Frequently Asked Questions
About Lily
Who is Lily Oatis?
Lily Oatis is a Gen Z civic organizer, public speaker, and founder of Not Just Headlines, a North Carolina-based movement mobilizing young voters to engage in local politics. She speaks at campuses and events across the state, has interviewed 60+ political candidates, and creates nonpartisan content that makes local elections accessible for first-time voters.
What is Lily Oatis known for?
Lily Oatis is known for making local politics accessible to Gen Z through nonpartisan organizing and engaging public speaking. She's recognized for interviewing 60+ North Carolina candidates, mobilizing thousands of young voters, and building a movement that bridges the gap between young people and local democracy.
Is Lily Oatis a journalist?
Lily started as a civic journalist conducting candidate interviews, but has evolved into a civic organizer and public speaker. She studied journalism and uses those skills to create accessible content, but her focus now is movement building.
What does Lily Oatis do?
Lily mobilizes young voters across North Carolina through:
Public speaking at campuses and community events
Campus organizing and voter registration drives
Creating educational content about local politics
Building a statewide movement making democracy accessible for Gen Z
Training student leaders to organize on their campuses
About Not Just Headlines
What is Not Just Headlines?
Not Just Headlines is a nonpartisan civic engagement movement that mobilizes young North Carolinians to participate in local politics through campus organizing, voter education, and community building. What started as candidate interviews in 2024 has evolved into a statewide effort to make local democracy accessible and relevant for Gen Z.
Who is Not Just Headlines for?
Not Just Headlines is for first-time voters who want to understand local politics without extra confusion. Whether you're voting for the first time or just trying to figure out what's going on in your city, we break it down clearly. If you've ever skipped a name on your ballot because you didn't know who they were, this is for you.
How is NJH different from other organizations?
Not Just Headlines is nonpartisan and Gen Z-focused. We give you the tools to make your own informed decisions. We focus specifically on down-ballot races (city council, school board, district attorney) that most organizations ignore, and we make it accessible through peer-to-peer organizing rather than top-down messaging.
Is Lily Oatis the founder?
Yes. Lily Oatis founded Not Just Headlines in 2024 after struggling to find information about local candidates as a first-time voter. What started as interviewing every candidate on her ballot evolved into a full civic engagement movement focused on organizing, speaking, and building community around local politics.
How did Lily Oatis start NJH?
Lily started Not Just Headlines after staring at her 2024 ballot and realizing she only recognized two names. Frustrated by how inaccessible local politics was, she began interviewing every candidate she could find, eventually reaching 60+ candidates. She realized young people needed more than information. They needed community and organizing. So NJH evolved into a full movement.
How can I get involved with Not Just Headlines?
There are several ways to get involved:
Join our monthly newsletter
Follow us on Instagram @notjustheadlinesmedia
Volunteer at voter registration drives and events
Bring NJH to your campus for organizing or speaking
Start conversations about local politics with your friends
Visit the Get Involved page on the Not Just Headlines website to learn more.