Speakers at Youth Congress support student activities that aid community

WENDY PIERRO/Acorn Newspapers POLITICALLY MINDED- Political panel participants, from left, Michael Paule of the Oak Park Municipal Advisory Council, Agoura Hills Mayor John Edelston, Mayor Pro Tem for Thousand Oaks Thomas Glancy, Mayor of Westlake Village Philippa Klessig, Mayor of Calabasas James Bozajian and Agoura High School senior Ayla Nejad, speak at the Youth Congress XXIV "i-VOTE: Pop Culture Goes Political" event Sat., April 5. The event, which was held at Oak Park Community Center, was sponsored by the Conejo/Las Virgenes Future Foundation and included a political panel, roundtable discussions, voter registration and an art contest. Students were encouraged to get political and become involved in grass-roots community activities at the 24th annual Youth Congress, which convened last Saturday at Oak Park Community Center.

The Youth Congress is hosted by the Conejo Valley/Las Virgenes Future Foundation (CLVFF), a 35yearold nonprofit, apolitical think tank that studies and reports on a variety of issues of concern to residents of the Conejo Valley.

The theme of this year's Youth Congress was "iVOTE: Pop Culture Goes Political."

Mia Johnson, a senior at Agoura High School and student chair of this year's congress, kicked off the event with some encouraging words for students. "Let us rally, let us fight, let us prove we can make a difference," she said.

"Democracy only works when we have participating, involved voters," said Carl Herman, CLVFF chair. Voting, he said, should be based on learning about the convictions of candidates and voting for people who share one's values.

Guest speaker Herbert Gooch, a political science professor at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks, encouraged students to analyze what they read and hear about political issues and leaders.

Voting is just a "sliver" of the many ways students can become involved in their communities and the political system, Gooch said. Being informed and engaged, however, is like "tilling a field," he said; the harvest yielded later is worth the effort.

Gooch told the story of Alfred Nobel who, having been mistakenly believed dead, read his own obituary in a newspaper. Nobel was so unhappy with the way people apparently "remembered" him, he changed his will to leave much of his wealth to establish the Nobel Peace Prize.

"It's not just how you want it to be but how you want to be remembered," Gooch said.

Turnout among voters between the ages of 18 and 24 is on the rise, he said. The election, with no incumbent running for office and the historic primary contest between an African American and a female candidate, has apparently had an impact on young voters. He said there's excitement about the election in both parties. Sen. John McCain, a war hero and former prisoner of war, ran out of money during his Republican primary bid, but carried on to represent his party.

Mandana Sadigh, vice president of finance and strategy for Mattel Toys in El Segundo, presented a different spin on the topic. She focused on the role of women in the country and in her native country of Iran.

Sadigh told students that women throughout history have been perceived as "second-class citizens," and the strides made for women's rights should not be forgotten by today's youth.

Sadigh, too, relied on some historical facts to inspire students. She said that in 1776 a woman could obtain the temporary right to vote in the United States if she paid $250, although that right was immediately revoked after the vote. In 1894, women were allowed to vote on educational issues, but in 1902, this right was revoked by the state of Kentucky.

In Persia, now known as Iran, Sadigh said, women fought "side by side" with men 2,500 years ago. In 1934, Iran's monarchy gave women the right to an education and the right to wear western clothing. In 1974, the shah of Iran, she said, gave women the right to vote.

During the 1979 Islamic revolution, basic rights for women were "taken away," Sadigh said, even though they still had the right to vote. But having the right to vote without other basic human rights was a sham, she said.

Women in Iran are not allowed to divorce their husbands; they have no right to their children if their husband dies, and they must receive permission from their husbands to travel. "Voting is the foundation of democracy but the process is more important," Sadigh said.

A panel discussion by local officials gave students a perspective on how volunteerism and grass roots activism are vital parts of political awareness.

Michael Paule, marketing director of DSSI, an information technology firm and longtime member of the Future Foundation, said voting is the first step in political involvement, but working on local issues while in college sets the stage for a lifetime of activism.

Agoura Hills Mayor John Edelston said the experience garnered in community activities can't be learned in classrooms.

Tom Glancy, a prosthodontist in Thousand Oaks, reminded students that colleges require more than top SAT scores and 4.0 grade point averages. Admissions officers want to see students as well rounded citizens, and community involvement demonstrates commitment and willingness to work for change.

Phillipa Klessig touched upon Sadigh's discussion about women and politics. She said female mayors are found from Calabasas to Santa Barbara. "All the mayors are over 50," Klessig said. "Where are all the young women?" she asked. "Don't let us be the sole influence in government. It's not about knowing all the ins and outs of city government; it's about passion and your interests."

Ayla Nejad, an Agoura High School student invited to participate on the panel, said she became politically aware during her sophomore year when Proposition 73, a California constitutional amendment that would have required doctors to notify a minor's parent or guardian about an impending abortion. The experience led to her involvement with the Planned Parenthood organization.

James Bozajian, a Calabasas City Council member, said he got involved with community events as a young man.

"Not many 18-year-olds want to vote because they don't think it's as important as other things," said Tommy Milgrim, a freshman at Newbury Park High School. He said he thinks the youth congress' focus on voting will make a difference.

Andie Neumann, a student at the art magnet program at Santa Susana High School in Simi Valley, said that if Barack Obama wins the primaries, she will vote for him when she turns 18.

Alexz Ketterling, an Agoura High student who supports McCain, said this election year has been "very invigorating."

"The political process is probably as good as it gets for awhile," said Adam Alsabery, a junior at Agoura High. "I wish we had a three-party system."