Why don't we go ahead and come? >> Hello everybody. So my clock 10:01 p.m. Today's Friday, August the 8th. We're here on board session to meet our potential youth representatives. Four out of five applicants were invited to this conversation. Before we do that, we'll do our assembly member introductions for the record and then we will begin. So uh start with my teams >> that counts and run >> Christopher Constant. Do we have anyone on the phone? So um in order to make the microphones work, you press the button and the green light comes on. You don't have to hold the button, but um once the green light's on, your mic is hot. Be aware of that. And then when you're done talking, press it again. That way it turns off. They're pretty sensitive mics and so if you whisper in your inner monologue, it may pick up on the record forever. So, um, just be wary. So, welcome everybody. The title of the work session today is meet and greet with assembly member to represent the candidates. And, um, if you want to get in the queue, members, go ahead and let me know. I'll let you down text. Um, and thank you everybody for being here. It's time to select next year for this next session. Assembly youth representatives. Purpose today is to get to know the candidates for assembly's youth representative. I'll turn positions. The selection responsibility falls to me with in partnership with the vice chair. But following the process set out by my predecessor, then assembly chair of France, now mayor, we've invited the candidates to spend time with us so that we can all hear the from the prospective candidates. So, we had 10 applicants this year, which is a great number for us. Um, it takes a lot of work to get those applications in, and this year we have 10. And we were able to sort it down to five. And today, we have four of those five. Each one is from a different area in Anchorage. And of course, in a moment introduce themselves, tell us where they're from and why they're here. And as a reminder, youth represented alter alternate terms for the upcoming school year will receive something in regular and special meetings. They may join committees and participate more sessions and inform meals as their calendars allow. I don't think we've really had much participation by uh youth members at the committee's level or session level. I know Mr. M has arrived as well. So um each youth member who would be selected would receive all the same materials assembly members received from Maryland special meetings and are given vote on each item up for vote except for marijuana and alcohol related items. The selected candidates will receive training orientation and ideally be matched with assembly members as mentors and assembly members if you're interested in being a mentor. We'll have that talk later. So now we'll go ahead and um do just a name introduction briefly. Say your name, name what school you're from, if you're from school, and part you're from. We'll hand it down and then we'll come back to questions. We're going to start. >> Um, hello. My name is Kennedy Bowser and I'm from Chiaak High School and I'm from Thank you. >> Hello, my name is Gwen Dston. I go to Betty Davis East Sage High School and I live in Hello, my name is Bill Morris. I'm from South High School and I live in the South Anchorage area. >> Hello, my name is Jeff Thompson and I go to Highland Academy Charter School. I'm from Bootleggers Cove downtown area. Right. Thank you. So, um, thank you to you young people for making the time of your last days of summer vacation before we get back to school and start the year. I understand that it can be a little bit intimidating sitting here these seats like this. H we could have you sitting on the air >> intense. Uh but um you know very few of us were involved in our local government to any extent like this when we were your age. So I can't I can speak for all of us when I say we're grateful for you for being here and putting yourselves out to apply for this for these positions. So we'll start by giving you each few minutes to share a bit about yourselves and what you feel you can bring or add to the assembly. Once you've all had a chance to respond, I'm going to open the floor to my colleagues to ask questions and we'll kind of roll through members. I'll just pick someone to start first and um at the end we'll give you a chance to make any uh closing comments that you wish to make. So, as I said, when it's your turn, just have the mic, press the button, and the lights green. When you're done, turn it off. And so, um we'll go ahead and start with you, Miss Bowser. And uh again the question is please take a few minutes tell us about yourself and what you feel you might ever bring to the assembly. >> Um sorry I'm at Chiaak High School. I did student government for two years and I'm also the vice president of the national honor society at our school and I'm also in te club which is an environmental action and this year it was focused on like restoring reefs and donating to coral reefs and I feel like at my high school I witnessed like firsthand issues affecting our youth such as um emotional instability and just the pressure of being a high schooler in general because it's normalized to drive. You maybe have younger siblings you have to pick up and you also have a job and on top of that it's expected that you're also excellent in your academics and I feel like that's one issue and another issue is just um mental health in general. That's a big issue and I feel like there isn't there's resources here but we could have more especially targeted at our youth and there isn't a lot of just places for youth in general to feel comfortable like youth centers and I feel like by doing that we could maybe solve some of the issues. >> Thank you. >> Okay, so first I just wanted to start off with like my favorite hobby. My favorite thing to do is sing. Um, I have been training for three years to be a classical singer and have done a bunch of camps and stuff. That's just like a little fun fact about me. The other thing that I'm also really passionate about is helping people. So, for the past couple years, I've been a part of student government. And this upcoming year, I'll be student body vice president of my school's student government. I'm a part of SAB, which is student advisory board for the English school district. Um, I've been a part of flying conferences and I've also spoken