It shouldn’t come as a surprise that SFL’s two most recent Students of the Year can see the Washington Monument and the U.S. Congress from their windows. Those are inspiring visuals for aspiring leaders, after all.
What might come as a surprise is that it’s the same window.
Ethan Yang from Los Angeles and Jack Nicastro from Brooklyn both discovered Students for Liberty, became best friends and leaders for liberty, are the two most recent recipients of SFL’s most prestigious award … and are now roommates.
Ethan, a recent law school graduate, works as a Legal Associate at the Cato Institute, collaborating with the nation’s top legal scholars to submit amicus briefs in high-impact lawsuits to protect constitutional freedoms. Jack, a recent college graduate, is an Assistant Editor at Reason Magazine, where he produces content and reporting designed to move public opinion in a pro-liberty direction.
As roommates, competitors (more on that below) and friends, they team up to host events that unite pro-liberty professionals in the Washington, D.C. area and to help SFL students acquire skills and expand their networks.
But their vision goes beyond that: Simply put, Jack and Ethan want to make it fun to be a libertarian in D.C.; they are constantly pushing each other to strive for more and bigger things and collaborating on projects that would not be possible without the other.
Because, as they both said, separately and unprompted: “Changing the world is a lot more fun when you’re doing it with friends.”
It’s a lesson they learned from experience: Neither of these two young men saw themselves at the forefront of the intellectual fight for liberty — much less having fun doing it.
The pair met during Jack’s gap-year internship at the American Institute for Economic Research (AIER) while Ethan was working there on a fellowship. Their friendship was forged in the crucible of the COVID-19 Pandemic and the lockdown policies that AIER fiercely opposed. They bonded over brainstorming sessions to draft op-eds and arguments against the draconian public health regimes that gripped the country.
Learn more about Ethan’s fight against Covid-era legislation: Ethan Yang: Uncovering Truth and Fighting for Freedom
Near the end of Jack’s internship, Ethan recommended that he join SFL as a local coordinator, where he could tap into a larger network of students and partner organizations with a shared mission of expanding individual liberty.
To Jack, libertarianism had been just a philosophy, divorced from on-the-ground reality. Ethan could relate; he had once thought the same thing. They both believed that personal and economic freedom were morally right, but, practically speaking, what could you do besides be angry at the world?
A lot, as it turns out! Learn more about what Jack is doing here: Jack Nicastro: Proving the Power of the Pen
But SFL showed them each that there was an exciting, pro-liberty world — a world of law firms, publications, journalism, university centers, and entrepreneurship — that could channel their energy into action. They could even travel the world, make friends, and grow as human beings in the process. Most importantly, SFL helped them stay in touch as they went on their separate paths.
After Jack’s stint at AIER, he returned to New Hampshire to finish his degree, and Ethan began law school just outside of D.C. The two would often text about ways to improve SFL’s Northeast Region, which Jack, as Ethan’s successor, oversaw. They would also periodically reunite at conferences like LibertyCon International, the Freer Future Fest, and North American Top Leadership Retreats.
Their connection deepened just as Jack and Ethan were about to retire from SFL.
Florian Windberger, Director of North American Programs, made a proposal that would optimize their talents: Would they each be willing to spearhead new professional development programs, within the new House System, that sought to identify and train promising students in specific career fields?
Ethan took on a policy role with House Bastiat, and Jack an editorial and media program with House Hazlitt.
And so, Jack and Ethan, Ethan and Jack, heretofore and ever after joined at the hip, were off to the races again, in friendly competition to see who could create the most — and most engaging — opportunities for younger students. For Ethan, it was the Bastiat Happy Hour series in D.C., and for Jack, it was LockeSmith Magazine.
Fast forward to February 2024: The two friends were together again at LibertyCon in D.C. That night, Ethan climbed the stage to receive the Student of the Year award. “That’s what I want for next year,” Jack thought.
It was no easy task in an organization that boasts thousands of impressive leaders worldwide, some of whom risk their lives to fight oppressive regimes. Even when Jack was one of three students nominated for the award, it was no foregone conclusion; look at how impressive the other nominees were!
But sure enough, in February 2025, Jack climbed those same stairs to receive that same award, presented to him by John Mackey, co-founder and former CEO of Whole Foods Market and SFL Board Member.
And so, once more, Ethan’s and Jack’s lives and accomplishments overlapped — through their shared ambition, their desire to compete, and most importantly, their love for liberty and friendship with each other.
Are you a student interested in getting involved in pro-liberty activism? By applying to join Students For Liberty’s Local Coordinator Program, you can be supported in promoting the ideas of liberty while also developing your skills and meeting many like-minded students from across the world. Click on the button below to find out more and get involved!
This piece solely expresses the opinion of the author and not necessarily the organization as a whole. Students For Liberty is committed to facilitating a broad dialogue for liberty, representing a variety of opinions.
