Women Taking A Stand for Change At State Youth and Government Conference

Frida Hernandez-Aguila,
Veterans Memorial High School

Many young women at the 2023 YMCA Texas State Youth and Government State Conference are making a stand for change in our world. With the second day of competition taking place at the Texas Capitol in Austin, all eyes are on the leaders of the future. Women around the competition are here to show their ideas to help make the world go round, starting with the government.

In every room, all around, there are young women here to show off their skills and powerful knowledge. There are young women who are here to participate in all of the categories. With this being Women’s History Month, it is important to highlight not only the women who are a part of where we are today but also the women who will be a part of the future. 

During women’s history month, we are reminded of those women who brought us to where we are now. It wasn’t until the 1890s that women were allowed to take part in the workforce. Then in 1917, Representative Jeannette Rankin of Montana became the first woman to serve in Congress. Now there are women all over the world showing that it is possible to be part of what was thought to be a “man’s” job.

Madeleine Albright was the first woman to be Secretary of State, and the highest-ranking woman ever in the United States Government. Kamala Harris became the first woman to serve as Vice President for the United States. Today, Catherine Masey, judge for LASA High School in Austin, embodies the qualities of a powerful young woman. Knowing what she is capable of, Masey takes the role of judge in the courtroom to help guide the lawyers and the jurors.

“I know you have to work twice as hard to be half as good as a man,” she says. “If you act like you know what you’re doing, no one should know otherwise.”  

Though it is still a male dominated field, Masey and many others like her have been able to overcome big and small obstacles. However, it is opportunities like these that allow these women to feel ‘strong’ and show that it is possible to become our leader of the future.