with a lot of youth for advocacy. Specifically, the advoc the advocacy that I've been working on lately is education in our public schools. That's just a really big thing for East because we were threatened that we would lose our choir and I'm a singer. And so that was a really important um issue for me and that's really what I focused on last year. And so for this, I would really want to bring like student voices because I've worked with a lot of youth, not just in my school, but across the state, working um with other student governments across the state for um change in our schools. And I've also worked with youth in the burrows like um I used to live in college, keep in touch with them, just like working on that. And then I just really want to help make Anchorage the best that it can be, especially with its youth. And I think that because I because of how many opportunities I've had with youth, I've been able to just like communicate with them and really make a change with help and like with all the youth in the community. Thank you. >> Right. Welcome, Mr. Today. We are right now we're doing a brief introduction um and the question you're asked to tell us about yourself and what you feel you might have or bring to the assembly. And to turn the mic on, get the button. The green light will come on. It stays on. And when you're done, press it so it'll turn back in. There you go. >> Thank you. May you please repeat the question one more time? >> Absolutely. It's just simply uh take a few minutes to tell us about yourself and what you feel you can bring to the assembly. >> Okay. Hello, my name is Jacob Lvarz. I am a a a student at West Anchorage High School, a a senior and uh going to on track to graduate. Um I to be honest I don't I don't really have much experience in government. However, I I would I would really like to um to learn about about how how these governments uh work and function especially one where where I am subjected to uh um uh so apologies for my stuttering. Um I I I do h have a lot of uh students who uh who take issue with uh out within the city. Um especially there there are a lot of issues with mental health and and uh stuff. Um and uh I I I feel I could I could be a really good um really good uh communicator between uh between those uh those peers around us, those young peers around us in uh here at the local city government. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. I'll go ahead and go with you Marsh. >> Thank you so much. Um hi honorable subway members. I'm Marsh. I'll do my best to keep this brief. I have a little rundown but um yeah I have always worked um with teams my whole life. I started in uh martial arts if you might have read my resume um when I was about 8 years old and uh when I reached 13 I started training with the United States Karate National Federation on a team um started traveling internationally representing the US as an ambassador and the more I worked with the team collaboratively and on an international scale I felt my leadership like um excuse me I felt my leadership skills growing um because martial arts instills not only discipline but also inclusiveness and ambassadorship and I took that with me to what is called Hobie and you might have heard of it. is called Herobrine Youth Leadership Congress and I got to go there recently about last month for the WLC which is a collection of um students in their junior and senior year who come together to try to bring change and it was an inclusive environment. I've never been around people like that. All of us wanted to instill change. I met a man by the name Ethan Zhan. He was on Survivor. won and he he created a grassroots soccer organization for students um in rural areas to gain more education. And I was like, "Oh, like Alaska could definitely use that." You know what I mean? Rural areas um they suffer from lack of education. They suffer from lack of teachers. And I just I saw that in Ethan's on and my fellow ambassadors at WLC and I said, "Here is where we can make change." And we did that. We created organizations as a project at WLC and I'm here to bring it to Anchorage to show you guys what I can bring to the youth of Anchorage. Um, and not only through karate and the WLC, I've also been a part of National Honor Society at my school. Not any positions yet, but um, I've been helping with planning um, service projects. Uh, I do mock trial with the team as well. I also went to Muan where I met um, Jackson. Um, and I am vice president of Eco Friends at my school. Um, very passionate about ecology. Um, so yeah, that is a little bit about me and what I'm angry as you said. Thank you so much. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. Um, my name is Jack Thompson obviously and my heart is beating up my chest. So to embarrass myself in front of the esteemed members of the assembly, but I'm a member of the South Edition Community Council on its executive board. I'm part of the municipal Historical Preservation Commission. I'll be leading up the uh Oscar Anderson Restoration Project. I don't know if you guys know that museum elderberry, but they're putting me in charge of that. I've been involved in ALS awareness, Lucario disease, if you guys know, and a million other things. I'm part of the local rugby team. Go bars. We're pretty barbarians. But um I think the main issue that I would like to put forward as I think everyone here can cooperate is that there is a mental health crisis among the youth of not just Anchorage or Alaska but America and many of my peers they feel disaffected or detached and when they look to the future they don't really see themselves in it and you know maybe I just need happier friends or or there is a serious serious problem and I think I don't know I think it is extraordinary that there's so many qualified candidates here that we're able to represent the youth and actually put those problems to the forefront have them addressed by the assembly and uh if I am selected I have I have seen I didn't have a particularly happy childhood and I think I think It's important to have someone that's overcome the adversity and the uh the trials and the darkness of mental health uh problems to actually represent that and bring forward solutions. I think I think that's something I can bring today. Thank you. >> Yeah. Thank you. Um thanks for being here. Um, and I know we'll have uh probably several questions for