Online Panel, Generation Engaged: Understanding Youth Advocacy

Thank you so much to everyone who joined our panel discussion on youth activism. If you missed it, you can view a recording of the event here. 

Hear directly from young advocates across the country as they share their experiences speaking out and driving real change in their communities. This conversation is a powerful opportunity to learn and connect with the next generation of leaders. Includes time for audience Q&A.

Progressive Mass Intern and Acton high school senior, Suravi Bhatia, will facilitate. 

Saturday, May 2nd
4pm online
Click here for a recording

Moderator

Suravi Bhatia (MA). Suravi is a graduating senior at Acton-Boxborough Regional High School and an incoming Government student at Harvard University. Her primary issues of focus are educational equity and civic engagement among young people. She is driven by the belief that education can address critical societal issues, from civic disengagement to racial injustice, by training the next generation of students to understand and engage with topics of interest. That core belief is reflected in her work with the Coalition for Anti-Racist Education, both previously as a CARE Activator fellow who directed the Youth Leadership for Our Times Summit and currently as an LNG fellow in partnership with Progressive Mass. 

Speakers

Bhavika Kalia (MA). Bhavika is a current junior at Somerville High School, is a passionate youth advocate who has been involved with climate change, prevention, and health equity work. Viewing the world through a one health lens, she has organized prevention-focused initiatives as a Youth Ambassador for Somerville Positive Forces, co-founded Middle School Climate Action Clubs in her town, and been an integral part of several youth advisory boards, councils, and coalitions. Through her past experiences, Bhavika has learned to approach activism from both a community-oriented and statewide perspective. Most importantly, Bhavika strives to support other young people in creating change in their own.

Oluebube Okafor, or Obey (MA). is the daughter of two Nigerian Immigrants which has made her incredibly involved in affairs regarding diversity and disparities. Being the President of Model UN and Multicultural Club has allowed her to continue to promote diversity through Fashion shows but also major cultural events through dance. Through her nursing internship, she has also been a huge advocate to bring awareness towards the black maternal mortality rate. 

Dominic Mimbang (GA). Dominic is a national student leader and advocate from Douglas, Georgia, focused on expanding access to mental health resources and educational equity. Through his work with organizations like Work2BeWell and Active Minds, he has helped develop and implement mental health curricula reaching tens of thousands of students, with a focus on culturally responsive and multilingual support. In his community, he founded Knowledge Empowers, a youth initiative providing workshops and resources for students, and has led policy efforts including a proposed Georgia bill to establish excused mental health days in schools. Dominic has also advocated on a national level through programs like American Legion Boys Nation, where he passed legislation supporting ESOL students, the ACLU, where he lobbied on Capitol Hill for student free speech rights, and he has been accepted to both Harvard University and Yale University.

Karyleni Alburquerque (AZ). Karyleni is a high school student from Phoenix, Arizona. She will be attending school in the fall at American University in Washington D.C, majoring In Interdisciplinary Studies: Communications, Legal Institutions, Economics, and Government. She is an advocate driven by empathy, bringing her lived experiences and the stories of those she’s met into the rooms where decisions are made. As a fellow with All in Education—the youngest member ever chosen for the program—and an intern with Living United for Change in Arizona and the Arizona Center for Empowerment, she advocates for racial, social, and economic justice, with a deep commitment to education as a foundation for equity. As a former community ambassador for Congresswoman Yassamin Ansari, she spoke with hundreds of diverse constituents in AZ-03, honoring their stories by ensuring they reached the district office or were connected to the resources they needed.  

Kate Ramsey (TX). Kate is actively engaged in local Democratic politics in a region dominated by Republican ideology, particularly in support of Texas Senate candidate James Talarico. She attends political rallies for candidates she supports, calls her members of congress, and does her best to stay aware of local politics in her city. She attends protests when she is able to in order to express her concerns. She is on the leadership team for FCS in Under Secretariat General for her model UN program. She is a teen teacher who works with students in her district and served as a Girls Nation senator this summer representing the state of Texas. 

1737 Amendments were Filed to the MA House Budget. What Happened to All of them?

Yesterday, the MA House passed its FY 2027 budget with a broadly bipartisan vote of 149 to 9. The 9 NO votes came from the more conservative wing of the House Republican Caucus.

In the lead-up to the floor debate, 1737 amendments were filed to the budget.

Most of them (1,659, or 95.5%) were dispensed with through the consolidated amendment process. House Leadership groups amendments into categories, tosses aside the actual amendments, and then negotiates a set of earmarks and policy changes that will remain in the final package.

This process produced seven consolidated amendments, five of which passed unanimously.

  • Consolidated Amendment “A” (Education & Local Aid/Social Services/Veterans)
  • Consolidated Amendment “B” (Health and Human Services & Aging and Independence)
  • Consolidated Amendment “C” (Public Safety and Judiciary)
  • Consolidated Amendment “D” (Public Health & Mental Health and Disability Services)
  • Consolidated Amendment “E” (Constitutional Officers & State Administration/Transportation)
  • Consolidated Amendment “F” (Energy and Environmental Affairs & Housing)
  • Consolidated Amendment “G” (Labor and Economic Development)

So what about the remaining 78? 48 of them were withdrawn, 29 were rejected, and one was laid aside.

26 of the 29 rejected amendments received recorded votes. All were filed and roll-called by Republicans. Let’s focus on a few in particular.

The House voted party line against various GOP amendments to drain money from the state budget, such as reducing the sales tax, reducing the state income tax, adopting Trump’s “no tax on tips” gimmick (which harms workers more than it helps), and more (Roll Calls #158 to #164).

The House voted down an amendment from Rep. Steve Xiarhos to eliminate cashless bail; the vote was 26 to 129, with Rep. Alan Silvia joining Republicans in voting for it.

Republicans brought up their favorite things to force recorded votes on: suppressing the vote with a photo ID law (27 to 131, with Rep. Colleen Garry of Dracut and Rep. Dave Robertson of Tewksbury joining Republicans), defunding No Cost Calls (26 to 132, with Rep. Garry joining Republicans), imposing citizenship requirements for housing assistance (26 to 132, with Garry joining Republicans), preventing the state from using MBTA Communities Act compliance as a condition for grant eligibility (27 to 130, with Garry and Rep. Jeff Turco of Winthrop joining Republicans), making the emergency shelter system more restrictive and more bureaucratic (26 to 131, with Garry joining Republicans), defunding Mass Save (25 to 133, party line), fear-mongering about “welfare fraud” (25 to 133 , party line), and finding new ways to collaborate with Trump’s DHS (25 to 133, party line).