Catherine Zbiegien – City of Cholla
The first day of the 2020 Arizona Girls State was a success! While we were unfortunately unable to meet as a city today, we learned a lot about how Girls State is run and the rich and influential history of the American Legion Auxiliary. We heard from some great speakers, including but not limited to our very own Arizona governor, Doug Ducey, and both of Arizona’s congressional senators, Kyrsten Sinema and Martha McSally. The speakers were very inspiring and a great way to start off the program. We also got to meet the other Girls State citizens in our parties, which are the Nationalist Party and the Federalist Party.
This year’s Girls State is much different from other years, however. Instead of convening in Tucson at the University of Arizona, we are scattered all over Arizona behind computer screens working from home along with the rest of the world. Not only this, but this year also marks the 100th year since the ratification of the 19th Amendment; the amendment that gave women the right to vote. In these uneasy times, we will follow the example of the women who fought so hard to grant us this right, and we will persevere through all difficulties.
Although we cannot meet in person like we all hoped, everyone is adapting to our unfamiliar circumstance and making the most of the virtual platform we have been given. I heard many amazing and insightful ideas that have made me very excited for the rest of the week, even if it is not how I imagined it! This year’s Girls State is looking bright!