you, but um hopefully you as as we talk hopefully you'll you'll feel more comfortable because we're not really certainly um uh so just to put that on the table. My question is um and and I'll say also the question I'm going to ask we're not going to give answers to. Um but what I'm curious about is what you're curious about, what questions you have. So again, I want So you're not asking us questions that we're going to answer, but I'm thinking just in general as you've lived in the city, as you see what's happening, maybe whether it's specific to the assembly or in general with the city, the way it works. Um, what's something that you're curious or wondering about or you've just always thought why is it like that? I'm just curious kind of, you know, any any of the above I'd be interested in. >> We'll go ahead and start with >> Okay. Um, I think my biggest question um is definitely what the city is doing about um with the people who are experiencing homelessness. I've heard some things uh just cuz I've kind of watched past um assembly meetings and then also just kind of what some of the adults have said, but I'm really curious on like how like the city is helping with the people's studies and you know how that is going on because that's really something that I care about. Uh sorry. >> Sorry. May I have a little bit more time to think of a question? >> Sure. Sure. No problem. >> Thank you. >> Um, I have a question based on uh Euro education uh rural education, sorry. Um I attend Arctic encounters regularly and um there the issue that's been brought up mostly is the the fiber that's being transmitted to rural um places which is helping education but to furthermore like provide staff for the education in rural communities and what we're we're doing to fix that. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Yeah, I'm curious how we can possibly expand the role of youth representative to actually maybe um I don't know. I mean, I'm curious as to what you guys might have, but I think it would be an idea we're looking at to actually go out and teach kids how they can get involved in that. Give them a stake in their future in this government and teach them how to get involved in state and municipal and even federal government. Uh yeah. >> Thank you. about as >> um I'm just curious as to like how all the other factors that were said like homelessness and just education and all the other things going on in Anchorage, how mental health leads into those factors and how we can just look at it as an umbrella and find a solution that way instead of trying to find individual solutions. Thank you, Jacob. >> As the others have asked, I I'm also concerned about about what what the Anchorage is doing about its homeless people and how it's treating it. Um, but another question I I would like to ask is is what is uh Anchorage doing to to uh support its uh its students especially uh from what we've heard about the the financial or the budgeting troubles um within the Anchorage School District. >> All right. Thank you. >> Go ahead. Yeah, thank you all for for being here and putting your names forward. Um, kudos for that. My my question uh as I mentioned folks are aware, you know, on a regular assembly Tuesday meetings, you know, we consider a number of policy ideas, right? We debate them and then we vote on them. And one of the roles that the youth member can provide is offering their own uh testimony on these, right? And and it's a valuable perspective and we appreciate that you guys bring a view that we don't necessarily um have. So, I guess my question would be, and and I think this is just maybe for whoever wants to take it. Um, can you think of a specific policy that the assembly has debated and voted on, you know, in recent memory where if you'd had the opportunity to be there and speak up on it, you you would have chose to do so, maybe what you would have said that would have added to the conversation. >> All right. Uh, the way he framed the question is it's too many wishes to answer. So, if you want to speak to it, raise your hand. I'll call you one more time. >> Well, I mean, I'm forgetting the actual house, sorry, not house, but the actual number. It was it was the one that um uh it outlawed homelessness. Not outlawed, but made it a misdemeanor to be around public trails and parks. And I don't know, I think um I think it was a very contentious issue and I think I wasn't personally there for the debate, but if there was a youth voice, maybe it could have offered a certain perspective because I mean I have been attacked before while walking to school. But I think it is important that it's an issue that's treated with compassion. And I think there's a certain nuance that could have been provided. Although I don't have a direct um anything to offer, I think it would have benefited from the perspective. >> Anyone else? >> Anyone else? Okay, we're going to save on questions. You're on then. >> Um, so I'm thinking about the the statement uh that youth are not seeing themselves in the future. Uh, and I'm wondering if anybody can tackle the question of like what is driving that? What are the factors contributing to that? So, we'll go ahead and go through everybody's this time. It's your turn to start with ours. >> Um, well, that phrase that our youth don't don't see ourselves in in the future sounds right? Yeah. Um uh personally for me this um uh this was uh this mainly due to to the things going around in in in uh not just Anchorage but the but the nationwide um especially with with the rising costs of of housing which is which I I believe is is especially um high here in Anchorage uh as well as as a rising cost of anything else such as college tuition. Uh uh probably even even uh normal items at them such as groceries or or um or uh games. