently focusing on expansion in Southeast Asia, particularly the Philippines, while it waits for the right time for a big North American push.

Were particularly excited by our corporate plan for the Filipino market and we have been rapidly expanding in Manila and Cebu. Our growth in the Philippines has been fast-tracked, Loo says.

A CoCo Fresh Tea & Juice store in London, UK |Photo credit: CoCo Fresh Tea & Juice

Having established a presence and loyal customer bases in areas such as Manhattans Chinatown, CoCo Fresh Tea & Juice now has 17 stores in New York, including sites in the culturally diverse neighbourhoods of Jackson Heights and Flushing.

The concrete Asia customer base in foreign markets has led to the quicker establishment of brand awareness locally, says Wang.

CoCo Fresh Tea & Juice has deployed a similar formula in Canada. Sixty-one of its 100 stores are in Toronto, where Filipino and Chinese immigrants make up the largest proportion of Torontos non-native residents, according to the 2021 government census.

We expect demand in North America will continue to grow, while at the same time competition is fierce, Wang adds.

That competition currently comes from scaled international brands Gong cha, Happy Lemon and Tiger Sugar, as well as California-based Boba Guys and the self-proclaimed OGs of American bubble tea, Kung Fu Tea a 400-store chain that even started National Bubble Tea Day marked annually in the US on 30 April.

In comparison to Asia and to a lesser extent North America, the European bubble tea market is relatively nascent. However, valued above $300m and increasing 9% per year, the continents allure as a burgeoning bubble tea market is clear.

Highlighting this growth potential, Gong cha entered the Belgian and Portuguese markets in the last 12 months and has committed to opening 200 stores in France by 2033 following its Paris debut in June 2023.

Gong cha CEO Paul Reynish recently outlined an ambitious goal of opening 500 stores in the UK, where it currently has 13 sites, highlighting opportunities in a coffee shop market he described as saturated.

Like New York, London is one of the most culturally diverse cities in the world, with large communities from across Southeast Asia. In August 2023, Chinese tea chain Heytea made its European debut in Londons Chinatown, joining more than 25 branded bubble tea chains in the high footfall tourist enclave of Soho.

The European bubble tea market has grown a lot, especially after Covid-19 Jakub Woniczka, Franchise Manager, Crazy Bubble

Polands Crazy Bubble is Europes largest bubble tea chain, with 170 stores |Photo credit: Crazy Bubble

Having launched in 2012, when European consumers still approached bubble tea with a dose of timidity, Franchise Manager Jakub Woniczka says the business has rapidly expanded to meet surging demand.

The European bubble tea market has grown a lot, especially after Covid-19. We have opened about 100 outlets in the last two years alone, he says.

With European consumers becoming increasingly familiar with bubble tea, Crazy Bubble entered Finland, its sixth European market, in September 2023 and is currently seeking new franchise partners across the continent.

We want to maintain our status as the largest bubble tea franchise brand in Europe and plan to have Crazy Bubble in most European countries within the next five years, potentially even outside of Europe, Woniczka adds.

Are coffee shops missing a drink?

With demand for bubble tea seemingly at an all-time high, could coffee shops harness more opportunities from the segment?

It is not just a matter of selling bubble tea coffee and bubble tea target audiences are very different. One is looking out for functional fulfilment and the other is looking for fun. Both require a different set of strategies to win customer loyalty, says Tealives Loo.

Not that some of the worlds largest coffee chains havent had a pop at bubble tea. Starbucks trialled its own iced coffee-based bubble beverages at US stores in California and Washington in January 2022 but has yet to announce a wider launch. Meanwhile, McDonalds Hong Kong has served bubble tea on its summer menu since 2020. However, coffee and fast-food brands are yet to produce an authentic bubble tea product, says Kody Wang.

The preparation requirements and know-how are not easily replicated and an enormous change in operations would be needed for them to make quality bubble tea products, he says.

