by Lane Shaffer, Youth Organizer, Multnomah Youth Commission
My name is Lane Shaffer and I’m a youth organizer from Portland, OR. I’m super invested in equitable transit access and ensuring people have the means to self-advocate through things like testimony and political organizing. I recently presented at the ‘Be The Change’ Youth Training Program and wanted to reflect on how it went and what I learned from the people I presented to. This year’s youth training program was so much fun and I had a great time putting together a workshop that reflected what I was passionate about and that, hopefully, empowered other youth to ‘Be The Change.’ One thing I learned during our workshop was that there are a lot of really important government assistance programs that have the potential to change lives but are not funded sufficiently. Participants especially focused on programs helping housing insecurity, and I hope our workshop on testimony creation helps them to advocate for increased funding. I really appreciated the opportunity to host a workshop and hear from so many passionate people! See y’all next year!