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. So on the fact that youth don't see themselves in the future of Anchorage, um I believe it can be very hard for a teen or a youth to know what roles are available and like this position and this um setup we have here with all these candidates. I got lucky in finding this cuz I sought it out. There's kids that you know it doesn't appear like right in front of them like you positions. Um, sure you can have high school clubs and you have activism programs that a teen can maybe volunteer at, but they don't see leadership in their future and I feel like to advocate that here and to press that forward is what's going to change that. So, thank you so much. >> Yeah, I mean I think I see that going back to the mental health crisis. It's just that they're having trouble getting out of bed in the morning and they look 5 years ahead and they barely see themselves in that and all they see in the news is, "Oh, national debt is 3040 trillion. Oh, the BSA is $1,000. Oh, the education's getting stripped away." And I'm sure everyone here has an opinion on what's going on with the governor vetoing the bills, but I think it is integral that we give them a way out, a way forward, and that we um we show them that they matter and that if there's an issue that they care about, if they feel like they're under represented to some extent, I mean, give them a representative, but tell them about that representative. I as as uh Bella said, I only found out because of the FCC newsletter, the Federation Community Councils and yeah, but no, I think it's just integral that we address the crisis at hand because that's what it is. It's a crisis. >> Thank you. um Miss >> um I think that all the the factors like college debt and housing and food insecurity all influence um the mental health of our youth. And I think just everything going on in the world in general not ex like excluded to just Anchorage like just seeing news like it's not so happy anymore. like you don't see many good stories. Like it's like all the things that are being voted on and influence or just the things that are being chosen that influence our youth. There isn't a perspective from the youth and it's not giving people hope. It's definitely affecting the mental health and I think that with this position it could definitely just push out a lot more of those voices. I just think the youth needs more opportunities if anything. >> I really think that the reason why you don't see a future is because of a part of that is because the education just kind of what's happening in our public schools right now. I've seen a lot of like students the only reason they go to school, the only reason they like make that future for themselves is because of these extracurricular activities that we're losing. And I think that the reason that students aren't seeing that future is just because of the way that our schools are right now. And I think that it's so important that a priority be to fix that because I know that something that gives me less anxiety and gives me less trouble is choir. And kind of what I talked about a little bit when I applied for this is the fact that there were multiple students that I knew that were kind of not giving themselves an opportunity to grow because they had these struggles that they were dealing with. inquire. This extracurricular activity gave them that purpose and now they're going on to beautiful and brighter things. One of them is studying it in college, something that they didn't think they could do. One of them is just like an amazing human being and is going off to doing so many things and making sure that we keep these programs that we almost lost last year, some of them that we did that that's giving you the future. And if we don't pursue that and we don't focus on like the public or just any education and if we focus on the stuff that isn't particularly STEM then that's really what's going to help it because I think I've said this before but we can't expect students to have a future at 18 if they haven't gotten every opportunity to explore their future. So I think that's one thing that is stopping our students. >> Thank you. Right. All right. Next one. >> Well, first of all, I don't know how is that something leadership chooses. Is that how this works? >> Good luck. The burden is on me. I just Man, this is You guys are all so smart and impressive and your answers have been so thoughtful today. Um, I don't know. Aaron and I were laughing because who subscribes to the FCC newsletter? Any of us have done that? I don't know. Anyway, pretty cool. >> I think my my question is we've talked about some of the challenges facing you, some of the challenges here in Anchorage. Uh my question is what are you most stoked on when it comes to Anchorage? What excites you about Anchorage? Um what do you whether it's you know something you like to do on a weekend or is there anything that you and your friends you and your peers um appreciate about? We'll start with you, Marsh. >> Yeah. So, I'm actually really happy you asked that cuz um I just went on a hike that I go on a lot with my family. It's just the sunny side laptop. Any local knows about it. It's the best laptop in my opinion. Um I went there with uh three of my friends last night. Um we had a blast. Watched the sunset. Came down, did a little jog down. It was really fun. So, I guess um wildlife in general in Anchorage is the best one of the best parts about it. Um kids get to explore. Um it's, you know, we have safety precautions put in place so bears and moose don't hurt us and we have the right tools. Um Anchorage is very good about that and having fun in a safe environment. And growing up in the woods as a kid, in the mountains as a kid, it really can form a person. I think it's definitely formed me. So, thank you. No, I want to go to that exactly is that there's a way there's more options here to better yourself than any other place. You can go out. It's the last frontier. It's the most beautiful place on earth and that you can you can go outside day after day and I don't know really help yourself and really just get involved and and then I don't know it's just something so magical and majestic about Anchorage how it's this little sliver of civilization and then there's the great beyond right next to it and it's breathtaking and extraordinary. And then I guess there's another thing uh that I am excited for. Okay, well this is going to sound silly like I'm uh but anyway it's the leadership here. I have a story I mean an individual interaction with many of you here. I mean I was chair broadly I was doing a paper a while ago. I was like hey could you could you do an interview for this and she said of course that's like a 45minut interview. I reached out to Christopher Constant about a project and he's like yeah we can get coffee. you, Daniel, I reached out to you saying, "Hey, can we do something about ALS smartness?" You said, "Of course, you going to have to do with Jennifer when we wrote a resolution