Nevertheless, Europes largest coffee chain, Costa Coffee, introduced bubble tea and bubble frapp ranges to the UK market in May 2023. Additionally, boutique caf group EL&N is deploying vibrant green matcha and purple ube to complement its claim as the worlds most Instagrammable caf.

Tealive bubble tea cups | Photo credit: Tealive

Alongside catering to new audiences in North America and Europe, fierce competition in Asia is driving bubble tea chains to continuously reinvent their already extensive menus, with the inclusion of coffee gaining traction.

While bubble tea is up-and-coming in western markets, coffee has been developing rapidly in the east. We will continue to develop innovative coffee products through our R&D team, says Wang, referring to Coco Fresh Tea & Juices bubble tea and coffee range, which includes salty cream coffee, mocha coffee and matcha coffee with pearls.

Earlier this year Tealive also introduced its revamped Coffee by Tealive menu to promote new coffee-based creations, while Crazy Bubble offers hot and cold coffee customisation options across its bubble tea menu.

Although direct competition with coffee chains is unlikely in the near term, bubble tea brands are gaining market share in the US and Europe.

If established caf operators such as Costa Coffee and EL&N make a splash with their bubble ranges, more branded coffee chains could follow suit by expanding existing cold and iced beverage menus. Having burst onto the scene in the US and Europe, bubble teas global sphere of influence looks set to grow.

This article was first publishedinIssue 16 of 5THWAVE magazine. Subscribeto 5THWAVE to receive each edition in print and digitally or sign up to ournewsletterand be the first to read the latest articles and updates on World Coffee Portal research.

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Why it's boom time for bubble tea - World Coffee Portal

The weeks-long fight that finally gave Republican Rep. Mike Johnson the speaker's gavel saw the rank-and-file members of the party buck the top members of House GOP leadership.

The House selected Johnson the then-vice chairman of the House GOP conference as speaker nominee Wednesday three weeks after former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., was ousted from the position.

Johnson's election to the speakership appears to have both empowered the rank-and-file members of the House GOP and showed they have the muscle to back it up.

SPEAKER JOHNSON SUPPORTS $14B FOR ISRAEL, BUT SAYS AMERICA CANNOT BE DROPPING MONEY OUT OF HELICOPTERS

Though Johnson held a leadership role before running for the speakership, higher-ranking Republicans were rejected after failing to win enough support from the party.

Three top House Republicans made their bids for speaker House Majority Leader Steve Scalise of Louisiana, Majority Whip Tom Emmer of Minnesota, and Judiciary Committee chairman Jim Jordan of Ohio and all three bids failed with rank-and-file opposition, paving the path for Johnson's election.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

The larger conservative wing of the party also gained some steam with Johnson's ascension to the gavel, as the new speaker is from among their numbers.

Ohio Rep. Warren Davidson, a Republican, told Fox News Digital that he sees Johnson's speakership as both empowering the members and uniting them behind the House GOP agenda.

"Restoring unity in our GOP conference was not solely about the person, it was about having a shared mission," Davidson said.

"Speaker Mike Johnson won on the first ballot with unanimous Republican consent, and I see this as empowering every member around our agenda," he continued.

Additionally, the election of Johnson a noted Christian conservative and former Republican Study Committee (RSC) chair to the speakership could also be seen as the zenith of the Tea Party Revolution.

Florida Rep. Scott Franklin, a Republican, told Fox News Digital its "not hard to see why Speaker Johnson was elected unanimously by the conference."

"If his record is any indication, hell bring people together to get things done without compromising principleand well always know where he stands," Franklin said.

"That inspires trust and respect within the conference, something the past three weeks has proven exceedingly difficult to do," the Florida congressman continued. "Hes exactly who we need to unite us and move forward."

Franklin added that with "a looming government funding deadline, a crisis on our southern border and the Middle East on the brink of an all-out war, its crucial the House gets back to work delivering on the promises we made to Americans."

