By Naden Ramirez

W.B Ray

Alysa Liu, a member of the U.S. Olympic team, won the first individual gold medal in women’s figure skating since 2002, capturing hearts across the country. Although this wasn’t the only thing that caught people’s attention, her striking, striped hair distinguished her from the rest. As Alysa herself puts it, she “likes to think of herself as a tree,” where each new stripe represents her growth over the years.

At the YMCA Youth and Government 79th State Conference, all anyone can see is a sea of black coats and trousers, yet in that sea of black, you are able to notice one girl wearing an all-pink suit set. Her name is Simer Singh.

Singh is one of many promising delegates running for Texas Youth Governor. Her bright pink outfit reflects her warm and inviting personality. She demonstrates how those who aren’t afraid to express themselves visually, like Alysa, stand out the brightest. Her decision to wear this outfit is certainly an insightful one, as she expresses that “I love pink in general, it’s a really pretty color, so cute… But I wear pink for breast cancer awareness.” She further explains that “It is a very near and dear [topic] to me… The reason why I’m so involved with HOSA and the Red Cross… is because I want to go into medicine and become an oncologist to help women with breast cancer.”

Simer started her Youth and Government journey in 7th grade as a part of the State Affairs Forum section, expertly and confidently expressing her beliefs and meeting incredible people. Yet, she didn’t start this way as she explains, “So when I started Youth and Government in 7th grade, that was after quarantine… and I just became a very reserved person. I didn’t want to talk to anyone, and I became insecure of myself.” Through YG, Singh was able to branch out as it forced her to talk to new people, try and participate, and helped her become more confident in expressing her beliefs.

The experience of YG and the impact that it had on her life led her to run for Texas Youth Governor, stating that “I love this program and it’s made me who I am today… I just love it [and] want to make it better for everyone.”

Singh is running for governor on three main platforms. First, if she is elected, Singh seeks to strengthen the YMCA’s core values: honesty, care, respect, and responsibility. Second, she wishes to implement a buddy system, which pairs new delegates with seasoned ones in order to make sure everyone has the best experience possible. Third, she seeks to improve communication through the implementation of a year-round system, as the current platform isn’t the strongest, with the only form of communication being the Yapp App.

Singh, with her striking all-pink outfit, reflects the idea that those who stand out shine the brightest. Yet through her story, you realize that she didn’t get there alone. Her advice to students who want to join is “Join… I really have found a home here… [and] I encourage everyone to go.” The Youth and Government program really set her up for success, and regardless of how long you’ve been a part of the club or how many awards you’ve won, her story shows the impact it has on everyone’s lives. Alysa Liu used her hair to show her growth over the years, and Singh’s all-pink outfit is a reflection of Youth and Government’s impact and the growth she’s gone through over the years.