for ALS." And I don't know, I think that's something that's so extraordinary. And I haven't seen anywhere else leadership that really cares. And really, I mean, there's five kids here who are you guys brought them here to represent represent the youth. You know, that there's a crisis and you're trying to find solutions. And I think that's phenomenal. Um, something that excites me about Anchorage is me and my friends really love music. Like, it's something that we really bond over and when those plays come into Anchorage and we get to see them perform, we at least try to go to every single one. It's just a way to build community and it's one of my favorite things about Anchorage. I really just like creativity in general. I think that's a great thing about Anchorage and it has so much of it. Like you can just you can't walk a block without seeing some piece of art just anywhere and I think that's a great thing about >> Okay, so I think I mentioned before that I really like choir and I also forgot to mention that I really love theater and one thing that really excites me about Anchorage is just the community theater. I uh my like when I was 14 and I had first moved here cuz I used to live in Kativ and then I moved down here I really wanted to do this play and because and I was super nervous and all stuff but this community just like opened up to me and I like never looked back and I've gotten to know everyone so well and then because of that I got to know writers that live in Anchorage and just like all these community theaters that just like bring students in from like like these shy students just like I was and I've seen them and they've gone through and they're just bubbling and they just have so much creativity and it forms them into better speakers and better singers and better actors and just better people. And so what definitely like excites me is all the community theater here like um just like I don't know like ACT if you've seen that they kind of they go to the pack too and all that stuff and just how the community also invites high school like when West performed at the pack and then just like how I've seen the people who go to pack have also helped with East Theater when I said that we needed help and they just reached out and they said that they would try and help us and just that the whole community on Anchorage of Theater. just like excite me so much and I'm so glad that there is a huge community here. >> Thank you, Mr. >> Uh I agree very much as as a as a city um uh of which which like the other the the next biggest city is is is all the way in Washington. Uh I I feel that that Anchorage and and the people within have a a unique identity. Um it especially applies with with the wildlife um here in Anchorage. You you don't it's not it's not normal uh for in other cities to like to see to see meas such as moose or or even bears just wandering the the streets of Anchorage uh uh in in well not just but but but big city in urban city um and uh and I uh there's there's also a a pretty uh diverse um set of people here. um our schools are are uh are pretty pretty much the the most multicultural uh uh schools within the entire nation. So So we we get to see a lot of a lot of uh experiences and uh a lot of wildlife here that makes uh Anchorage like unique and stand out among the rest of the lower 48. Sorry. All right. Yeah. Okay. So, just installing nature, accessibility to government, theater, music, um, and this kind of urban landscape. It's diverse with people and great. All right. So, next in the queue, I have Mr. Martinez and Paul and Hey y'all. Nice to meet you guys. Thank you for being here. I appreciate you all stepping forward in a variety of ways. I will shout out the FCC newsletter. But no, specifically just to that point when people say, you know, getting out the word in more more places, that's kind of one of those things that happens. Um, and so there are that just really raises the point that there are so many points of contact in our community that I wanted to flag one of those areas and ask you about it. Do you all bus, bike, or scoot? Are you multimotal? Um, and I would love to know your favorite uh scoot or bus or or bike route, like if you ride the the trails. Um, but I'm also interested in if you use people mover, right? So, what is your alternative transportation in Anchorage, if you have any or if you use any aside from vehicles and cars? out. And then uh my followup to if you bus, bike, or scoop is essentially uh if you if you can if you can snap your fingers and have adults know one thing that you would like us to know to make better decisions, what would that one thing be? So multimodal, how do you get around other than cars? And if you could have adults know one thing to help us make better decisions, what would that one thing be? >> Cool. >> And you're going to start with I guess. >> Yeah. So, uh, I am a route 10 enthusiast and also Chester Creek. That's how that's generally how I get to school. Yeah, definitely try route 10 guys if you haven't already. But no, I was actually um in the assembly chambers when uh you put forward a a motion to make busrooms free for kids under 18 and then some representative of uh I believe the transit commission tried to block it because I hadn't gone through yet. And honestly, I almost sent you an email afterwards because I was ecstatic that you were opening up you were giving that access to to kids because you know access is opportunity and that's what I mean a lot of what I've been talking about is opportunity is what a lot of our kids need and I don't know I was kind of right but I decided not to send an email to you but I like I like I almost got up there. like I am a member of the historical preservation commission and yeah check the badge and you don't need to be doing this let the kids ride free but but um yeah and I think one thing I think I'd like to harp back on that is that access is opportunity and I would love to see more access for the kids and that's what I would want adults to know >> um my way of transportation If I'm not taking a bus or I'm getting a ride, I just just walk or even skateboard. Skateboarding is nice. >> Pause. No, you you missed it. You missed that. Other than a car. If you take a bus, I want to know that. If you don't take the bus. Yeah. So, not other than a bus. Yeah. If you Other than a vehicle, do you take the bus? Do people move and