The following was written by Diego Villa Velanzuela and Beckett Carlton, 2026 lead interns for West Slope Youth Voice:
Earlier this spring, 14 of our Interns from across the Western Slope traveled to Denver to meet with lawmakers in the Colorado Legislature as part of West Slope Youth Voice’s (WSYV’s) annual lobby trip. We traveled to the Capitol with voice and agency regarding decisions being made on our behalf.
During this process, we identified 17 bills important to WSYV and our peers, including those that address discriminatory practices in education, rights violations in immigration enforcement, environmental stewardship, youth offender systems, and more.
We met with ten Colorado lawmakers and Governor Jared Polis to bring the perspectives of Western Slope youth directly into those conversations. From the House Floor to the Senate Chamber, we witnessed live legislative sessions and watched committees debate, deliberate, and hear testimony.
WSYV intern Júlia said, “I really liked talking to [State Representative for the 57th District] Elizabeth Velasco and talking to her about bill advocacy.” Aaron, who had been tracking HB26-1064, regarding Youthful Offender Systems, said, “It was cool to see a bill we were tracking be discussed in the Senate.” And Diego shared, “We were able to bring up issues and discuss them with Legislators and see their input. Talking to [State Representative for the 54th District] Matt Soper was really cool because we were his constituents, and he brought up a few bills we were not previously aware of.”
The WSYV lobby trip was not just a chance for advocacy and education, it was the reflection of the hard work, drive, and dedication that we put into the issues that are pertinent to our lives. West Slope Youth Voice gives us the opportunity to use our voice for what is right.
You already know that everyday Western Coloradans should be shaping state policy and legislation. All year long, Alliance members and staff work to build relationships with lawmakers, track bills, and elevate Western Slope issues in Denver.
Your donation today will bolster our collective voice and effectiveness by supporting our grassroots movement to counter political influence of corporate lobbyists.
