This year, a total of 75 students from across the state gathered in the basement of the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament in Sacramento for a morning of preparatory presentations. Students from St. Louis in Cathedral City prepared and gave a presentation about the issue of homelessness. They reflected on how Assembly Bill 2631, a bill that proposes to increase housing assistance for homeless families, might help the estimated 333,000 homeless children in California.
In the afternoon, the students lobbied some of their local representatives to encourage them to support AB 2631, the homeless assistance bill; AB 1276, which addresses the needs of child witness in human trafficking cases; and AB 1161, which proposes to allow private donations to help fund preschools in California. Groups met with Assemblymembers Jose Medina, Eduardo Garcia, Melissa Melendez, Chad Mayes, and Cheryl Brown as well as with State Senators Carol Lui, Jeff Stone, Richard Roth, and Ben Hueso.
Before going to Sacramento, the students spent weeks studying the social teaching of the Church as well as legislative bills that the California Catholic Conference had recommended that Catholics support. In lobbying their representatives, they explained why support for these bills was important for them as faithful Catholics and as faithful citizens.
Blas Morales, Jason Ramiez, and Sergio Palafox represented Corpus Christi in Corona; Joshua Peck, Nadia Bravo, and Cheyenne Nichol represented Notre Dame High School; Emily Rosas, Sacha Baltazar, Sarah Baltazar, Beatriz Aguirre, Lesley Villareall, and Omar Suarez represented St. Louis in Cathedral City.
Amanda Alexander is the Associate Director of the Office of Social Concerns for the Diocese of San Bernardino.