other things like that? >> No, I take the bus. >> Yeah. Cool. >> Um >> and skateboards. >> And skateboards. That's multiote. >> Well, she skipped bus. I heard that. >> And if I had to just snap my fingers and let a person know one thing, I just want them to know um just listen to me. I'm sure there's other perspectives out there. There's tons of people who would love to have their voices heard. They would love to provide an opinion. They're all equally as important. And I think just listen overall. >> Thank you. example. Um I really like walking if I'm not using a car. I have really bad sense of direction though. Like I I've gotten lost in like cross country club. So um I don't really know my route actually. But I really do enjoy it. I walk with my mom every morning at like 6:30 and I actually walked my dad drove to work today and I walked with my mom to get the car so I could come to this later. But um yes, I really like walking and I think that if I can snap my fingers on that, it's also something. It was that students understand. They just need to be told and a lot of them don't hear it, but they can understand and they want to. And it's not something that's people are just doing to do it, but people care and students do care. They just sometimes don't know, but they can and they are able to >> and so I drove here. That was probably a mistake because I drive and was not familiar with with with how to park in downtown. >> That's real. That's real. >> But uh but Other than other than the car, I do I do take the I do take the bus. Um especially especially bus uh route route number 10. That's what that that's uh that goes from from downtown to to my house in in East Anchorage. Um so that's um that's one of my lifelines to uh to to the rest of the city. Um and uh other than that there there's also there's also I I also am a big biker. Um a lot of people a lot of people uh get get shocked when I tell them that that I that I biked all the way to to Northwood Elementary from from uh from my home in uh all the way like past East Anchorage High School. Um and uh and uh and usually for for the biking route I I I always take take a take the the one that the Oh, it's I usually take Chester Creek Trail. Um that that also goes from from west to east. >> Yep. So that's a that's that's another that's another um lifeline for me uh for transporting myself other than than car throughout the city. Well, just the northern part I'm not going to uh bike all the way down south down in Rocker Creek. Um practical route I would probably die of a heart attack. Um uh uh one thing I I would like uh for adults to to consider is um is to reach out try to reach out for for more diverse voices from uh especially from from the outreach to the youth for us um and uh and to other people. uh such as uh probably maybe you can even uh get get a good understanding of the homeless if you talk to them. >> So yeah, that's my answer. >> Thank you. Um Marsh, >> thank you. Um yeah, I run to school because my tennis coach has our attendance as our all trails record. So I have to. So yeah, I do run. Uh I'm very close to my school though. So, it's not an issue. Um, but yeah, if I'm not driving to school, I run. Um, other than that, uh, Hobie was actually in Alaska at one point. I attended the state first and we actually used the public transportation to get to the museum to volunteer there for a little bit. So, um, and what I heard among my fellow ambassadors was they were kind of scared to use public transportation in general. And I was like, why is that? And they're like, I've never been a public bus. So I'm like, well, Anchorage is actually pretty accessible and like the public buses, they're not scary if you go on them. So we all actually had a really good time. We're singing some songs on the way to the museum. It was really nice. Um, so yeah, buses are great as well. Um, something I would like the adults to hear, if I could just have you guys know is, and I wrote in all caps here, hear us. We want to learn. So if do your best if you know there's going to be an audience of kids to educate. We want to learn. We want to learn more about what you do, more about government, so we can in the future act. We all want to act. We want to change our future for the better. And that's why we're all here. Um, and another thing I wanted to say on the public transportation is I was at a community council meeting recently on accessibility to public transportation. And um, actually I um was talking with some people that visited uh, Switzerland and Norway recently on bike trails in the area and um, yeah, it's it's a big thing in Anchorage and I really appreciate that about our city. It's very bike accessible, walking accessible. So, thank you for your question. It's very nice. So, thank you so much. All right. Um, that's everybody for that question. It's smooth. >> Yeah. Well, thank you so much for being here. You all are um such qualified applicants. I don't envy the chair's uh choice here. Um um how many of you know um the the guy on Instagram that does the subway hot takes? Do you know who I'm talking about? the guy who like goes up to people in the subway and he has this like little subway card and he's like Subway hot takes. What's your hot take? And then the person has to like say whatever their hot take is. Um I would like to know your Anchorage version of Subway hot takes. And I know that's kind of out of left field so like take a minute to think about what's your hot take. Um you don't have to defend it but what's your hot take? Um and it could be about English. It could be about it could be about education. I could figure out anything really. What's your hottake? If you were sitting next to me on the subway and I leaned over and I was like, "Hey, subway hot take." What would you say? Um, that's my first question. And then my second question is um just about your own sort of personal um your personal aspirations um whether they're personal, professional. Uh what do you what do you hope that your future holds? I know a couple of you were walking into your senior year and thinking about next steps. Um, so yeah. What what do you think is after high school for you? What do you hope for? >> So, we'll go ahead and start again with >> um I'll come back to my hot take. I think I'll come with it. But my plan for I'm going into my junior year right now, but my plan is I want to do something with