Passing the Youth and Government Reins

By DEVEN RADFAR | Contributing Writer

In the past six years, we have watched our Palisades Youth and Government delegation grow into a program that impacts our community in a meaningful way.

Just this past year, Y&G made significant strides toward making the Palisades community a civically engaged hub of youth activism, fighting for issues we are passionate about across the political spectrum.

The time has come for the reins to be passed within the delegation of 165, as the outgoing leadership welcomed the new Officer Cabinet, which started their term on April 4. The 2019-20 delegation will be welcoming their new 12-member officer team, led by President-Elect Willow Saxon.

“Youth and Government has taught me the importance of not only tolerating, but truly listening to people with opinions different than your own,” President-Elect Saxon said. “I hope to reinforce this same experience for our expanding delegation, and can’t wait to see what next year holds for us.”

Youth and Government is now one of the largest teen programs in Pacific Palisades and has successfully empowered the youth of our community to speak up for the issues about which they are passionate.

“The accomplishments of the delegation this year have allowed the Palisades Delegation to make a name for itself, on a statewide level,” explained former Vice President Michael Shemian.

Our delegation is now the second largest delegation in the state of California, with an impressive 165 delegates. But the size of the notable delegation does not even begin to explain the accomplishments they have achieved.

Each year, Youth and Government delegations send a variety of bills to Sacramento to be debated in the two Legislative Houses, with the hopes that the Youth Governor will sign their bill.

A typical delegation will have one bill signed. It is not uncommon to have no bills signed.

However, the Palisades Delegation left Sacramento with an impressive four bills signed by 71st Youth Governor and Southern California native Scott Nagatoshi.

Bill 1101, sponsored by Charlotte Osterman and Noah Rhodes-Gorman, was enacted to include eating disorder treatments to state Medi-Cal benefits. Bill 2115, sponsored by Henry Andrews and Leila Tehrani, was passed to eliminate the use of oxybenzone in sunscreen products.

Bill 3215, sponsored by Yael Berukhim and Sophie Levy, enacted an authorization system in stores to distribute receipts after a purchase, only upon request.

“Working with these bill sponsors to craft their well-conceived and engaging bills was a privilege. I cannot express how proud I am of the achievements of this delegation in Sacramento,” Former Delegation Parliamentarian Kian Farahdel said.

Farahdel was one of the many delegates from the Palisades that served in a statewide elected position. Forty Palisades delegates campaigned to 4,000 delegates from all parts of California for various statewide positions, from National Issues Commission Presiding Commissioner to Legislative Committee Chair, and 29 were appointed and elected to their respective positions. This represents one of the highest success rates in the statewide program.

Nicholette Khoubian, one of the four seniors that have been in the program for all four years of high school explained, “Youth and Government has absolutely changed my high school experience. Without this program, I would not have the confidence to speak up not only on issues I am passionate about, but contribute to conversations in class and discussions with my peers.”

This goal of empowering the youth of the Palisades community will persist in the years to come, especially with the 2019-20 Cabinet.

Vice President Elect Aaron BenCohen said, “With the delegation growing consistently every year, I am excited to see how the debates in our delegation continue to spark the activist passion that every student has in them.”

Our Palisades Delegation will continue to grow and create the outstanding accomplishments that they achieved this year. We wish the best of luck to the future Officer Cabinet, as the reins are being passed from one generation to the next.

Deven Radfar is the Outgoing Youth & Government Delegation President, 2018-2019 delegation. If you are interested in joining Youth and Government, contact Palisades YMCA’s Teen Director Ali Sheaffer at alisheaffer@ymcala.org.