Another House Republican lawmaker told Fox News Digital that Johnson's speakership creates "more of a member-driven house."

"It's refreshing," the lawmaker said.

"Speaker Johnson taking the gavel is the culmination of the GOPs shift that started with the Tea Party revolution 13 years ago," a House GOP aide told Fox News Digital.

"Leadership is catching up to the conference," the aide continued.

SPEAKER MIKE JOHNSON DEFENDS STANCE ON SOCIAL ISSUES: 'GO PICK UP A BIBLE, THAT'S MY WORLDVIEW'

The new speaker is inheriting a packed plate of issues he'll have to take up that includes funding the government, aid for Israel and Ukraine amid their wars, and combating rising antisemitism in America.

Additionally, Johnson will have to balance the interests of the conservative wing with those of the House GOP moderates amid a slim four-seat majority.

The Louisiana Republican's first bill as speaker was passing a House resolution in support of Israel in its war against the Palestinian terrorist organization Hamas.

The newly-minted speaker told Fox News in his first television interview since gaining the gavel that the U.S. stands firmly behind Israel. But at home, lawmakers and the Biden administration alike must find common ground and acknowledge "God is not done" with America yet, Johnson said.

Johnson told "Hannity" the House is primed to proffer a $14.5 billion support bill for Israel, slightly more than what the Louisiana Republican said Israel via the White House has asked for.

In terms of potential U.S. military involvement in Israel's fight for survival against Iran-backed Hamas, Johnson said he is hopeful to avert a boots-on-the-ground situation, but added that during a White House meeting Thursday he reminded President Biden's staff that they have limited ability to directly respond without congressional approval.

Johnson added that he has met previously with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and agreed that while Americans talk of "existential threats" stateside, Israel faces one or more daily.

Fox News Digital's Charles Creitz contributed reporting.

Original article source: Rise of the rank-and-file: How Johnson's speakership empowers non-leadership, conservative wing of GOP

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Rise of the rank-and-file: How Johnson's speakership empowers non-leadership, conservative wing of GOP - Yahoo News

There are angels among us. I met Casey Embler of Thomasville, a senior at Appalachian State University, as she was planning a tea party in loving memory of her brother, Logan Embler, who died last November.

All the money Casey raised through this fundraiser was given to Caring Services, a program that offers a holistic approach in recovery from addictions.

It was Caseys mother, Amy, who told me about her daughters tea party. I met Amy as she was the nurse for Dr. David Haimes, who attended with his wife before he retired last year. I was so saddened to hear of the loss of her and her husbands son, Logan. Would I come to the tea to celebrate his life? Of course. I have known Becky Yates, executive director of Caring Services, for many years and admire its work. Becky and several of her staff attended Logans tea party.

I cant believe Ive never been to an event at The Finch House in Thomasville before Casey Embler planned this tea! Amy proudly told me Casey planned the event herself, knocking on doors for sponsorships, cold-calling for silent auction items, doing anything she could in memory of her beloved brother.

Tea Service sponsors were MODINC and R&R Development. Tea Pot sponsors were LC Bailey Consulting, Crossover Roofing, Ilderton, Jeff and Brenda Carr and David and Bonnie Horney. There were also many Tea Cup and Teaspoon sponsors.

I was warmly greeted arriving at the Finch House. Floral dresses and fascinators were in abundance. Oops, I forgot my fascinator!

The large number attending this tea was a testament to the love for the Embler family. As we were seated in various rooms of the lovely house, the music of violinist Sierra Smith permeated the air. Casey spoke in each room. She spoke eloquently: I am the daughter of David and Embler. My brother was Logan. I would like to say a huge thank you to you all. Its really amazing what can be done with a little bit of courage, determination, and perseverance.

