Nineteen candidates. Two levels of government. And nothing less than every single seat in the Virginia General Assembly. All of this hangs in the balance for our upcoming November 7th election.

Even though it doesn’t have the hype of a presidential election, this year’s state and local elections matter just as much. Whoever voters elect this year will help make decisions on a bunch of issues that impact young people right here, right now, in Virginia–things like school curriculum, gun safety, trans student policies, and a bunch of other stuff. So if you have opinions on any of these things (and we know you do), well... as Troy Bolton says in the beloved High School Musical, it's time to get your head in the game.

In this special mini-episode of The Amp, your host Vale Kerns will tell you everything you need to know to vote in the 2023 elections.

Important links:

• Get over to vote.arlingtonva.gov to find your polling location and a sample ballot
• Check out the Arlington League of Women Voters' elections guide
• If you search for your zip code on ballotopedia.org, you can read up on all of the candidates you'll be choosing from

Special thanks in this episode to Gabriel Cohen, Cody Finnegan, Timothy Scanlon, Byron Schwind, and Nikolai Bauman.

Music in this episode's from Blue Dot Sessions and Gabriel Cohen. Music supervision, editing, additional writing and post production by Gabriel Cohen.

This podcast is brought to you by Arlington Independent Media's Youth Journalism Initiative. To join us or to support our local reporting work here in Arlington VA, visit our website.

In this very special behind-the-scenes episode, interns from AIM's summer audio intensive reflect on their reporting experience and tell the story of how a new podcast was born.

To watch our host Nadyah's video about internet conflict (and a bunch of other great video work from Arlington Amp producers), check out this playlist.

If you like what you heard this season, please help us get the word out! Tell a friend, then rate and review this podcast right here in your podcast app (especially if it's Apple or Spotify). This is massively helpful in getting new people to find our show.

If you've scrolled down this far, you clearly must be wondering how you can "money bomb" us. Thank you so much! You can donate to support our local reporting work right here.

Very special thanks to Linda Lawson, Ashton Roberts, Javier Martinez, and Michelle Nowden for our awesome AV setup.

Music in this episode: Kid Kodi from Blue Dot Sessions

This podcast is brought to you by Arlington Independent Media's Youth Journalism Initiative. To join us or to support our local reporting work here in Arlington VA, visit our website.

Crime and conflict are inevitable in any society, but how we respond to them can make a huge difference. In this episode of the Arlington AMP podcast, join host Harsidak Singh,as he talks to Devanshi Patel, the CEO of the Center for Youth and Family Advocacy (CYFA). CYFA is a non-profit organization that uses restorative justice practices to address crime and conflict in Arlington. Devanshi explains what restorative justice is, what benefits it offers, and what challenges it faces in Arlington. She also shares some of the programs and initiatives that CYFA runs, such as the PEER Program and the Youth Peer Court, which involve young people as facilitators, participants, and decision-makers in the restorative process. Tune in and let's rethink justice together!

This podcast is brought to you by Arlington Independent Media's Youth Journalism Initiative. To join us or to support our local reporting work here in Arlington VA, visit our website.

Right now, Langston Boulevard (formerly Lee Highway) is one of the most car-centric corridors in Arlington. In most places, it's ugly, dangerous, and scary. But a group of residents from 17 different civic associations along the boulevard decided they wanted to change this. Today, the current draft plan for “Plan Langston Boulevard” includes more density, affordable housing, visually-appealing storefronts, bike lanes, and pedestrian spaces. But with so many different voices in the conversation—and perhaps a few voices noticeably missing—who gets to have a say in what the future boulevard will look like?

To learn more...

• Check out Langston Boulevard Alliance ​
• Subscribe to get email updates about Plan Langston Boulevard from Arlington County
• Help improve your own neighborhood through the county's Engage Arlington program

Music in this episode: Highride by Radio Pink, from Blue Dot Sessions

This podcast is brought to you by Arlington Independent Media's Youth Journalism Initiative. To join us or to support our local reporting work here in Arlington VA, visit our website.

Teens from Arlington can tackle issues in their community that matter to them by getting involved with the local government. In this episode, our host Maddie Hawkins speaks with Graham Weinschenk from the Arlington County Board office. We’ll learn about his path into Arlington’s government—a journey that began when he was in high school—and explore some specific routes for teens to get in the mix locally. Graham also shares some great advice gleaned from his own experiences. After all, it’s never too early to get involved!

Check out some of the committees and other pathways Graham mentioned by visiting the links below:
APS Student Advisory Board
Teen Network Board
Community Services Board
Arlington Addiction Recovery Initiative
Out of School Time Council
Parks and Recreation Committee and Internships/Volunteering
Arlington County Resources for Teens

This podcast is brought to you by Arlington Independent Media's Youth Journalism Initiative. To join us or to support our local reporting work here in Arlington VA, visit our website.

Can art go beyond just expressing emotions? Host Harsidak Singh dives into a candid conversation with local artist Michelle Smith about the unique role of art in processing grief. In this episode, they explore how creativity became Michelle's personal outlet for healing and introspection after a tragic loss.

Michelle's installation, called Absence: Grief , was displayed at Mason Exhibitions as a part of the exhibit "Edges of What I Feel." You can find more of Michelle's art on her website or Instagram.

Photo credit: Liz Louise
Music: FasterFasterBrighter, from Blue Dot Sessions

This podcast is brought to you by Arlington Independent Media's Youth Journalism Initiative. To join us or to support our local reporting work here in Arlington VA, visit our website.

What are native plants? Why do they matter? And how could the world be better if we had more of them around? Our host Shoshan Ferguson takes us on a journey to the native plant nursery Watermark Woods, to meet with owner Julie Borneman. Their wide-ranging conversation covers everything from how to acquire plants if you're a broke high school student, to the effects of pesticides on local pollinator populations.

Watermark Woods is located in Hampton, VA. Here's a great resource page on how to get involved with native plants here in Arlington County. For inspiration, check out The Nature Conservancy's Arlington Native Plant Garden. Long Branch Nature Center hosts a Native Plant Sale twice a year (including one on September 24th, 2023)! And here's that list of Northern VA sanctuary species from the Audubon at Home program (gotta catch 'em all! ...er, we mean, document them all).

Bonus content from Shoshan: A philosophical treatise on the moral status of animals
Music in this episode: Stale Case, from Blue Dot Sessions

This podcast is brought to you by Arlington Independent Media's Youth Journalism Initiative. To join us or to support our local reporting work here in Arlington VA, visit our website.