One of the best parts of the Jackson Leadership Fellows Network is crossing paths with other Fellows in work that advances Senator Jackson’s legacy of values-based civic leadership. Last month, I had the privilege of doing exactly that alongside Christina Sciabarra, faculty at Bellevue College, a fellow Jackson alum and a Board Member of the Center for Women & Democracy (CWD).
With support through a Jackson Foundation Opportunity Grant, CWD brought back its Young Women’s Leadership Academy for the first time in years. The Academy focused on civic engagement, giving young women from across Washington the tools, skills, and confidence to engage directly with the legislature on the issues they care about most.
I led an interactive workshop on how to move an issue through the legislature. I guided participants through the testifying process, showing them how to connect with legislators’ values, and helping them practice the kind of presence that makes people listen. We all left inspired by the participants’ courage, collaboration, and readiness to step into policy conversations with purpose.
I’m grateful to the CWD and the Foundation for helping make this program possible. I suspect we’ll have future Jackson alumni in the Academy!
Stasha Espinosa, 2024 Jackson Fellow, Communications Director, WA State Office of Financial Management