writing. I want to I like creativity like I said before. I want to do like creative writing. I want to maybe do screenwriting and I think acting is good too, but I'm not at that level yet. And I think that's something I'd like to look into. And my hot take um I think [Music] start with Miss Ashley. >> Um, okay. I would say my hot take and I want to preface this saying that I think Anchorage is very beautiful and that I love the snow. But my anchorage hot take is that it's Anchorage is really really pretty when the first snow hits and then the mud hits and then it's not as beautiful as it was before. And I'm just gonna That's hot. Take. Yep. Okay. Um and then what was the second question? Oh, aspirations. Okay. My aspiration after high school is to hopefully go out of state to p um to study music and then after that to go to law school and then come back to Alaska and work um in the North Slope, go back to Katsubio and work as a public defender there and kind of in the villages in that area and then like move throughout Alaska doing that kind of thing, but mostly being up in the North Slope doing that. So guys, >> uh, I'll start with my future first. I definitely plan after when I graduate high school to go to college to go to higher education. Um, I I I really I really uh right now I'm still really uh um vying probably for for probably becoming an anthropologist or or a musician. Um unfortunately I don't have any other higher paying aspirations. Um uh and uh I would I would uh I would I'm uh going to apply for for schools such as UA especially that is my hometown university. Um but but uh I'll I'll also try to to maybe go go out of state. I mean uh in San Francisco State University um or or uh Boulder in uh in Boulder University in in Colorado. Uh and maybe uh maybe I'll maybe I'll move back to English. Um, and uh I really think a lot about my hot take for years cuz cuz um uh even though I've lived here my whole life, it just seems like a normal city. >> That's how it normal city. [Laughter] My hot take is still >> the lifelong. I know. I know. But um actually my serious hot >> taking a position. >> Nope. Sorry. I just I'm very firm on that. And I actually put Anchorage Art is better than any art because we have some insane city artists here. And I just I've been to other cities. I've been to Chicago recently. I've been to New York. I've seen their art and it's very different, but Anchorage is very um I think it's very in tune with the with the community, which I like a lot. It's very it's very Alaskan, I would say. Um for me in the future, I would definitely I've been looking at pursuing law um specifically in um the East Coast schools because my sister's currently attending West Point. Um definitely don't want to go there. That's her thing. not mine. But yeah, I want to be near her. So, I was going to attend law school in the East Coast and uh come back to Anchorage and I'm hoping to make attorney general someday. So, thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. So as for my hot take, I think there should be more than >> and yeah and there probably should be the school as well and we should get rid of my class here. For my career aspirations, I do hope to um be a career diplomat in the American foreign service one day. I hope to lead diplomatic missions in places like Kyrgyzstan or Haiti or or Zimbabwe, places like that where I can really make a real difference. And I don't know, I mean, not just as an ambassador, but hopefully at the end of my career, not one of it, but I'd be able to be Secretary of State or under secretary of state work of the top levels of our federal diplomatic department. >> Last question. >> Yeah. Thanks. Um, and I know we're short on time, so I'm I've been doing a lot of flying and when you sit in the exit row, they have row they ask for a verbal confirmation that you can fulfill the duties. So, I'm going to ask a version of that, which is um and of course knowing that that if we have multiple uh youth reps that they would be taking turns during during each meeting. um our assembly meetings, the biggest kind of part of of your job would be um they're on um every other Tuesday basically twice a month um from 5 to up to 11 p.m. Um sometimes sooner than that. Um so so wanting just a kind of verbal confirmation that you feel like you could meet that expectation, you know, again, knowing that you might be taking turns and that you're not every single meeting like we are. Um and then my other kind of question, if you could answer just quickly, um kind of piggybacking on what Mr. said, um, I'm curious kind of what place to you in Anchorage feels like home. And I'm going to say not your house, not school, but is there a place where you either you think of as like this is a place that I feel really connected to in Anchorage, um, or a place that that you just have a lot of kind of history with. Um, so, so first, do you understand that our meetings go late and you'd be responsible to be there for those Tuesdays and and fill those duties? And then also, one of your favorite places that feels like home. >> So, how did we start last time? you should put it. >> Um, yes, I'd be able to fulfill all the requirements. Uh, I've worked it out with my mom just in case whatever happens. Not to be like, okay. Anyway, um, but did you say school is not an option? I just Yeah. Okay. Um, I think something that would definitely feel like a home to me would be the community theater to like bring that again. But definitely like do think that that would be home just cuz I spend a lot of time there and like I just have a lot of the stuff that I do now. like I probably wouldn't be able to speak in front of you now if I didn't hang out around there. And I've just made so many friends and people who've like been changed my life and I just hang out there all the time and I've gotten a lot of experience and exposure. So definitely just like um Anchorage Community Theater, ACT. You should check out their productions. They're really good. usually we have a fellow [Music] >> attorney. Um, >> I can confirm I I I will be able to attend town hall city hall meetings from uh every other Tuesday from from uh 5 to 11 p.m. I that that will definitely overlap with uh with the with with the my dance practices for for the Filipino community of Anchorage, Alaska. But um they don't I I don't think they'll care. Uh but the president the president Laura Garcia