Youth Lead the Way in Olympia

On March 5th, hundreds of students and volunteers gathered at the Washington State Capitol to speak directly with their legislators about systemic change during Youth Lobby Day. 

Children’s Campaign Fund Action partnered with Washington Youth Alliance and other organizations for youth engagement with various Washington State senators and representatives. It was meticulously planned within the legislative session, allowing students to see their feedback and priorities be implemented in the upcoming votes. 

As a chaperone, I witnessed firsthand the passion and fearlessness that young people possess, specifically surrounding youth mental health and gun violence prevention. Accompanying three students who were present during the 2022 Ingraham High School Shooting, I was amazed at their motivation and bravery, coming prepared with a detailed agenda to discuss with their assigned representative regarding mental health, safe storage, permit-to-purchase, and more. The teenagers I chaperoned wanted to be sure that youth mental health was a clear priority on Representative David Hackney’s (LD 11) mind regarding HB 1432, which looked to improve access to mental health care and treatment. The three spoke unwaveringly in their experience witnessing the Ingraham tragedy and criticized how students’ mental health was cared for in the aftermath. 

A month after students met with representatives across the state, HB 1432 passed both chambers with widespread bipartisan support, a measure that will save lives. 

After experiencing Youth Lobby Day 2025, I walked away proud and with hope in my mind. If these teenagers can still persevere and take action even after facing a life-altering tragedy, there is nothing stopping the rest of us from continuing to fight for what we believe in.