Casey continued: Logan is not here with us anymore, but I believe hes celebrating with us. For those who did not have the privilege of knowing Logan, he was a character. He was sarcastic, lighthearted, and free-spirited. In his brief but impactful time on this earth, he left many virtues I would like to share with you. The first is gratitude. Never take anything for granted. Life is short, sweet, and even sour at times but make it count. Hug the ones that you love. Never say goodbye without I love you, and if theres something that you want to achieve, do it. Theres no need to wait as you dont know what tomorrow will bring. Find good things any time you can, and always seek gratitude. Look for the light. The second is compassion. Each of us have a unique experience true to our own struggles. Show compassion towards others even in times of frustration and bitterness. You have no idea the battles someone is fighting. Learn to be open-minded. Try to understand what you dont understand. Love one another, and treat those around you with respect. Third is hope. Have optimism and trust. I like to say its finding the flowers and the weeds and trusting that more flowers will bloom. if good does not come try changing your perspective because maybe youre not finding the flowers within the weeds. I want you to use gratitude compassion and hope as you move forward today. I ask that you all find gratitude in today. Find compassion for those that dont meet your agenda. Look for hope. Your attendance today is going towards providing help to those facing substance abuse addiction. Logans tea party is a steppingstone to a greater good.

As patrons sipped tea and nibbled on scones and cucumber sandwiches, two young professionals now with young families rotated throughout the rooms to share their personal stories. Both had been clients of Caring Services. Both were friends of Logan. For this story they will remain anonymous

Ms. X is a lovely, well-spoken young woman. She told how she was an alcoholic, sober now since 2016, and through a court order was sent directly to Caring Services. With determination she kept moving forward. She stayed at one of the Caring Services homes for a year. She had nothing. Then she was able to get a job, a car with like 30% interest rate, she said. Caring Services taught me so much about life, how to manage my life. Today my life looks very different. I am married. I have a job. I have two beautiful children. Im grateful how something negative can turn into something beautiful. Logan was a very special person. Mr. X, who attended with his wife and has two young children, talked about Logan: He was a special guy, full of joy, laughter, and happiness. There was a never dull moment with Logan around. Ten years ago I was a participant Caring Services. I grew up in Georgia in a house with two loving parents. We were Southern Baptist, so there was no alcohol in our home. We attended church three days a week. I had a good childhood. I never saw myself drinking abusively or doing drugs, but when I was 16 my parents split up. I was angry at them, angry at the world.

One night he took his first shot of liquor. That led to smoking pot, pain pills, and then heroin. He said, School didnt matter. My family didnt matter. He moved with his dad to High Point. He thought his problems would be left behind. They werent. He found Caring Services. There he developed a relationship with God and with their incredible support reintegrated into society. He said donations to Caring Services change lives. His life was not only changed but saved.

Casey Embler raised over $15,000 for Caring Services. Casey Embler is an angel among us.

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Angel helps those in addiction recovery | Life | hpenews.com - High Point Enterprise

A peaceful end to the war in Ukraine. That was the wish behind a post that Simge Krger made on LinkedIn in March.

In response, people began posting their wishes that her husband, father and brother be killed in combat. Seeing that she lived in Germany, they called her a Nazi.

I was just talking about peace and Im suddenly a Nazi, Ms. Krger, a Turkish citizen who lives in Hamburg, said in an interview.

Weeks later, sitting in a workshop led by a pro-democracy organization, she came to understand what happened in that dizzying moment. The insults had nothing to do with her ethnic background or political leanings. The people targeting her comment were trying to whip up emotion and further polarize a world torn over issues like Russias war in Ukraine, gender identity and climate change.

The best way to resist, she was taught in the class, was not by trying to explain her position or defend herself, but by asking probing questions.

People who believe conspiracy theories usually just have one line of argumentation, but theres nothing behind it, she said. When you start carving into their iceberg, you quickly realize that it has no depth.

These lessons came from an eight-week program offered by her employer, Hays, a multinational recruitment firm with 3,500 employees in Germany. The company said the project dovetailed its own aim of strengthening democratic values and making their employees more resilient.

