Spotlight On: Washington and Alaska Teen Lobby Days

Over the Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend, Planned Parenthood Teen Council members engaged with local activist, council members, heard from keynote speaker Jennifer Driver, Vice President  of Policy and Strategic Partnerships for the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States, completed youth-led activities on the importance of activism and advocacy, and last but not least, enjoyed some yummy meals and treats together. Many aspects of the event are chosen, planned, and facilitated by Teen Council members with the support of Planned Parenthood staff.

On Monday, teens stormed the state capitol to meet with senators and representatives from their legislative districts. These meetings are always led entirely by the teens, with adult facilitators taking notes.

After their meeting with the legislators, teens rallied on the capitol steps and listened to inspiring speeches from supportive state legislators as well as their Teen Council peers.

In Washington state, Teen Lobby Day always falls over Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend, Sunday through Monday, to coincide with schools being closed.

Kayla Potts, Community Outreach Educator with PPGNHI, illustrated: “This past Teen Lobby Day, Teen Council members lobbied about comprehensive and inclusive sex ed being mandatory in Washington state public schools. They also lobbied about the importance of replacing Title X funds in Washington so patients don’t lose access to affordable services.” 

Here are some quotes from Teen Council members about their experience at the most recent Washington Teen Lobby Day:

• “I loved the rally! I thought it was inspiring to see so many people fight for the same thing and it got me really energized.”
• “I loved how inclusive everything was. The food was great, everyone was kind, and it was fun!”
• “Speaking with my representatives and senators felt like I was making a tangible impact on their stances. It felt like I was giving them fuel to help pass the bills.”

Alaskan Teen Council Members to Help Pass New Mental Health Bill 

In Alaska, Teen Lobby Day fell on February 16 through 18 in Juneau.

Samantha McNelly, a PPGNHI Community Outreach Educator based in Anchorage, noted that one key feature of Alaska’s Teen Lobby Day is that it’s much more intimate and has many opportunities for one-on-one conversations, as Alaska’s legislature has a smaller number of legislators (20 senators and 40 house representatives, respectively).

“This year, we met with over 20 legislators about the importance of comprehensive sex ed in schools and availability of contraceptives,” said Alyson Currey, Alaska Legislative Liaison for Planned Parenthood Votes Northwest.

McNelly reports that Alaska Teen Council usually has about 20 teens participate, and this year over 30 teens and staff participated. 

“[There are] seven from Juneau and 14 from Anchorage,” she said.

McNelly stated that the Anchorage group flies to Juneau, because it’s actually not possible to drive between the two cities! She added, “For many teens who participate, the trip is their first experience with air travel.”

This year was especially exciting for Alaska’s Teen Council; two members have worked closely with Representative Matt Claman about requiring mental health education in schools. 

House Bill 181 had a hearing concurrent with the Teen Lobby Day, so the participants were able to go to that hearing. The two Teen Council members who were originally involved in advocating for the bill were present, as well as other Teen Council members they recruited to testify for the bill.

This is above and beyond the scope of what usually happens at a Teen Lobby Day, and is a shining example of the amazing accomplishments that Teen Council members are capable of, as well as their talent and drive.

Additionally, Teen Council presented on comprehensive sex education in front of the House Health and Social Services committee. Currey noted, "this has never happened before.”

Teens arrived in Juneau on the 16^th, had a full day of training on the 17^th (and in addition, attended the mental health bill hearing), participated in lobbying on the 18^th, and returned home that night.