By DEJA JONES
When Litzy Velasquez applied to the Hyattsville Youth Advisory Council (YAC), she wasn’t just trying to check a box for community service. She wanted to speak up for people her age and make sure youth voices are taken seriously.
“Despite our age or despite our diversity, I think being an advocate could really impact not only our city but other regions,” Velasquez — who attends College Park Academy — said. “Adults might not take into consideration [community issues], but us as youth, we see like, ‘Oh, that’s really an issue that needs to be addressed.’”
On June 12, the City of Hyattsville officially inducted 10 new members into the YAC, a volunteer council made up of local teens who are passionate about civic involvement, advocacy and change. Members serve as youth liaisons to city leadership, providing input on policies that affect young people. According to a city website, the YAC is designed to review and propose legislative items and make recommendations for the mayor and city council to consider.
To be considered for the YAC, applicants must first participate in the Hyattsville Teen Center’s youth leadership program. The after-school program includes weekly workshops focused on public speaking, policy education, job readiness and local government. After successfully completing the program, candidates complete a written application, submit essays, and go through a formal interview process.
“It [the YAC application process] started with reflecting on what my responsibility as a YAC member would look like, how to properly advocate, and even small things like how to dress for certain occasions,” said new inductee Diana Alvarez, who attends Prince George’s Community College. “We had mock interviews, which helped me a lot and helped us prepare to be professional.”
Christopher Jimenez, now in his third year with the leadership program, said skills he learned in the program helped him grow not just as a leader, but as a person. “You’ll be able to speak up for the youth … or if you want, everybody in the city as a whole,” he said. “YAC is pretty much an open gate to a bunch of opportunities.”
As part of the application, students were required to write two essays. The first prompt asked them to describe why Hyattsville was special to them. The second gave a choice between several questions related to current issues in the city, such as what situation most concerned them and why they felt motivated to advocate for it. The goal, students said, was to reflect their leadership potential and commitment to their community.
Even though the interview process was competitive, the students said it felt surprisingly supportive. Velasquez stated that the interview preparation increased her confidence. “We already had a mock interview … that really helped guide us on some of the stuff we’re expected to see in the real thing,” she said.
As part of the leadership program, participants volunteer in various city efforts. This year, they helped lead voter registration drives for Hyattsville teens 16 and up, who are eligible to vote in city elections. “We had a goal in outreaching more to youth,” Velasquez said.
The new YAC inductees also pushed for harm reduction initiatives, like Narcan training, and participated in city cleanup events for the Hyattsville community. Over the summer, many YAC members are now working as camp coaches through the city’s camp coach in training, or CCIT, program, in which they mentor younger students and lead activities that promote academic skills and positive habits.
One highlight of their work in the leadership program so far has been attending the National League of Cities Conference, where they connected with other young leaders from across the country. “We were able to create a network with other youth leaders and see how we are actually being heard and we’re not just there,” Alvarez said. “It was very inspiring.”
Jimenez said the experience of participating in the youth leadership program made him think about his future. “It encouraged me to see the process of how a bill or a certain act works,” he said. “Maybe I’ll run for ward representative or councilmember.”
When asked what advice they’d give to other teens considering applying to become a YAC member, the answer came fast.
Velasquez said, “You become a positive change. You bring in new ideas, help solve issues, and become a leader.”
Alvarez agreed, noting how much YAC members get to collaborate with adults in positions of power.
As the new term begins, the students say they’re focused on continuing to bring energy, fresh ideas, and a youth perspective to city government.
“We’re able to have intel on what issues we see and concerns we see as youth that maybe adults might not see as a concern,” Velasquez said. “That awareness could help impact our city in a positive way.”
Deja Jones is an undergraduate journalism major at the University of Maryland.