Arshiya Alwadi – Manzanita City
Hello from the city of Manzanita! Today was Virtual Girls State 2021 Day 1 and what an interesting day it was.
We had a great start with Mayor Romero, the first-ever female mayor of Tucson, speaking on the importance of voting and community participation. Her story was so inspiring and I feel empowered to learn all I can during this week to make a difference. Mrs. Vietri then explained the different aspects of the city budget so well, and Mrs. Tincher described the important factors that should play into the planning of our city maps. I’m so excited to see how my city develops. From the cities of Cholla, Manzanita, and Ocotillo, we heard girls share interesting facts about themselves and why they wanted to be a part of Girls State. It was so encouraging to see all these ladies aiming to make a difference in our country through government.
The second half of today consisted of our city meetings. In Manzanita, we elected 2 Precinct committeewomen from the Federalist party, 2 from the Nationalist Party, and discussed the importance of their positions and how they will be influential throughout the week. After a primary and general election to select a mayor and council, we then appointed members to city positions and discussed the groundwork of our city book. After an engaging discussion with the other members, our city theme—female figures in history represented as superheroes—ties our book, slogan, and seal with a topic that is close to our hearts and an important part of our lives. All of the girls were so motivated and involved; I am so glad to be working with them.
Here is an interesting fact about Arizona until I see you tomorrow: the state of Arizona grows enough cotton in a year to make more than one pair of jeans for every person in the country!