Alex Koroknay-Palicz
Encyclopedia
Alex Koroknay-Palicz is an American activist in Washington, D.C.
He is currently the executive director
of the National Youth Rights Association
.
and grew up in Holland, Michigan
. By high school, he began to articulate that inequality in terms of ageism
and wrote articles for his school newspaper on the subject. Senior year at Holland High School, Koroknay-Palicz discovered several local businesses with policies limiting the number of students allowed inside at any one time. Recognizing these policies as ageism, he decided to do something about it. After much research he learned these policies were illegal under Michigan's Elliot-Larsen Civil Rights Act. Koroknay-Palicz demanded the city to enforce this law at a speech before a Holland city council meeting. The matter was referred to Al Serrano in the city's Human Rights Department, who succeeded in overturning the policies at all the stores in question.
In 1999 Koroknay-Palicz began attending American University
in Washington, D.C.
. After three years he left to begin his youth rights career. He quickly became involved in the youth rights movement, and has worked as the executive director of the National Youth Rights Association
since 2000. Koroknay-Palicz has become a major figure in all aspects of the youth rights movement and has made fighting ageism
his chief purpose. Koroknay-Palicz serves on the board of advisors for the Freechild Project
, and is currently working on a Youth Rights book with Adam Fletcher
. His writing appears in several publications and websites. In 2006 Koroknay-Palicz joined the Board of Directors of CAFETY.
and Fox News
Koroknay-Palicz has been quoted several nationally-recognized publications on a variety of topics related to youth rights. They include the subject of student rights
in the Christian Science Monitor; youth suffrage
in the Boston Globe and the Los Angeles Times
; the legal drinking age
in The New York Times
; internet censorship
in the Chicago Tribune
; curfew
s in the Jackson Free Press
, and; the minimum driving age
in USA Today
and the Associated Press
. He has also been cited in international publications such as The Guardian
.
He has also been cited on the topics of ageism
in the Olympics, graduated driver licensing
, civics education public schools, the Bong Hits 4 Jesus
trial, youth criminalization, and several other issues.
He has also been noted for his opposition to the drinking age limit policies of Mothers Against Drunk Driving
who want to keep it at age 21.
Koroknay-Palicz and Robert Epstein
co-founded the First Annual National Youth Rights Day which occurred on April 14, 2010 Epstein wrote The Young Person's Bill of Rights for this event.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
He is currently the executive director
Executive director
Executive director is a term sometimes applied to the chief executive officer or managing director of an organization, company, or corporation. It is widely used in North American non-profit organizations, though in recent decades many U.S. nonprofits have adopted the title "President/CEO"...
of the National Youth Rights Association
National Youth Rights Association
The National Youth Rights Association is the largest youth-led civil rights organization in the United States promoting youth rights, with approximately ten thousand members...
.
Biography
Koroknay-Palicz was born in Kalamazoo, MichiganKalamazoo, Michigan
The area on which the modern city stands was once home to Native Americans of the Hopewell culture, who migrated into the area sometime before the first millennium. Evidence of their early residency remains in the form of a small mound in downtown's Bronson Park. The Hopewell civilization began to...
and grew up in Holland, Michigan
Holland, Michigan
Holland is a city in the western region of the Lower Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated near the eastern shore of Lake Michigan on Lake Macatawa, which is fed by the Macatawa River ....
. By high school, he began to articulate that inequality in terms of ageism
Ageism
Ageism, also called age discrimination is stereotyping of and discrimination against individuals or groups because of their age. It is a set of beliefs, attitudes, norms, and values used to justify age based prejudice, discrimination, and subordination...
and wrote articles for his school newspaper on the subject. Senior year at Holland High School, Koroknay-Palicz discovered several local businesses with policies limiting the number of students allowed inside at any one time. Recognizing these policies as ageism, he decided to do something about it. After much research he learned these policies were illegal under Michigan's Elliot-Larsen Civil Rights Act. Koroknay-Palicz demanded the city to enforce this law at a speech before a Holland city council meeting. The matter was referred to Al Serrano in the city's Human Rights Department, who succeeded in overturning the policies at all the stores in question.
In 1999 Koroknay-Palicz began attending American University
American University
American University is a private, Methodist, liberal arts, and research university in Washington, D.C. The university was chartered by an Act of Congress on December 5, 1892 as "The American University", which was approved by President Benjamin Harrison on February 24, 1893...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
. After three years he left to begin his youth rights career. He quickly became involved in the youth rights movement, and has worked as the executive director of the National Youth Rights Association
National Youth Rights Association
The National Youth Rights Association is the largest youth-led civil rights organization in the United States promoting youth rights, with approximately ten thousand members...
since 2000. Koroknay-Palicz has become a major figure in all aspects of the youth rights movement and has made fighting ageism
Ageism
Ageism, also called age discrimination is stereotyping of and discrimination against individuals or groups because of their age. It is a set of beliefs, attitudes, norms, and values used to justify age based prejudice, discrimination, and subordination...
his chief purpose. Koroknay-Palicz serves on the board of advisors for the Freechild Project
Freechild Project
The Freechild Project is a nonprofit organization focused on creating connections between adults and young people through programs, technical assistance, publications, training, and curriculum. Adam Fletcher is the director, and the project is located in Olympia, Washington...
