From advocating for global education on Capitol Hill to leading grasstops advocacy efforts across the country, former GCE-US Youth Advocacy Leader and Fellow Taylor Rogers has built a career centered on empowering communities to create change. Now serving as the Grasstops Advocacy Director at Outdoor Alliance, Taylor reflects on how her experience with GCE-US shaped her career and offers advice for the next generation of youth advocates.
Can you introduce yourself and tell us what you’re doing now?
Hello, my name is Taylor Rogers. I was a GCE-US Youth Advocacy Leader for a couple of years and later became a part-time fellow while I was in graduate school. I had such a wonderful experience with GCE-US, and it continues to influence the work I do today.
Now I’m the Grasstops Advocacy Director at Outdoor Alliance, where I lead the Grasstops Collective. There are many similarities between that program and GCE-US’s Youth Advocacy Program, so I’ve been able to draw on many of the lessons and experiences I gained through GCE-US. When I saw the job description, it immediately reminded me of the work I had done with GCE-US, and I knew it was the perfect opportunity for me.
What first inspired you to become involved with GCE-US?
It was very early in my career. After graduating from college, I spent a year teaching in Malaysia before returning to the United States to intern with Global Citizen, where I worked on education advocacy. I quickly realized that education was an issue I cared deeply about.
My supervisor shared the GCE-US application with me, and I saw it as an opportunity to learn more about advocacy while connecting with other young people who shared the same passion.
One of my favorite memories is traveling to Washington, D.C., for advocacy training before meeting with members of Congress. I still remember sitting in my senator’s office trying to remember all the funding requests and acronyms. Looking back, it’s incredible to see how much I learned through that experience and how much confidence it gave me.
How has your experience with GCE-US influenced your career?
GCE-US gave me a strong foundation for understanding how advocacy works and where advocates fit into the policymaking process.
More importantly, it gave me confidence. I realized advocacy isn’t about knowing every policy detail—it’s about building relationships, communicating effectively, and helping communities have a voice in decisions that affect them.
I also remember what it felt like to be a first-time advocate walking into congressional offices. That perspective has stayed with me, and I use it every time I train new advocates today.
Taylor with former Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) in 2018
Do you see connections between the education advocacy you did with GCE-US and the work you do now?
Absolutely. While the policy issues are different, the core skills are the same. Advocacy is about building relationships, organizing communities, and communicating with policymakers.
One thing that has stayed with me is how powerful youth voices are. People are genuinely excited when young people participate because it shows that the next generation cares about these issues. GCE-US understands that and gives young people meaningful opportunities to engage directly with decision-makers.
What does a typical day in your current role look like?
Every day is different. I lead a six-month advocacy training program that prepares community leaders to build relationships with members of Congress and advocate for public lands and outdoor recreation.
Some days I’m developing training materials or leading workshops. Other days I’m working with advocates across the country, helping them connect with their elected officials or mobilizing them around important legislation.
Even though the issue area is different, I often find myself relying on the same advocacy principles I first learned through GCE-US: building trusted relationships, equipping advocates with knowledge, and helping communities make their voices heard.
What does meaningful advocacy mean to you?
Meaningful advocacy is about making sure communities have a genuine voice in policymaking.
You can have excellent policy ideas, but without people supporting them and helping move them forward, those ideas don’t become reality. Advocacy is about making sure communities are included not only in the outcomes of policy, but also in the process of creating it.
What advice would you give current GCE-US Youth Advocates?
The biggest thing I’d want current GCE-US Youth Advocates to know is that your voice matters.
One experience that reinforced this for me was attending the World Assembly in Nepal, where I helped establish the first Youth Caucus. The organizers intentionally created space for young people to lead discussions and ensured our recommendations became part of the broader conversations. Looking back, I realized our voices truly were valued.
That experience reminded me of what GCE-US does so well. The Youth Advocacy Program equips young people with the knowledge, confidence, and opportunities to engage directly with decision-makers.
It’s normal to feel intimidated or worry that you don’t know every policy detail. You don’t have to be an expert to make a meaningful contribution. Your lived experiences, your passion for education, and your willingness to speak up are exactly what make youth advocacy so powerful. Trust that your voice belongs in these spaces, because it does.
