Student Free Speech Group Revived at UVA

This past week, the Young Americans for Freedom (YAF) chapter at the University of Virginia was officially reestablished. YAF at UVA has had a storied history, ultimately culminating in 2022 when the chapter hosted former Vice President Mike Pence and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, earning them the National YAF Chapter of the Year award.

Since then, the chapter has gone dormant. However, the current political tensions that have been brought by the student protests over the War in Palestine, woke cancel culture, and the high stakes presidential election have led to numerous students seeking to revive YAF at UVA.

Fourth-year government major Tyler Lucas will serve as chairman of the Young Americans for Freedom chapter for the remainder of the 2024-25 academic year. Lucas, who has worked several summers on Capitol Hill, sees YAF as an essential component for guarding free speech on Grounds, promoting conservative values, and protecting Jefferson’s legacy at his University.

“Unfortunately, because of the lack of conservative organizations on Grounds,” says Lucas, “students often feel outnumbered. Lots of professors are pushing woke ideology in the classroom, and a large majority of students are liberals who wholeheartedly agree with their teachers and castigate anyone who disagrees with them.”

Lucas mentions that “what makes things worse is that over the last couple of years, there has been little effort from student organizations to host conservative speakers on Grounds. There have hardly been any conservative political advocacy efforts, while in the meantime those on the Left have been very active, most notably with their Palestine encampment back in May. YAF intends to fill this void by being a new voice for freedom on Grounds.”

Over the course of the academic year, Tyler and the YAF executive board will support The Jefferson Council in their continual efforts to champion intellectual diversity at the University of Virginia.

“The Jefferson Council had an excellent relationship with YAF a couple years ago and was instrumental in bringing distinguished speakers like Mike Pence to the Grounds,” says TJC president emeritus Tom Neale. “We have since had many other prominent speakers such as George Will, Douglas Murray, and Heather Mac Donald, but without YAF’s assistance. We were instrumental in helping Tyler revive the YAF chapter and look forward to working with them and other student groups to schedule future conservative speakers ensuring diverse viewpoints are offered at the University.”

“One of the main goals for our executive board this year is to recruit lower classmen to take over for us when we graduate so that YAF remains strong for years to come,” says fourth-year YAF board member Simon Goldstein. “You don’t have to be a politics major to get involved,” Goldstein mentions. “Any student at UVA, regardless of your major or background who believes in promoting free speech and protecting Jefferson’s legacy can make a difference.”

YAF also plans on hosting regular meetings and engaging in political advocacy efforts on Grounds, such as continuing its annual 9/11 memorial ceremony, supporting pro-life initiatives, and defending Jewish students from the rise of anti-semitism.

For those who are interested in joining YAF, please reach out to chairman Tyler Lucas.