Ethan Cohen BIO:
Ethan Cohen is a youth advocate, author, and social entrepreneur dedicated to empowering the next generation to lead with purpose. He is the founder of YOUth Can Do It!, a service-learning initiative with a book of the same name that has inspired thousands of children to discover their ability to create meaningful change through volunteerism, community action and hands-on engagement.
Beyond his work in youth empowerment, Ethan has made a historic impact in public policy. He drafted and led the bipartisan passage of Senate Bill 179 in the Nevada Legislature, landmark civil rights legislation that codified the IHRA definition of antisemitism into state law. This established a national precedent, making Nevada the first state with a Democratic-led legislature to adopt this standard. In doing so, Ethan proved the power of youth-led advocacy in shaping meaningful policy-driven results.
Ethan’s work also spans Holocaust and genocide education; the National Holocaust Youth Council, which he founded, has reached thousands of students. His leadership has been recognized at the national, state, and local levels, including a partnership with the Nevada Department of Education, which adopted his for-youth-by-youth Holocaust education curriculum for statewide implementation.
Ethan’s broader work also spans civic engagement and public service. He was selected as one of 19 teens nationwide to serve on Snapchat’s Council for Digital Well-Being to advise Snapchat on how to create better online spaces for kids, and was named a Carnegie Young Leader for Civic Preparedness. He also serves on the City of Las Vegas Youth Leadership Advisory Council, and has previously served as Vice Chair of the Nevada Youth Legislature.
For all of his work, Ethan has been awarded selections to the prestigious United States Senate Youth Program and the selective Notre Dame Leadership Seminars; has been named one of 100 Coolidge Senators from across the country; and is a two-time recipient of the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Academic Excellence Award.
Through both his work and his advocacy, Ethan is driven by a singular belief: that young people are not just the leaders of tomorrow, but the changemakers of today.