The Daily Delegate

By Anthony Ramirez

Forum Media

(Me: What made you come back to YnG) 

(Alex McDavid: Well I never really left..until the 60th year 9th graders were not able to join…They never let anyone come back after they graduated. I was one of the first 2 people that was asked to come back after I graduated…It was such a positive experience as a delegate and as an adult that I kept coming back )

(Me: During the interview Alex McDavid was explaining all the officer positions he ran for and got elected) ) 

(Alex McDavid:: As a sophomore and junior I had a role as a committee clerk… I was an aid for the committee clerk my first two years of Sacramento… I was given the option to go to the secretary of state or the youth governor’s office and I went to the youth governor’s office and I started taking notes for the governor and started following him and deemed myself as the personal bodyguard of the youth governor and the nex year I did the same thing… Senor year I ran for office and didn’t win that was the first year of the cour program of the 25th..I soon became the head of the newspaper program I was on the forum staff for 16 years)

(Me: What do you think makes YnG special that makes people want to join)

(Alex McDavid:… In an environment where you are not around the people you grew up with or you’re in school with you can be yourself but also more like yourself.. at school people won’t listen to you but up here they will listen to your debate… gives you a chance to expand your horizons get to get out of your bubble)

(Me: Do you think the Yng has improved)

(Alex McDavid: I see it as expanded when I was a delegate over 50 years ago it was about 3 4 0r 500 delegates now it is several thousand and before covid it was 3400 delegates… but here you can say things that are heard…one of the literal state printer printer of California on our team…there is so many wonderfully created ideas of how we can do thing well and better as a program whole)

(Me: What problems would you fix in YnG)

(Alex McDavid: This would be an interesting year they shortened the program length they only had 1 bob conference we used to have 2 of those one in November and there would have been on in January)

(Me: during the interview AlexmcDavid started to explain the history of YnG)

Summary from Alex McDavid:The YMCA Youth and Government program was established in 1936 in New york. The California YMCA had to adopt it in 1948. It was a battle to get it started when it did. Initially Y and G was held in San Miguel before later being allowed in the capital. Forum is a relatively new program comparatively and every year after the first Y and G new programs have been added and expanded. 

If you would like to hear more about the amazing history of our program you can find him with his signature pins displayed on his lanyard and a big brim hat. 

This was really interesting to learn about the long history of YMCA YnG and this is a good reminder that we have to stay strong in learning actively about our democracy and how we can help.