Youth activists are never in short supply on top of Beacon Hill. From advocating on climate change to gun reform, young adults and teens have filled the State House time and time again to meet with and lobby legislators.
Another contingent of youth advocates rallied around Boston Common's Parkman Bandstand Thursday, marched through downtown Boston, and entered the State House in an effort to lobby legislators on various issues affecting them. Items at the forefront of the rally and visit ranged from increasing funding for YouthWorks and School-to-Career Connecting Activities to pushing legislation that would limit the number of firearms a person can purchase within a 30-day period.
The Boston-based I Have a Future youth organization planned the advocacy event during school vacation week, a time when most lawmakers are out of their offices in the capitol building. The group pulled people from all across the state, including Springfield, Worcester, and Boston.
For those who gathered Thursday, no one topic stood alone as a youth issue. However, Chaima Hossaini, 19, of Revere, focused on the lack of jobs for young people across the state. Her parents struggled to pay rent and she felt guilty for not helping take on the burden.
An increase in funding for YouthWorks, a program aimed at providing teens and young adults with skills needed to work, might help solve the issue, she said. Advocates are asking for $19.3 million in funding for the program, an increase of $3.06 million from the proposed allocation in Gov. Charlie Baker's fiscal 2021 budget.
"Fortunately, I do not resort to illegal activities but some families are in such dire situations that they get desperate and then end up being prosecuted because of it, which is not fair because it's not their fault," Hossaini said to a crowd at the Bandstand. "The point is that these jobs will get youth off the streets and in an environment where they can learn and build their futures."
Reps. Liz Miranda (D-Roxbury), Daniel Donahue (D-Worcester), and Joseph McGonagle (D-Everett) joined the youth group in the Great Hall to offer support. Miranda said youth jobs are critical and provide opportunities for young people to take care of themselves and their families.
"And when they can't find a job after school or on the weekends or in the summer, it has detrimental effects on our community," she told the News Service. "We have to care about our young people just as much as we care about other residents of our districts."
Rep. Liz Miranda (right) took a selfie with Terron Watson of Randolph and Taliah Nicolas of Roxbury, two youth advocates participating in Thursday's rally at the State House. [Photo: Sam Doran/SHNS]Following a brief speaking program at the Bandstand, the large group of young adults and teens made their way from the Common to Washington Street where they passed through Downtown Crossing. They finished their brief outing by marching up Liberty Mall to the State House steps before entering the building.
While marching to the State House people held signs reading, "We are the Future," "Justice for Youth," and "Youth Justice not Youth Jails." Among them, Jefferson Padilla, 16, of Boston, hoisted a large sign bearing "Want More Jobs." He said he attended the rally with MissionSAFE, an organization working with at-risk youth and their families.
"We're advocating for jobs for the youth because there's barely jobs out here and we're looking for more jobs for them," he told the News Service.
Lianny Gomez, 16, of Dorchester asked lawmakers to increase funding for School-to-Career Connecting Activities to $5.5 million, which would link more high school students with economic and learning opportunities as part of a school-to-career transition. Baker's fiscal 2021 budget would allocate $5,002,363 for the programs.
"My ability to be successful in any career field of my choice should not be limited because of the school I attend or the programs I participate in," she said in front of a crowd in the Great Hall. "We cannot be assets to our community if we don't have anything to offer. We are reflections of the effort, money, and time our communities put into us. Put into us what you want out of us."
Apart from lobbying for funding increases, rally attendees spoke about five different pieces of legislation they want lawmakers to pass. One bill (H 3420) co-sponsored by Reps. James O'Day (D-West Boylston) and Kay Khan (D-Newton) would gradually raise the age of juvenile jurisdiction to 20 years old.
Another (H 4264) would solidify definitions of environmental justice in the state's laws. Somaya Laroussi, 19, of Revere, said there is no issue more central to her needs than environmental justice.
"Look around us right now. How many of us live near the airport, trash incinerators, polluted creeks, and other toxic areas," she said. "This may have been the earth that we inherited, but by being here today, we are refusing to let this be the same one that we pass on to the next generation.
