Reyna Gonzalez

Hi everyone! Being a high school student, it can be difficult sometimes to feel like you’re making a difference. Although I haven’t been in the League for long, I can say that the time that I have been in the League I have felt like I’m making in difference in the world. Being in the League has allowed me to put my beliefs and desires into action. I look forward to more work to come and the opportunities to hear others’ ideas. Thank you to Martha Zavala and everyone else who welcomed me into the League. I have been made to feel very essential to advancing the League’s goals.

Amelia Monsour

Hello everyone! My name is Amelia Monsour, and I’m a senior at Pasadena High School. I got involved with the League of Women Voters through my school's Law and Public Service Academy.

I wanted to work with the League because I’m passionate about protecting voter rights and increasing voter participation, especially among young people.

Our generation has so many great ideas about how to improve our world, and we have the power to elect representatives who reflect these ideas—but only if we vote. This idea motivated me to get involved in Future Voters Pasadena, a club at my school devoted to increasing civic participation even in people too young to vote. As secretary of the club, I helped organize multiple virtual voter registration drives during the 2020–2021 school year. I’m so glad I got the opportunity to work with the League this summer and continue the work I’d started with the club.

Through my internship, I’ve learned about how organizations like the League try to create change and I’ve deepened my knowledge of the civic process. One of our main projects was to create educational videos about topics like the recall election, voter suppression, redistricting, and voter registration. Through our research for the videos and discussions with Ms. Zavala, I learned so much more about these issues than I initially knew. For example, I had no idea that redistricting was going on right now, let alone that citizens could actually participate in the process and send in their feedback.

Knowing what's going on and how we can make a difference makes me feel like I have more of a voice in our government. Also, I’ve often thought that I might want to work in a nonprofit organization when I’m older, so it was great to experience a bit of what that might be like. Overall, I’ve enjoyed my experience so far and I’m excited to keep working with the League. Thank you so much for this opportunity!