On January 27, advocates of all ages, backgrounds, and professions, took to the General Assembly to advocate for policies and funding that centers young people and the people who care for them. Working toward a Virginia where young people are the agenda, Our Voices, Our Future: Intergenerational Advocacy Day focused on all the ways young people’s well-being should be prioritized on the ground and in the legislative process.  

Well-being is possible when we ensure our youth and families are financially secure, physically healthy, mentally well, supported by our systems, and provided for, so that all young people can learn, grow, play, and thrive regardless of race, socioeconomic status, or geography.  

Architects of Possibility: 

The day began with an amazing welcome from our CEO, Rachael Deane. Rachael grounded us in the “why” of the day. Advocacy and Engagement Manager, Sophia Booker, reviewed logistics of the day for advocates and ambassadors, and Director of Communications, Chiereme Fortune led a mindfulness exercise to set the tone for the day.  

Conversations erupted with excitement as groups prepared for their legislator visits. Ambassadors engaged with their groups as they went to the general assembly.  Advocates expressed excitement and nervousness as they entered legislative meetings. When each group entered their respective meetings, the magic of their voices transcended each office space.  

Legislators and aids had the privilege to listen to the stories of our advocates throughout the day, transforming data and text from our Voices one-pagers to real-life experiences as advocates connect their stories to our five policy campaigns: Early Care and Education, Health Equity, Economic Security, Child Welfare, and Mental Health. This experience was a common theme in our advocacy group. Many attendees shared how their confidence grew with each meeting and expressed that this was an experience they would never forget. After scheduled legislative meetings, groups transitioned to the Capital Bell Tower for the Intergenerational Advocacy Day Rally. 

Rallying for Well-Being: 

Groups were joined by Richmond Public School students and advocates at the Bell Tower to rally around making young people the agenda through powerful testimonies from Carissa Henry, mom and healthcare professional, and Bianca Myrick, Executive Director of Pretty Purposed, along with statements from youth and family legislative champion, Delegate Rodney Willett (D-58). Delegate Willett shared efforts by the legislature to continue to expand early care and education and improve behavioral health for young people. “We are making progress,” he shared. “Your platform is my platform – these are the right things to do for children and the right thing to do for the families.”  

Carissa Henry shared her experiences as a mother of a child struggling with their mental health from elementary school to now moving into high school. “Academic pressures, social pressures and the looming transition to high school have become too much [for her] to handle,” shared Carissa. “And her school, despite their best efforts, has not been able to provide the mental health supports that she needs. This experience has made it clear that schools need to adopt a holistic approach to mental health – one that prioritizes crisis intervention and prevention.”  

Carissa explained that despite her experience as a healthcare provider and nurse, she was still at a loss when navigating the system that did not prioritize the needs of her child. Despite these challenges, she continued to advocate for improved support and services for her child and other young people like her. “We can all work together to create a Virginia where children can thrive and where mental health is prioritized, and no family feels alone in their journey.”  

Bianca Myrick has been working with young people for over a decade as a former public school teacher and current executive director of Pretty Purposed, a nonprofit organization with the mission of inspiring communities to empower girls and young women through mentorship with a vision of a world where girls are never limited by their circumstance. “I see their potential – but I also see the barriers that threaten to dim their brightness” shared Bianca. “Today, we’re not just discussing policies. We’re talking about their lives, their dreams, and their futures.”  

Bianca grounded us in the interconnectedness of our priorities and the ecosystem that is required to holistically meet young people’s needs – “these challenges do not just exist in isolation, they compound. A teen struggling with their mental health cannot focus on their education. A family battling economic insecurity cannot prioritize preventative healthcare. Economic security is the bedrock to family stability. When a family can meet their basic needs, children can focus on learning, growing and dreaming.” 

Bianca highlighted that by listening to our children, investing in their holistic well-being, and supporting policies that see them not as problems to solve but as potential that’s waiting to be unleashed, we become not just advocates, but architects of possibility. 

We left the rally hopeful, inspired, and empowered by the fact that our advocacy, our storytelling, and our voices are weaving a tapestry of holistic well-being for our future.  

Our Collective Tapestry: 

As all our issues are intersecting, so now are our collective storylines. This advocacy day highlighted the need for coming together around intersecting issues and collective storylines that center our young people and their families. We are building momentum and as this work continues, we must prioritize rest, care, conservation of energy, and a continued commitment to centering hope and dreaming for a brighter future.  

So, we ask, how do we use this energy to move forward and stay engaged in making young people the agenda? What would YOU like to see from Voices to help keep the momentum going?  

Share your feedback here! 

We are always here to support, connect, and listen and we want to continue to grow in how we support you in your work, lives, and communities. We can dream together of a Virginia in which our young people can realize their brightest potential is no longer predictable by race, socioeconomic status, or geography.  

Let’s make young people the agenda

together!

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