Visions In Education Students Join Voices For Change Sacramento to Shape the Future of Education
Students from the Visions In Education community recently had the opportunity to participate in the Voices for Change Sacramento Youth Activation and Listening Session, hosted by the Reaching At Promise Students Association (RAPSA), a nonprofit organization partnered with Visions.
The event took place at Sacramento State University’s Welcome Center and brought together youth from historically marginalized communities across California. Its purpose was to empower students to share their perspectives on issues directly affecting their education and futures. Visions students joined more than 40 peers from throughout the state in a series of social activation workshops and a dinner networking session.
Attendees were welcomed by Sacramento State University President Dr. Luke Wood, Public Policy Institute of California President and CEO Tani Cantil-Sakauye, and State Board of Education Member Dr. Alison Yoshimoto-Towery. Each speaker emphasized the importance of advocacy and using one’s voice to create meaningful change.
Cantil-Sakauye encouraged students to speak up consistently and confidently within their communities: “Your voice matters — it matters because people need to hear it often and regularly in order to show up.”
Dr. Yoshimoto-Towery challenged students to reframe their personal hardships as sources of strength and leadership. “The things that I was most ashamed of have been the things that have given me the most strength to lead,” she shared. “Think about how you turn that into a source of strength for you.”
Student Voices Amplified
Six Visions students attended the event and spoke about their personal experiences on topics such as housing, mental health, and education.
Visions student Valarie G. addressed the growing challenge of rising college tuition costs and the barriers they create for students seeking higher education opportunities. “I respectfully ask, would you consider lowering college tuition costs and promoting scholarship opportunities more prominently,” she said, calling on decision-makers to take meaningful action.
Visions University Prep Academy student Maribella K. made a compelling case for introducing second-language instruction at earlier stages of a child’s education. Drawing on research in brain development, she argued that high school is too late to maximize language acquisition. “Language activates a part of our brain that would otherwise go untouched,” Maribella said. “If we start at a young age, that’s really when your brain is at its most pliable state and when you learn most.”
Real Impacts
Each topic carried a weight of importance for the organizers to leave with and contemplate as they will feed into CA’s Governors 2026 Youth Empowerment Commission’s report to the legislature and State Board of Education as per AB-46.
Associate Director of Equity & Student Engagement, Ron Thomas, attended the adult session held on campus where he was able to participate in a discussion with the Governor’s Office of Community Partnership and Strategic Communication and RAPSA on Reaching At-Promise Youth Before the System Does.
“My session focused on the importance and components of being an Adult Ally. An Adult Ally is a committed advocate who listens without judgment, affirms student identity and lived experience, and uses their influence to remove barriers and amplify youth voice. It is about creating spaces where students feel safe, seen, and empowered to be their authentic selves,” Thomas said. “I appreciated being part of such a meaningful event and look forward to connecting soon.”
Thank You Event Organizers
Visions In Education extends its sincere gratitude to event organizers RAPSA, the California Opportunity Youth Network (COYN), the California Governor’s Office Youth Empowerment Commission (YEC), and the California Governor’s Office of Community Partnership and Strategic Communication (OCPSC) for creating a space where student voices can shape the future of education in our state.
We look forward to continuing this partnership and expanding access to opportunities like this for more Visions students. We will continue to ensure their stories are heard at every level of decision-making.