Youth Mayor Address
Youth and Government has been a big part of my life for over two years, it has been with me during ups and downs, and has remained a constant reminder of community, and hope. I have gained so much from my time in the program, and I hope to carry on that tradition. To do so, I plan to implement various new projects, and develop already-existing ones. I have broken this down into 4 main goals:
#1 is to transition YAG back into in-person events. As we have spent the last two years virtual, it is vital that we are able to create safe, in-person events throughout the year. Because COVID is so unpredictable, safety will be the number one priority, but my goal is to connect our community in ways that recently, we have not been able to.
Building off of that, my #2 goal is to ensure the future of this program through recruitment. I plan to continue campaigns that are already in progress, and create new ways for various student communities to be involved. Through this, I also plan to increase social media presence, and make communication more accessible for everyone in the program.
Goal #3 is to build community service into our political discourse. Being a part of DC, there are so many political-based opportunities including, but not limited to, campaign, voter registration, and poll-worker volunteering. This will not only allow us to be more connected to our greater community, but it will help us grow the pillars of what makes Youth and Government so amazing.
Lastly, I plan to create an entirely new program, which will consist of an election-style event, where YAG members will be able to follow local elections, debate with their delegations, and even hold a city-wide “mock vote” event. This program will not only be held at a delegation level, but a district one as well. This will encourage delegates to debate their ideas, and ultimately be able to have their voice heard.