, and is currently working on a Youth Rights book with Adam Fletcher
Adam Fletcher (activist)
Adam Fletcher is a leading advocate, author, motivational speaker, and educator focused on youth voice and student engagement, recognized for founding The Freechild Project. His work centers on youth studies, critical thinking and the development of democratic society, and has been acknowledged as...
. His writing appears in several publications and websites. In 2006 Koroknay-Palicz joined the Board of Directors of CAFETY.
Publicity
As spokesman for the National Youth Rights Association, Koroknay-Palicz first major media citation dates to 2001 when Slate.com interviewed him. Since then he has appeared on several television and radio networks, including two appearances on CNNCNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
and Fox News
Koroknay-Palicz has been quoted several nationally-recognized publications on a variety of topics related to youth rights. They include the subject of student rights
Student rights
Student rights are those rights which protect students, here meaning those persons attending schools, universities and other educational institutions...
in the Christian Science Monitor; youth suffrage
Youth suffrage
Youth suffrage, or children's suffrage, is the right to vote for young people and forms part of the broader youth rights movement. Until recently Iran had a voting age of 15; Austria, Brazil, Cuba and Nicaragua have a voting age of 16; and Indonesia, East Timor, Sudan, and Seychelles have a voting...
in the Boston Globe and the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
; the legal drinking age
Legal drinking age
Laws about the legal drinking age cover a wide range of issues and behaviours, addressing when and where alcohol can be consumed. The minimum age alcohol can be legally consumed can be different to the age when it can be purchased. These laws vary among different countries and many laws have...
in The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
; internet censorship
Internet censorship
Internet censorship is the control or suppression of the publishing of, or access to information on the Internet. It may be carried out by governments or by private organizations either at the behest of government or on their own initiative...
in the Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
; curfew
Curfew
A curfew is an order specifying a time after which certain regulations apply. Examples:# An order by a government for certain persons to return home daily before a certain time...
s in the Jackson Free Press
Jackson Free Press
The Jackson Free Press, referred to often as simply "JFP", is an alternative weekly newspaper in Jackson, Mississippi founded in 2002 by Mississippi native Donna Ladd, author and technology expert Todd Stauffer and a group of young Jacksonians wanting a progressive voice in the state...
, and; the minimum driving age
Driving
Driving is the controlled operation and movement of a land vehicle, such as a car, truck or bus.Although direct operation of a bicycle and a mounted animal are commonly referred to as riding, such operators are legally considered drivers and are required to obey the rules of the road...
in USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
and the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
. He has also been cited in international publications such as The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
.
He has also been cited on the topics of ageism
Ageism
Ageism, also called age discrimination is stereotyping of and discrimination against individuals or groups because of their age. It is a set of beliefs, attitudes, norms, and values used to justify age based prejudice, discrimination, and subordination...
in the Olympics, graduated driver licensing
Graduated driver licensing
Graduated driver licensing systems are designed to provide new drivers of motor vehicles with driving experience and skills gradually over time in low-risk environments. There are typically three steps or stages through which new drivers pass...
, civics education public schools, the Bong Hits 4 Jesus
Bong Hits 4 Jesus
Morse v. Frederick, 551 U.S. 393 was a school speech case in which the United States Supreme Court held that the First Amendment does not prevent educators from suppressing student speech, at a school-supervised event, that is reasonably viewed as promoting illegal drug use.In 2002, high...
trial, youth criminalization, and several other issues.
He has also been noted for his opposition to the drinking age limit policies of Mothers Against Drunk Driving
Mothers Against Drunk Driving
Mothers Against Drunk Driving is a non-profit organization in the United States that seeks to stop drunk driving, support those affected by drunk driving, prevent underage drinking, and overall push for stricter alcohol policy...
who want to keep it at age 21.
Koroknay-Palicz and Robert Epstein
Robert Epstein
Robert Epstein Ph.D. is an American psychologist, researcher, writer, and media professional whose primary contributions have been in the areas of creativity, artificial intelligence, peace, adolescence, and interpersonal relationships...
co-founded the First Annual National Youth Rights Day which occurred on April 14, 2010 Epstein wrote The Young Person's Bill of Rights for this event.
External links
- One and Four Alex Koroknay-Palicz's blog
- National Youth Rights Association website