Emerging Leader Kayleen Burnett and Senator Keiser at Lobby Day
As members of the United Way Emerging Leaders Task Force, we were asked to represent the next generation of philanthropists at Lobby Day in Olympia. At first, we were skeptical. Would any real progress come from our efforts? Would anyone pay attention to our opinions? Over the course of the day and following weeks, we discovered that we could make our voices heard.
We not only spoke with 24 legislators, but we also had two members testify in support of items from United Way’s legislative agenda. The first was House Bill 1302 (and its companion Senate Bill 5405), which would extend foster care up to 21 years of age for all foster youth. Foster youth currently age out of the system at 18, with the exception of youth in school. Being close to that age ourselves, we know how critical it is to have support during the transition to adulthood. The second hearing was on HB 1369, which would allow kindergarten teachers to use the first days of school to connect with the families of incoming kindergarteners. With this opportunity, teachers and parents can ensure a successful transition to the K-12 system.
Propelled by our momentum, we continued to advocate after Lobby Day. Nearly 50 Emerging Leaders signed a petition in support of extended foster care, which was sent to both the House and Senate. Our voices, along with many other groups’ voices, were heard: both extended foster care bills are moving to conference and then to the governor to sign.
What we have found, and what we should have realized all along, is that young people have the power to impact our communities. It is estimated that by 2014, nearly half of the world’s workforce will be under the age of 40. With numbers that great, our voices can’t be ignored. It is up to us to start the conversation. It is up to us to take action. Every voice counts and every voice deserves to be heard.
Kayleen Burnett, Liz Jaquette, and Tony Spinrad
