Jesuit high school students visited lawmakers at their offices on Advocacy Day.
Late last month, 36 Jesuit high school students from throughout the state visited lawmakers at their offices during their participation in Jesuit Advocacy Day.
“The students all had a fabulous experience and are very excited to be more involved in advocacy,” said Jesuits West Provincial Assistant for Justice & Ecology Organizing Director Annie Fox, who organized the event. “I think it was such an empowering experience for them.”
Students spent nearly 90 minutes with Senator Steve Bradford, who also introduced them to several other officials, including Senator María Elena Durazo, who is also a parishioner at the Jesuit parish in Boyle Heights Dolores Mission.
The students were also able to speak with Assemblymember Phil Ting, chair of the Assembly Appropriations Committee, about passing a $150 million budget line item for tenant legal aid.
“We were quite happy that a student from San Francisco was able to speak to Assemblymember Ting, who is chair of the Assembly Appropriations Committee, about passing a $150 million budget line item for tenant legal aid,” Fox said. “[Ting] will have a big voice on whether or not the fund is created.”
The participating students attend Jesuit high schools throughout the state, including Verbum Dei High School and Loyola High School in Los Angeles; Bishop O’Dowd High School in Oakland; Jesuit High School in Sacramento; St Ignatius College Preparatory in San Francisco; and Bellarmine College Preparatory in San Jose.