Policy

Serving as the President of the Young Democrats of UW

During my fourth year as a member, I was elected as the President of the Young Democrats of UW. It's been so exciting to help organize political advocacy on campus. The Young Democrats are purposefully designed as a "big tent" group where people from across the leftist political spectrum are all welcome. In this way, we can build a strong coalition. In addition to working with the campus chapter, I'm also a National delegate to the College Democrats of America and the Political Affairs Director for the state College Democrats.

Lobbying for behavioral health

After seeing the affects of Washington's behavioral health crisis on my loved ones, I decided that I needed to get involved in bettering the behavioral health care system.

I’ve found the most meaning in my long history of advocacy in the behavioral health field in my recent appointment to co-lead the Washington Health Care Authority’s Youth and Young Adult Continuum of Care Subgroup. The group develops policy recommendations that are sent to the legislature and to Governor Inslee addressing the unique behavioral health care needs of young people. This year, our group crafted several recommendations that are being written into law addressing the crisis of youth who are homeless due to mental health issues and improving access to life-saving mental health services. I also used this role to advance ideals of anti-racism and social justice in our policy creation process. Throughout my career, I hope to continue to use policy and the law to make change on other urgent issues, like the climate crisis.

A picture of me after finding out the first bill I worked on was passed.

Writing policy for better schools

During my first year at the UW, I joined the Washington Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction’s School Safety and Student Well-Being Youth Advisory Council. This group’s purpose is to advise the superintendent, school districts, and all Washington schools on matters relating to school safety and student well-being.

After my first year on the council, I was elected chair. As chair, I worked to recruit a large group of passionate young people and led the process of crafting policy. Several of our recommendations have been fully funded and implemented, including positions within the school system to help parents and youth navigate the daunting healthcare system.

Interning for Congresswoman Kim Schrier

The summer after my Junior year, I interned for Congresswoman Kim Schrier in Washington, D.C. It was so exciting to see the democratic process in action and to watch bills get passed--including the Inflation Reduction Act, the largest climate investment in a generation. Between the daily sightings of Congresspeople and coffee breaks at the secret Dunkin’ Donuts located underneath the Capitol complex (yes, that’s really a thing!), my internship was a whirlwind, to say the least. After the internship, I wrote this article for the UW College of Arts & Sciences.

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