VOTING EXPERIENCES:
YOUNG ADULT PERSPECTIVES

Thursday, March 19, 2026
Hobbs Hall, Kent

WELCOME
Sherry Rose, LWV Kent President

PANEL PRESENTATION
Craig Berger, MS, Moderator
Associate Director, Civic and Community Engagement
Center for Student Involvement, Kent State University

PANELISTS

 Jayla J. Allen received her MA in African American Studies from Columbia University and BA in Political Science from Prairie View A&M University. She is currently a JD candidate at Southern law, with plans of practicing civil rights law in the South. Allen currently  serves as Marshall-Motley Scholar. Her research and work include voting rights, mass incarceration and restorative justice. Throughout her undergraduate tenure, Jayla entered into the world of advocacy and organizing once joining alongside the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund as a student plaintiff in Allen v. Waller, a federal voting-rights lawsuit challenging discriminatory and improper voting practices against Black student voters. She has since served in a multitude of capacities including overseeing college, youth and community programs, partnering with various organizations, and leading efforts to champion rights and amplifying voices. She will be joining the program virtually.

Zora Brown is a second-year Neuroscience Premed student at Kent State University from Akron, OH. She is Vice President of the KSU chapter of the NAACP. 

Lee Gast is a senior political science and international studies double major focusing on public policy and conflict dynamics. They have been doing voter registration and driving people to the polls since they were in high school. Lee worked for the Fair Elections Center in 2024 doing voter registration on Kent State University’s main campus. Then in Fall of 2025 Lee interned with the amazing team at the League of Women Voters of Ohio. In their free time, they can be found having discussions at their local coffee shop, taking a long walk or reading literary fiction.  

Za’Nya Henderson is a junior at Kent State University. Her major is Integrated Language Arts which guides her into licensure to teach grades 7-12 Language Arts. She is the recipient of the Portage County NAACP full tuition award, as well as Portage County 2023 Youth Initiative award winner. Za’Nya currently serves as President of Kent State's NAACP Youth College Chapter.

Rick Skains is a second-year Economics major, with a minor in political science, studying at Kent State University. He currently serves as the Director of Governmental Affairs for the Undergraduate Student Government, the chair of the Kent State Votes Coalition, and a resident assistant for the university. In these roles, he works to bring more students to the civic table by asking hard questions, facilitating conversations, and helping his peers to see themselves not only as voters, but as essential voices in our community.

The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization encouraging the informed and active participation of citizens in government through education and advocacy and does not support or oppose political candidates or parties.  

• The Kent League is committed to the core values of diversity, equity and inclusion.
• We continue to grow a diverse organization that considers and values all perspectives expressed when making decisions.
• We are focused on voter registration, voter education, voting protection and advocacy.
• We are an organization of women and men. Membership is open to persons 16 years and older.

INTERESTED IN MEMBERSHIP?

Visit this page on our website at kentlwv.org to learn more about our organization and access the membership portal link. You can also use this QR code to link directly to the membership form.

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Email: lwvkent [at] gmail.com
Website: kentlwv.org
Phone: 330-271-6188 

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