Who founded YQiP?
It took a village! With the help of the Davis Projects for Peace Foundation,Pomona College's Draper Center,and San Bernardino Generation Now, Alejandra Davila started the Young Queens in Politics Program (YQiP).
Who is Alejandra Davila?
Born in Peru and raised in San Bernardino, Alejandra is a proud Inland Empire resident. She attended San Bernardino’s public schools since she arrived in the United States and credits her passion for politics and education to her community.
Alejandra graduated from Cajon High School in 2015 and will graduate from Pomona College with a degree in Politics and Gender & Women Studies this coming fall. Alejandra’s personal background drives her interest in politics and motivates her to advocate for women of color’s increased access to educational, economic, and political resources.
Alejandra plans to go to law school in the near future, but until she does you can find her watching Judge Judy reruns, eating double-stuffed Oreos, and singing (very badly) along to Beyoncé’s Coachella performance.
Why a politics program?
As one of Alejandra’s favorite professors stated, “if you don’t have a seat at the table, you’re on the menu.”
Political representation and participation are key to enacting policies that accurately represent the needs and wishes of a community. With some of the lowest voter turnout rates in the county, San Bernardino City does not have enough residents at the table. Increasing civic engagement begins by engaging community members.
Why a politics program specifically for young women?
The lack of representation of female politicians can be a discouraging factor for young girls and women interested in pursuing a career in politics. Although a record-number of women were elected to office in the 2018 midterm elections, only 18.5% of executive branch employees and 23.4% of Congressmembers are women. The low representation of women in politics continues at the local level. Only two of the seven seats on the San Bernardino City Council are filled by women.
Yet, women’s inclusion in politics has direct benefits for women and society at large. Multiple scholars have found that women tend to center their legislative priorities on healthcare and education and are more successful in proposing and passing legislation regarding women’s rights.
In order to increase the representation of women in politics, young women must be mentored and encouraged to enter the field of politics. The purpose of YQiP is to provide femme-identifying high school students in San Bernardino with a supportive and welcoming environment where they can explore academic and career possibilities in government, create a supportive network of friends and mentors, and engage in local politics.
tldr: YQiP hopes to fill the Inland Empire with powerful queens!