Yearly Archives: 2018

We’re proud to share that these 25 students were chosen to represent Texas YG at the YMCA Youth Conference on National Affairs (CONA) this summer! We can’t wait to see what they accomplish at the Blue Ridge Assembly.

CONA will take place the first week of July.  Look out for coverage through our blog and social media!  To learn more about CONA, visit our CONA page.

Advocacy and political activity are in the air this week with the wrap up of Texas primary elections.  Texas Youth and Government is proud to share details about how students Athena Bruess (Dallas) and Maria Daniela Noonan (Austin) are currently bringing their own passions for advocacy and civic engagement to the nation’s Capitol!  The Texas Youth and Government program selected these National Advocacy Days Youth Advocates from a competitive pool of applicants.

Each year, Youth and Government programs across the country send Youth Advocates to participate in Y-USA’s National Advocacy Days.  Y representatives and Youth Advocates meet with legislators and other decision makers to discuss Y-USA’s policy priorities.  Y-USA grounds these priorities in the Y’s focus areas: youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility.  This year, Athena and Maria Daniela are helping Y-USA advocate for quality out-of-school-time programs funded by 21st Century Community Learning Center allocations and the Child Protection Improvements Act.  This legislation grants organizations that serve children access to FBI fingerprint background checks as part of their comprehensive volunteer and employee screening process.  Our Youth Advocates are also standing up for $1.28 billion in funding for the CDC’s Chronic Disease Control and Prevention program and tax reforms to facilitate charitable giving to nonprofits strengthening American communities like the YMCA.

Through their National Advocacy Days experience, Athena and Maria Daniela are gaining exposure to the national policymaking process, Y-USA advocacy efforts, and public policy career tracks.  They have met with Rep. Pete Olson (Texas’ 22nd congressional district) and Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (Texas’ 18th congressional district).  They have also connected with Y staff including David Lopez with the YMCA of Greater Houston and the Texas State Alliance of YMCAs and Cesar Silva, Chief Financial Officer of the YMCA of Greater Houston.  When not in meetings with legislators or Y staff, they have a chance to visit the Smithsonian, participate in round tables and workshops, and take tours of the Capitol.  We’re so glad to support these students and to have the opportunity to show off Texas YG’s work on a national stage!

By Chloe Opelt

Although State Affairs and Legislative seem similar to some delegates, they are “actually quite different,” according to Claudia Huffman, a State Affairs delegate. State Affairs and Legislative delegates have weighed in on this topic, providing their opinions and knowledge of their duties at the YAG State Conference.

The similarities between the State Affairs and Legislative sections “mostly revolve around the debates,” according to Huffman.

“There are a lot of people that are very passionate about what they believe in and they like to debate as much as they can to get their voice out there,” she said. However, “they’re pretty much separate things,” she said.

Huffman mentioned “partners, a visual example, and pro-con debate speeches.” State Affairs proposals also pertain only to the state of Texas, while legislative bills concern all states, not just Texas. “State Affairs is a little more calm compared to legislative; sometimes [legislative students are] like lions at your throat,” said Huffman. “State Affairs can get like that too, not as often as Legislative though,” she said.

Wathila Ekanayake, a Legislative delegate, explained that Legislative and State Affairs are similar in that they “debate bills, make amendments, argue the pros and cons, and pass it based on the arguments made.”

“I feel like in legislative, when people are defending their ideas, they get really passionate and start to yell into the microphone,” said Ekanayake when asked about the severity of tones and volumes in the legislative sessions.

While the core processes of State Affairs and Legislative are similar, “they are very different things,” according to Huffman. “We have different ways of getting stuff done,” said Huffman as she expanded on her previous sentence. Huffman finished by stating that “they’re two separate groups for a reason.”

By Skylar Sigala

As the last day of the Youth and Government competition comes to an end, one of the last bills being looked over by the Hyde Senate was penned by Taylor Ellis, and concerned protecting victims of sexual assault. It requires college campuses to offer victims of sexual assault rape test kits. These kits include standard sexual assault tests such as for DNA and will be conducted by a nurse. The bill received a favorable recommendation.

During the session Ellis explained how her bill would change college campuses. “One out of five girls are victims of sexual assault. Imagine that…We all know five girls, five women, five college students,” Ellis said when delivering her opening statement about her bill.

Ellis went on to describe sexual assault as “an epidemic,” and said, “It affects everyone … Reform for sexual assault on campus is reform for everyone.”

Her bill would require rape kits to be administered by nurses, who must inform the victim when their test is analyzed. Ellis also referenced various incidents when victims of sexual assault were college students, such as a recent incident at the University of Texas as Austin.

“The statistics of the bill are iffy,” said Georgia Cheng, a fellow senator, speaking in opposition to the bill. “What’s the point if many rape kits get tossed out or discarded after being collected?”

Emma LeBlanc spoke in support of the bill. “This bill is a step forward in the right direction. This is what we need to help victims [of sexual assault] feel safe,” she said.

“It’s very interesting to hear the different points people see on how this subject could be handled,” said Julianna Castillo, a clerk in the Hyde Senate. “She brought up an important matter about how girls in college often are unable to speak up about the incidents, and I believe that  this bill will help improve the lives of girls in college by knowing that there is a support system that this bill will provide.”

By  Cidney Enriquez

Tina wakes up sweating in the middle of the night because of the thought of her being raped again. She immediately jumps out of bed and runs to check to make sure the door is locked. She then goes and checks the shower, the closet, and under the bed. Tina lives in fear of her rapist after he got out of prison, she is reminded every day as she is forced to pass by her attacker’s apartment. Her attacker lives in the same apartment complex as her.

In Texas today a sex offender is allowed to live 500 feet away from the victim – that’s the vicinity Texas has given perpetrators. Texas laws state that a rapist or sex offender in certain cities can’t live less than 2,000 feet away from a playground, school or church with a daycare center. In Oklahoma the perpetrator can live right next to their victim.

Maverick Gurisko, Sam Houston High School student from San Antonio has taken up this problem with an act to lower the distance between a sex offender and their victim for his Youth and Government legislative bill.  “I chose this bill because I saw a story about a woman named Danylle and she had been sexually assaulted fourteen years ago. Her rapist lived right next to her; he wanted to stop that from ever happening to anyone,” said Maverick.

During the discussion of the bill, one student brought up that she didn’t realize how much this bill could change the vicinity of where the sex offender could live. Another point a student brought up is that Texas has very small counties; if they made a bigger vicinity, sex offenders whose eventually have to leave their small towns. Maverick also said, “I wanted to enforce the bill that would establish a better distance between the victim and perpetrator.”

The bill passed unanimously. “I believe this bill is necessary, I did not know that an offender could live so close,” Renee Soria said. This bill is one that had a lot of people talking and really realizing how close they could live to someone who had hurt them in the past. Many students said they would like this bill to be passed in the real state legislature.

By Christina van Waasbergen

The Farabee Senate passed a bill requiring a background check for all gun purchases in the state of Texas. The bill now moves on to the Farabee House.

Rachel Browning, a junior from Christian Life Preparatory School, spoke in favor of this bill. She believes that it will help to maintain safety without violating people’s rights.

“[This bill] is not setting any strict limits that people in this box can’t get guns but people in this box can.” Browning said. “It’s just encouraging caution, and it allows for exceptions with people in unique situations.”

Bethany Bass, a senior from Garland High School, argued against this bill. She believes that preventing people with mental illness from buying guns is ableist.  

“Mental illness can range from schizophrenia to postpartum depression.” Bass said in her speech to the Senate. “Should a mother not be able to buy a gun to protect her children?”