By Ella Diaz and Shreya Raman
Palo Verde City Reporter
For the third day of Girls State we were joined by speaker Lisa Matthewswhose speech marked a feeling of community which rippled throughout the crowd.
Her most notable quote was “Everyone has an idea of what the world needs” which highlights how everyone even outside of politics is entitled to their own ideas.
This speaker encapsulates exactly what Girls State is and aims to be. Girls State is a platform for girls with all different beliefs and ideas to educate each other on the things they are passionate about while also maintaining respect.
The political polarization within the country today should not be a problem within Girls State and the participants of Girls State should be able to share their ideas without judgment.
Matthews also said “Take yourself out of it, take your biases out and focus on what is good for the people and the community”
Her impassioned words really resonate with the ideas of Girls State and how this is a fictional 51st state that is not supposed to bear a resemblance to the government we are in now.
That is exactly why we are split up into Federalists and Nationalists instead of parties that already exist. It is to ensure that the participants of Girls State are not naturally going in with their own biases. If that was the case things within the government of this fictional 51st state would not be accomplished.
There would be constant infighting and disagreements. So in all Girls States structure is intentionally beneficial and ensures that we as young women within this government are letting go of our own biases and like Matthews said focusing “on what is good for the people and the community” to ensure that our fictional government is successful.