Pima, Tucson Youth Fellows take advocacy to the Arizona State Capitol

Apr 26, 2024

Leveraging insights from their annual Teen Town Hall, Youth Fellows engaged state leaders, including Governor Katie Hobbs, on mental health, substance abuse, and college access among other topics

Fifteen Youth Advisory Council members being introduced by Rocque Perez, Executive Director of the MEC, to Governor Katie Hobbs and Southern Arizona Director Marisol Flores-Aguirre in the executive tower of the Arizona State Capitol.

This spring, the Metropolitan Education Commission (MEC) – a joint body between the City of Tucson and Pima County dedicated to advancing the welfare of learners and educators through advocacy, programming and services – successfully hosted its 29th Annual Teen Town Hall at Pima Community College, Downtown Campus. This event engaged local high school students in discussion on urgent societal issues determined by members of the MEC’s Youth Advisory Council.

Facilitated by the Youth Advisory Council and the Center for Community Mediation and Facilitation, the event saw participation from 65 students across 10 high schools in four school districts. Students tackled urgent topics such as mental health, substance abuse, education inequity, climate justice, civic engagement, and college access through dialogue circles.

Key findings from the Teen Town Hall included:

A significant lack of accessible mental health resources within schools, prompting an interest in dedicated support spaces, integrating mental health education into curricula, and increasing the availability of on-campus counselors.
Inadequate education on substance abuse leading to uninformed choices among youth, prompting an interest in comprehensive drug prevention programs in school curricula and community outreach initiatives.
Persistent disparities in access to educational resources negatively affect learning outcomes, prompting an interest in systemic reforms to ensure equitable distribution of resources and opportunities across all schools and districts.
Low youth involvement in civic processes and decision-making, prompting an interest in lowering the voting age, making Election Day a national holiday, and enhancing civic education in schools to foster informed and engaged young citizens.
Climate change disproportionately impacts marginalized communities without adequate education or action plans, prompting an interest to implement climate education programs, support clean energy transitions, and initiate community-led actions.

Leveraging these insights, members of the Youth Advisory Council engaged state leaders at the Arizona State Capitol, including an introduction to Governor Katie Hobbs and more in-depth discussions with House Representative Mariana Sandoval (LD-23) and Robbie Sherwood, Communications Director for the House Democrats. These discussions allowed students to directly advocate for policy considerations and legislative solutions.

“The visit to the Capitol was an experience I will take with me moving forward. We spoke with individuals who truly valued our thoughts and opinions on community issues, and engaged people once in the same shoes as us. It was incredibly empowering and something everyone should have the opportunity to do,” said Aralin Cajas, a high school student and member of the Youth Advisory Council.

"The Teen Town Hall not only empowers young people to articulate their challenges and ideas but also provides them with a platform to influence real change," said Rocque Perez, Executive Director of the Metropolitan Education Commission. "Our students’ advocacy at the state capitol, informed by their peers, is a testament to the power of their voices and the potential of youth-led advocacy in shaping a better future for all."