Earlier this month, from April 19 to April 20, a group of Bishop O’Dowd students traveled to Sacramento to participate in a youth advocacy summit and lobby at the State Capitol. Led by senior members of Solidarity in Action (SIA), the trip brought two Peace and Justice classes of juniors to engage directly with legislators and learn the process of civic advocacy.
Some SIA members arrived the evening of April 19, joining students from across California at St. Ignatius High School. Delegations traveled from regions including San Francisco and Los Angeles, forming a statewide network of youth advocates. The overnight stay, which included workshops, collaboration, a mass, and preparation for legislative meetings, also served as a bonding experience for participants.
The following morning began with a public witness in the Capitol Rose Garden, where students listened to testimonies and legislative priorities from peers. Afterward, SIA leaders guided small groups of juniors through the Capitol to conduct drop-in meetings with senators and assembly members. Students took initiative by entering offices, speaking with staffers, and advocating for legislation focused on immigration, housing, and environmental justice.
Key bills discussed included AB 1633 on taxation of private detention facilities, AB 2465 addressing state contracts with ICE, AB 1624 for public lands protection, and AB 736, the Affordable Housing Bond Act.
Following the student-led meetings, juniors observed SIA members in a scheduled session with Assemblymember Mia Bonta, who represents California’s 18th Assembly District, including Oakland and many of O’Dowd’s students. During the 30-minute meeting, students presented prepared testimonies and policy asks while also sharing personal experiences connected to their advocacy work.
Bonta responded by engaging directly with students, asking for their perspectives on several upcoming votes, including AB 1644, a bell-to-bell phone ban that would ban phone usage in California public high schools, and AB 1709, which would prohibit and individual under the age of 16 from having their own social media account. Students participated in a live poll, offering input that contributed to the discussion of her decisions.
The trip was part of the Jesuit West Collaborative California Youth Summit, which brought together approximately 400 students from Catholic schools statewide. In addition to advocacy, the summit featured workshops led by student groups, including an O’Dowd-led session on food insecurity tied to SIA’s FEED (Food Equity Empowerment and Distribution) campaign.
SIA member Coco Moody ’26 reflected on the experience, stating, “I really appreciated how attentive and supportive she was during our meeting. A highlight was when she asked for our opinion on a proposed school cell phone ban that she would be discussing at a hearing the following day.”
Another SIA member, Senai Hadgu ’26, when asked what the most impactful moment of the trip was and why, responded, “when the juniors took the lead in talking to the legislators because it showed leadership.”
The advocacy trip provided students with firsthand experience in civic engagement, emphasizing the role of youth voices in shaping policy discussions at the state level.
