Last night, I told members of the Ventura County Young Democrats something I believe deeply: we cannot keep saying “students first” while building every plan in rooms where no students are present.
What I Do Not Pretend to Know
I am a millennial. I understand the world through that lens, and I am not going to pretend it gives me all the answers about what Gen Z, or the students coming behind them, need.
That is why I chose a high school senior to serve as my campaign manager. Not as a mascot or a symbolic “youth voice.” I wanted someone with real responsibility and influence who could challenge my assumptions, help me bridge the generational gap, and make this campaign better.
Meeting People Where They Are
If you have followed me here, you have already seen another part of that commitment. I am constantly adjusting how I use Instagram: testing new formats, refining graphics, rethinking captions, and finding better ways to bring public education and local government into a space younger people actually use.
It is not about chasing trends. It is about recognizing that even the best ideas cannot create change if we communicate them in ways that never reach the people most affected.
That Mindset Belongs on the Board
That same mindset belongs on the school board. A trustee cannot claim to keep students at the center while making decisions without meaningful collaboration with the teens and children living those decisions every day. Student input must come before the decision, not after the adults have already finished making it.
This endorsement means so much because it reflects a shared belief in listening, inclusion, and leadership that makes genuine room for the next generation.
Thank you, Ventura County Young Democrats, for your trust and endorsement. I am honored to stand with you, and excited to build with you.