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The New Guard

Join Jasmyn and Connor in Carrying the Torch of Freedom on Your Campus

By

Charlie Jones, Program Officer for Chapter Services

November 8, 2023

Today, Young Americans for Freedom (YAF) activists Jasmyn Jordan and Connor Ogrydziak testified at the U.S. House Judiciary Committee’s “Free Speech on College Campuses” hearing.

University of Iowa junior Jasmyn Jordan is currently in her second year as chair of the Iowa YAF chapter. Since joining Iowa YAF, Jordan has hosted leading conservative speakers, including Lt. Col. Allen West, Matt Walsh, and Chloe Cole.

During the lead-up to these events, she and her fellow YAF members have endured backlash from the Left, including doxing, stalking, threats, vandalism, and harassment. They have also had crumpled posters, water, and dirty underwear dumped on their YAF recruitment tables.

Despite this, Jordan and Iowa YAF have stood strong and continued advancing freedom at UI. They received the YAF Chapter of the Year this past school year for their efforts.

Connor Ogrydziak is a recent graduate of the University at Buffalo (UB), where he served as the chairman of the YAF chapter. During his time with UB YAF, Connor hosted lectures featuring Dinesh D’Souza, Lt. Col. Allen West, and Michael Knowles. Despite strong protests from the university and local communities, Connor was never deterred and stood firm in his beliefs.

Jasmyn and Connor are just a few of the thousands of YAFers nationwide who stand up for individual freedom, free enterprise, a strong national defense, and traditional American values on their high school and college campuses.

These ideas were laid out in YAF’s founding document, “The Sharon Statement,” which was written in September 1960 at the home of William F. Buckley Jr. by a group of young conservatives.

From Buckley, Barry Goldwater, and Ronald Reagan to modern-day freedom fighters on campus, YAF has constantly been on the front lines advocating for Conservatism. YAFers have pushed back against their schools and won numerous legal battles fighting for the free speech rights of their fellow students.

Today, YAF chapters participate in national activism initiatives, including the 9/11: Never Forget Project, Freedom Week, and the Pro-Life Timeline, as well as developing original activism initiatives. In light of the atrocities committed by Hamas last month, YAFers have been standing with Israel this fall, constructing flag displays to raise awareness of the over 200 hostages still being held by Hamas and organizing pro-Israel speeches on their campuses.

YAF chapters are also organizing some of the largest events on campuses this semester, including:

  • Chloe Cole at the University of Iowa
  • Matt Walsh at the University of Kentucky
  • Ben Shapiro at the University of Florida
  • Enes Kanter Freedom at the Catholic University of America
  • Yeonmi Park at Franciscan University
  • Abby Roth at Stetson University
  • Ian Haworth at the University at Buffalo
  • Col. Allen West at Dallas Baptist University
  • Seth Dillon at Gettysburg College
  • Col. West at the University of Wisconsin-Stout
  • Ben Shapiro at the University of Wisconsin-Madison

You, too, can get involved with YAF

  • Active students ages 13+ can join YAF’s free Individual Membership Program and receive a YAF t-shirt and individualized membership card.
  • Start or join a YAF chapter at your school to bring the conservative Movement to your campus.
  • Attend one of YAF’s life-changing conferences.
  • Host the conservative speaker your campus deserves.
  • Non-students can support YAF’s programs and help us reach an increasing number of young people nationwide.

Conservative students across the country face a simple choice: Will you pick up the torch of freedom, or will you let Leftists continue to dominate the narrative at your school?

Dear Reader,

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