CAMAS — The American Civil Liberties Union recently hosted its annual Summer Advocacy Institute in Washington, D.C., for rising juniors and seniors that aims to give high school students the tools they need to engage in their communities on issues around civil liberties and civil rights.
Suzanne Xu of Union High School joined nearly 200 high school students from across the country in receiving firsthand experience from lawyers, lobbyists, community activists and other experts dedicated to defending constitutional rights.
From June 30 to July 6, participating students engaged with lawyers and political activists to build expertise and knowledge in advocacy — including issues such as criminal justice reform, voting rights and religious freedom; participated in debates; and developed successful media and social networking strategies, all while observing policy development on Capitol Hill. The students also took part in a day of action. They took to the steps of the Capitol on July 5 to fight for transgender justice and gender-affirming care.
