The Daily Delegate

A Cal Y Staff Member speaks on new safety policy

Nicholas Alvarez

Culture POD Desk Editor

Session starts in 15 minutes, and the second floor hallway is nearly empty. Downstairs, the west lobby entrance is full of impatient delegates waiting to be wanded and have their bags searched by private security. Since Friday night, this has been the experience for all delegates and staff every time they enter the convention center. This new practice follows the infamous incident with Jodel at Camp Roberts, when an unknown user of the anonymous local social platform claimed to have had a firearm. The threat prompted the Youth & Government program to lockdown Camp Roberts and search everyone’s belongings.

Delegates have differing opinions on the app and the new policy, but what do program staff have to say about all of this?

In the small, cluttered, and busy Y&G Info Desk, I spoke with Lisa Daddario of Cal Y Y&G Staff about the new safety policy. Daddario, who works with delegations, advisors, and the Cal Y’s Risk and Safety Support teams, said the wanding is “an extra measure…to ensure the safety of our participants.” She was present at Camp Roberts during the Jodel incident. “I was in the dining hall when we first heard of it…and we assembled a safety team to determine the best course of action.”

Even before the incident, Daddario did not think highly of the popular app. “All the years we’ve had it, I’ve observed people be unkind…I don’t see the good in it.”

Will delegates have to endure long waits and constant searches for every future MLC? Daddario couldn’t say, but she did have a message for delegates frustrated by the new policy. “Just try to be patient with it. It’s just a thing that we have to do right now.” Her advice? “Plan ahead so that you have plenty of time to wait.”

Delegates line up along the west end of the Convention Center around 9 a.m. Saturday.

Photo by Audrey Miller of the Da Vinci Delegation