Across Germany, several hundred companies have taken part in such workshops, and similar classes are being held in other Western countries, including the United States. Businesses are finding they need to bolster their employees in the face of increasingly vitriolic political debate. Seminars on civics and democratic principles such as the importance of voting or recognizing the dangers of disinformation, conspiracy theories and hate speech have become a way to ensure healthier relationships at the workplace, and in society at large. In addition, reports show that economic growth is higher in stable democracies, and liberal border policies allow companies to attract skilled immigrants.

Since the initial offering that Ms. Krger took part in, Hays has trained more individual employees and incorporated elements of the workshops into its companywide mandatory training, said Mimoza Murseli, a project coordinator for diversity and inclusion at Hays.

Being schooled in how to recognize and respond to hate speech and misinformation has made employees more self-assured in doing their jobs, Ms. Murseli said.

We gained confidence in standing our ground.

Groups like the Business Council for Democracy and Weltoffenes Sachsen in Germany and Civic Alliance or the Leadership Now Project in the United States organize workshops like the one Ms. Krger took part in, provide research and webinars, and support civic education and get-out-the-vote efforts all of it nonpartisan. Most are nonprofit organizations, backed by independent foundations or a group of businesses that rely on their political independence as a selling point.

In Germany, the Network for Democracy and Courage has offered various workshops on civics and democracy to schools and young people for over two decades. But five years ago, it was approached by a group of businesses in the eastern state of Saxony, where far-right politicians have been attracting more followers.

A key principle of the workshops was that they be voluntary for employees, said Nina Gbur, the organizations project manager. They also have to be ideologically neutral, and not target any group or members of a given political party.

Its not like companies come to us and say, We have a section where three racists are sitting, Ms. Gbur said. That would be completely unrealistic.

Germany is far from reaching the levels of political polarization that have wracked the United States. But the arrival of more than 1 million immigrants in 2015 and 2016 has inflamed debate.

Over this time, a far-right party, the Alternative for Germany, or AfD, has disrupted the countrys political landscape with its embrace of nationalist, anti-immigration policies. Known for pushing boundaries and a more confrontational, aggressive style of politics, the AfD is gaining support; a recent poll showed more than one in five Germans supporting the party, up from 10 percent in the 2021 election.

Reflecting this shift, the tone in public discourse has become more raw. Kerstin Schultheiss, a managing director at the Leipziger Gruppe, noticed it in her company, which employs 5,000 people who provide public services in the city of Leipzig.

Several managers told her of increased tensions among employees as well as in their dealings with the public. Common flash points were the origins of the coronavirus pandemic, government mandates to conserve energy or Russias war in Ukraine. Employees were subject to harsh comments that went beyond a typical disagreement or a complaint, she said, especially those who deal with the public, like tram drivers.

There are simply people who think differently and express this difference in a way that is just not acceptable, Ms. Schultheiss said.

When she heard about the civics training offered by the Business Council for Democracy, she applied to participate.

We have to create a space where all employees feel comfortable and create a working environment in which they can function and work well, and in which they are not harassed by anyone because of their political views, Ms. Schultheiss said.

The training offerings vary. In Germany, media literacy has been a critical issue, while programs in the United States are frequently focused on teaching employees about how the government works and voting rights. But their basic premise is to empower employees to understand how their actions, both in and out of the workplace, affect the political climate and, ultimately, their own jobs.

At Nomos Glashtte, a maker of luxury watches based in Saxony, company leaders worry that if the AfD were to come to power, customers and potential employees could be repelled, threatening their business.

Democracy is the basis of our entrepreneurial activity, said Judith Borowski, managing director of Nomos, which offers its employees civics workshops. And if we no longer have democracy, then the basis for our entrepreneurial activities will also be very curtailed.