is is the one that is the one that that suggested that that I apply to to the youth youth representative anyway. So I think I think she she probably knows what else uh that I'm going to be uh unavailable for for those times. Um and the but the question about what place feels home to me other than my actual house or uh let's say high school. Um as I've grown up I think uh I I could say that probably maybe probably the the Lady Park would uh is kind of like another home for me. It's where it's where I I've had a lot of um I went a lot out there a lot for for uh for festivals such as such as the the pride parade or or uh for the the team festival. I've also um went there briefly. Um I've uh I've also performed there for for a lot of um occasions such as such as the annual the annual AAPI uh celebration and uh as well as the piece of Sai for for our um anchorage by the Filipinos. So that's why I feel like the living park is a a second home. >> Thank you. >> A third home. I would say a um oh number one yeah I can make the uh every other Tuesday 5 to 11 that would be perfect for my schedule. Um secondly um a home to me in Anchorage Alaska I could say you know the mountains because a lot but um I would have to say Okamoto school karate is right across from Bailey's preacher Germany town. I don't know if you've ever passed by it, but I grew up there. Um, I've met my second father. He's my sensei. I love him so much. We're performing at the state fair soon, so come check us out. Um, but yeah, I grew up in that dojo and I've met lifelong friends and family there and the community that it's brought for me and how it's made Anchorage feel like home ever since moving from California. Big transition. Um it's it really has made Anchorage feel like a home to me. So yeah, >> thank you Mr. Thompson. Uh for the first question, yes, I will be able to fulfill the obligations, but for the second home, I think I want to say the trail system that we have. I think it's um such an extraordinary I guess kind of unique at least in my experience to uh any other city or community and I was really able to find solace there when I first moved here and find a community among the people there but I'm surprised we've never met because you said you walk there all the time but anyway yeah >> um I would be able to make the meetings from 5 to 11 And the place that feels like a second home would probably be the Anchorage Museum. I like seeing all the art we have. And it's not even just that it's art in general. It's that it's art exclusive to our community and I like that. It's just a way to see our history and our culture. And I think that's a good thing. I personally out of time. Um, every member of here will get 30 seconds right now. Closing statements. [Laughter] >> Okay. Pressure. Um, so as the youth assembly member, I just want to bring inclusion and a voice. Um, that's all I've done all my life was bring a voice. Everywhere I've been, internationally and nationally, I've brought a voice. And I feel like my voice really is a representation of how the youth feel and how my friends would want to be represented and how other kids in my community, my students at the dojo want to be represented in their future in Alaska. And my experience in the Arctic Encounters Committee and would bring a lot out there. Thank you so much. And so have you start? >> Well, I just want to say that it's um so extraordinary to see obviously capable candidates that'll be representing uh Anchorage's youth just how integral this role really is in giving us a voice and a stake in our community and and our future. And I just think it's incredible that you guys put this forward and that it was I believe it was May of France that initiated this project. >> She was the chair at the time. >> It's just simply extraordinary. I'm very glad just to be here. Martinez worked on the administration side. Miss Martinez. >> Um, I would just like to say thank you for the opportunity to even be here and speak right now. And I think that I could bring a unique perspective of just you and not only students across Anchorage. And I feel like student government has prepared me for situations like this. And I could help organize things. I could help plan things. I could I don't know. I would just try my best to help my community. >> Thank you. So, um go ahead. >> Um I just want to thank you all for this opportunity and giving everyone as everyone's kind of said kind of mirroring that. Um I also wanted to say that um I think that the like what people said is the most important thing is the student voice. And since I've talked with a bunch of students, I think that it's important that um as you guys kind of look maybe for next year like this year just to talk about like the SAP um student advisory board has so many capable students. All the student governments that I've talked to and spoken with when like working about advocacy. There's so many students that are able to do that with like this. >> Uh I think I also thank all of you for the opportunity. I I wish you guys other candidates luck in in uh being admitted here in the assembly. I am I I I myself uh would like to learn learn about the government. I'm ready to take part in it and uh and bring the voice of of my peers to um uh to the Anchorage uh city government. >> Thank you. I just wanted to thank you for advocating for the youth in Anchorage and I just hope you really understand how important that is. >> All right. So finally I would like to thank Malpine Homesman's office who appointed the deputy ombbudsman and Jennifer Van Class from legislative services for supporting you to represent the program. Miss Mcgalan has done an incredible job of recruitment and bringing together and developing this program. After kind of a a pause and building off the strong base that she created last year, she's handed the program over to coordinate to Miss Class who will support the program during the 2025 to 2026 school year. I hope to make the decision with the vice chair very soon. Um we will notify folks as soon as we come to a decision and uh thank you everybody for being here. Stand up. Go ahead. Also a shout out to the youth advisory commission that I know has been working to get stood up as well. So please share with your peers um that that's an available opportunity. Thanks. >> Thank you. And with that then we will stand a journ for approximately 10 minutes before session.