Ice Fishing for Change: How AFP Is Empowering Young Leaders in Wisconsin
Dominic Ventura, the Grassroot Engagement Director for Americans for Prosperity-Wisconsin, was thrilled to go on his first deer hunting trip. He packed all he needed and looked forward to spending hours out in the woods with two of his friends, connecting with nature while following trails.
What he didn’t expect was that this hunting trip would be an opportunity to transform his two friends into dynamic, driven and effective changemakers.
One evening, the two young men opened up about their concerns with the direction of the state and its policies. Dominic, having been in the business of training and recruiting volunteers eager to get involved, knew he could help them channel their frustrations for the greater good.
Dominic Ventura Recruits Youth Activists in Wisconsin
On a dark, frigid morning in mid-November 2021, Dominic went deer hunting with his friend Hunter Childs. Hunter introduced Dominic to his friend Hunter Larson.
While politics wasn’t on their minds at first, after talking for a few minutes, it was obvious to Dominic that they genuinely cared about the future of the country but were disillusioned by the current state of the U.S. political system.
They felt the worsening economy and record-high inflation would prevent them from buying a house of their own one day, a sentiment familiar to millions of young Americans.
“People will tell you exactly what they’re passionate about. This is where we find the common ground that allows our communities to catch fire and begin moving grassroots mountains,” reflects Dominic about that day.
The conversation turned to issues impacting their town and state, to which Dominic shared with them how AFP and its grassroots activism is an effective tool to mobilize communities around important causes and drive meaningful change.
Hunter Childs and Larson were amazed to hear about an organization that equips citizens to be effective stewards of change, while amplifying their voice and connecting them with the right people. Not long after, both signed up to volunteer for AFP and for the first time felt they had an outlet to turn their concerns into actionable change.
AFP Helps Youth Activists Find Their Voice
Hunter Childs & Larson spent much of their time with Dominic, canvassing neighborhoods and knocking doors. As they continued to bring meaningful conversations to people’s doorsteps, their confidence grew and they couldn’t get enough.
New to grassroots activism but seasoned ice fishing enthusiasts, Hunter Larson and Childs came up with a simple but very effective idea to get their community more engaged with AFP: an ice fishing competition.
Over 100 people showed up to fish and talk about education freedom, health care reform, and lowering the cost of living, and several attendees even signed up to volunteer alongside AFP.
“Our responsibility as Engagement Directors is to drive our vision and empower each individual to do exactly that in their own way,” says Dominic.
This event was followed by many others, spreading the word and making activism accessible to all. Whether they were phone banking or gathering at popular spots in their community, AFP’s footprint across Wisconsin continued to grow and a network of young, motivated activists took hold.
Hunter Childs & Larson continue to volunteer with AFP while pursuing their individual careers. Hunter Larson is now a private contractor, and Hunter Childs still helps with photo and video at AFP-WI events and founded his own fish and game guide business called Farside Outdoors.
These young leaders are a reminder that positive change can start in unlikely places, and anyone can make a difference as long as they have the passion and the tools to make it happen.