The idea behind the Business Council for Democracy workshops is to fill gaps in workers knowledge of the basic underpinnings of the democratic system, especially in a digital civic culture. The programs teach how to recognize and question conspiracy theories and disinformation, aiming to reinforce personal responsibility and resilience against polarizing content.

Debate is an essential part of the program and all workshops remain strictly confidential. What is said in the room, stays in the room, to foster a space where people can be open and vulnerable. Some are held in-person but most are online, which is easier for people who work shifts.

Sessions are run once a week for eight weeks, during working hours. A trained mediator brings up a topic to discuss. In the case of recognizing disinformation, the mediator might show examples of comments or images that have circulated on social media.

For example, during the pandemic in 2020, when government lockdowns prevented Germans from socializing and holiday festivities were canceled, a photograph started making the rounds showing several prominent politicians standing shoulder to shoulder, smiling and sharing mugs of hot mulled wine, with commentary expressing the idea that those making the rules were allowed to break them, while others were not.

After discussing the image, participants were shown how to check when it was taken. In the case of the merrymaking politicians, it turned out to be from 2019, the year before the pandemic.

For the training, we use very concrete examples to make it really clear what is happening, how they are being used, said Susann Planert, a personnel policy specialist at Leipziger who is trained to lead the workshops.

Another example she likes to use is taking an image of an article from one of the countrys major news outlets and running it through a digital tool that lets a user alter the wording in the headline. A screenshot of the new version with an altered outrageous or inflammatory headline can then quickly be posted on social media.

Such a technical gimmick can have a huge impact, she said. Every time I do this in a training session, it has an ah-ha effect because it makes obvious how easy it is to manipulate information.

The lack of civics understanding among employees has come to the attention of businesses in both Germany and the United States in recent years.

In Germany, the focus is particularly acute in the former East German regions, where democracy has only been around since Germany reunified in 1990. In the United States, surveys point to declining civics understanding among adults.Both situations translate to weaker social discourse and faith in public institutions.

Employers are realizing they are in a unique position to fill information gaps. According to the Pew Research Center, only 17 percent of Americans trust officials in power in Washington to do the right thing. But business is viewed as the one institution that is both ethical and competent, according the Edelman Trust Barometer.

Many younger people now expect their employers to champion civic causes, said Steven Levine, director of the Civic Alliance, a nonpartisan coalition in the United States of over 1,300 businesses including Microsoft, McDonalds, Target and Ecolab.

Companies have seen themselves in recent years as an important collective stabilizing force in helping ensure that the norms of democracy are upheld, Mr. Levine said.

Misinformation can rattle markets. In May, an image generated by artificial intelligence showing black smoke billowing near the Pentagon briefly sent stocks tumbling. But a big focus of employers in the United States has been turning out the vote. Mr. Levine cited companies like Patagonia that close stores and offices on Election Day to allow employees to vote and volunteer at polls, and the National Basketball Associations decision to have all 30 teams play the day before Election Day 2022, using the opportunity to encourage fans to vote, and not scheduling any games on the next day.

As next years presidential election approaches, companies are concerned about the potential for instability, said Daniella Ballou-Aares, chief executive of the Leadership Now Project, an organization of U.S. business leaders dedicated to promoting and protecting democracy.

She cited the legal battle between Disney and Floridas governor, Ron DeSantis, and the blowback Delta Air Lines faced from from customers over its response to legislation restricting voting in Georgia.

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Something similar happened to Nomos, the German watch maker. In 2018, an angry mob led by far-right politicians held a protest in a city not far the companys headquarters, chanting slogans against immigrants and chasing dark-skinned bystanders. News footage of the disturbance was seen by customers as far away as New York, who called the company to express alarm.

We had a feeling that politics like this could become a stark location disadvantage, said Ms. Borowski, the managing director. Fearing corrosive ideas could spread among its employees, the company began offering civics workshops.

As markets and policymakers struggle with wars in Europe and the Middle East, instability in one leading country is bound to reverberate across others, Ms. Ballou-Aares said.

