Youth Voices Count

Since childhood, I’ve believed that life isn’t just about personal success—it’s about helping others. That belief led me to the CAYC Spring Conference, where I found new ways to make a difference in my community. On April 19, 2025, I attended the California Association of Youth Commissions (CAYC) Spring Conference in Burlingame, CA, a one-day event dedicated to empowering young leaders in civic engagement. CAYC supports youth commissions statewide, helping them advocate for policies and shape their communities. The conference featured insightful discussions, interactive workshops, and meaningful connections, all focused on strengthening youth involvement in policy making. 

The most impactful part of the day was meeting other youth commissioners from all over California. It was amazing to see how diverse our experiences were —everyone looked different, had different economic standings, and I could see by the conversations I had with people, many people had different political views as well. Despite this, we were all united by a shared goal: to make a difference in our communities. 

Throughout the day, we participated in sessions that tackled important and timely issues. One session focused on youth mental health, another on the importance of vaccines, and third on opioid awareness. Experts like Dr. Abdul El-Sayed and Dr. Erica Pan shared their perspectives, helping us better understand the challenges youth face today, such as screen time, or addictions, and how we can be part of the solution. Another session featured California Attorney General Rob Bonta, who spoke about justice and equity in our state. Hearing from someone in such a high leadership role made me feel seen and valued as a young person involved in civic engagement.

One of the most memorable takeaways for me was learning about the FightFentanyl initiative. It’s a youth-led movement that focuses on the dangers of Fentanyl and how to raise awareness around it. I hadn’t realized how serious and widespread the opioid crisis is, especially for people my age. It made me think about what I can do locally to help inform and protect my community.  I have started to become more watchful for signs of drug use in those around me, and if I think someone has been using drugs, I will work with my Youth Council to help them.

I also learned about a concept called deliberative democracy—something I hadn’t heard much about before—from Stanford Professor James Fishkin. He showed how modern political parties are more like sports teams—no one even knows their own political parties policies! Deliberative Democracy is about making decisions through thoughtful, inclusive conversations instead of rushing to conclusions based on stereotypes or past beliefs. 

Even though the conference lasted only a day, it had a significant impact on how I view my role in local government and youth advocacy. I now see that young people can drive change, and I plan to become more active in youth government. The CAYC conference reinforced the idea that progress happens when people unite, support one another, and strive for a better future.