If you see a disruption in democracy in a major economy, she said, its going to be a big deal.

More:
A New Place to Learn Civics: The Workplace - The New York Times

Young voters are the lifeblood of our democracy. Our ideas, energy and determination have the power to create transformative change if our voices are represented at the ballot box.

Pennsylvania, like the rest of our country, is facing a myriad of challenges that demand immediate attention and action. From climate change and health care to racial justice and economic equality, the decisions made by our elected officials will directly impact our lives and the future we envision. It is vital that the young people of Pennsylvania rise up and seize their opportunity to shape the direction of the state and country.

As we look ahead to the upcoming election, there is a specific, urgent reason why young voters should turn out in force: the Pennsylvania Supreme Court race. This race holds immense importance for the protection of womens reproductive rights, a fundamental aspect of personal freedom and gender equality. The decisions made by the state Supreme Court have far-reaching consequences, and we cannot afford to let these rights be eroded or diminished. Young voters must seize this opportunity to ensure that the state Supreme Court represents our values and safeguards abortion rights of all Pennsylvanians.

At NextGen America, the countrys largest youth vote organization, we have seen firsthand the incredible impact that young voters can have on elections. During the 2022 election cycle, we contacted over 2.1 million young eligible voters in Pennsylvania through in-person events, texts and calls representing nine out of 10 registered young voters in the state.

Our outreach was clearly reflected in overall turnout. Pennsylvanias young voters made a resounding statement last year, demonstrating the transformative power we possess when we unite in a common cause. Pennsylvania had one of the highest youth turnout rates in the country 32% with nearly a third of voters between the ages of 18-29 turning out to cast a ballot.

For young Pennsylvanians, this is a crucial moment in safeguarding the values we care about the most.

And in the U.S. Senate race, young people fought tirelessly to power Democrat John Fetterman to victory. Fetterman won by a slim 5% margin, and youth ages 18-29 preferred him 70% to 28%. It is clear that young Pennsylvanian voters are changing the states political landscape and electorate winning massive gains for progressives across Pennsylvania in both federal and state offices.

This substantial increase in youth voter participation showcases a growing awareness and engagement among young people, a trend that we must continue to build upon. Millennials and Gen Zers have demonstrated their dedication to justice, equality and progress through engagement and advocacy. Our energy and passion have driven historic turnouts at the polls, demonstrating our collective desire for a brighter future for our country.

However, our work is far from over. The upcoming election presents us with an opportunity to make a lasting impact by electing leaders who reflect our values and prioritize the issues that matter most to us.

The Supreme Court race is not an isolated event; it directly impacts the lives of every young person in the state. For young Pennsylvanians, this is a crucial moment in safeguarding the values we care about the most. By participating in this election, we have a unique opportunity to further shape the courts composition, ensuring it reflects our vision of a just and equitable society, protects womens reproductive rights and stands up for the issues that matter most to us.

This weeks voter registration deadline for the upcoming election is an important juncture for every young Pennsylvanian. It presents an opportunity to assert our power, not only as individuals but as a collective force that can tip the scales in favor of a more inclusive and progressive society. The decisions made by those elected will affect our lives and our futures, making this election more than just a duty it is a chance to create real change in Pennsylvania.

Our generation understands the power we possess, and we refuse to be silenced. We recognize the urgency of the challenges we face, and we are ready to rise to the occasion. But we can only achieve this if we all stand together, registered and committed to voting on Tuesday, Nov. 7.

Pennsylvanias youth: your future is in your hands. Our power lies in our numbers and our determination to see a better and more equitable country. Let us come together to reshape the narrative, influence policy and set the course for a Pennsylvania that reflects our collective values and aspirations.

The world is watching, and history beckons.

Cristina Tzintzn Ramirez is the president and executive director of NextGen America.

Continued here:
The Keystone to Democracy's Future in Pennsylvania - Democracy Docket