-by Sophia Horta

Hi, I’m Sophia Horta. I’m 17 years old, a junior in High school, and I live in Downey, California. Last month I had the incredible opportunity to spend a weekend in Sacramento participating in Future Leaders. Future leaders is a leadership program and a great opportunity for teenagers in high school to find their voice and share their impactful stories with others. During future leaders you get a chance to share your stories with lawmakers and express how the laws and decisions they make impact and affect you. It also connects teens from all over California who share similar experiences and passions for advocacy, as well as creating lifelong friendships and unforgettable memories.

While at future leaders, we learned how to share our stories and the process of law making. Though it is a learning experience, there was plenty of time for fun and bonding. We did things such as explore downtown Sacramento and visited our California Capitol. We would also go out to eat; we even went to this place where they had all these games and karaoke, which was unforgeable because I got to share this experience with others who are just like me.

My favorite part would have to be legislative day because at first I was very intimidated about speaking up but then I shared my story and touched their hearts. Before I knew it, it was over. I was very proud of myself because I felt like I truly made a difference for myself and the people in my community.

This was my second year doing future leaders, and every year I leave more inspired than the last. Future leaders and advocacy open many new doors for me. It helped me discover that I have a passion for advocacy, especially within the bleeding disorders community. And I’m not stopping any time soon.

I definitely recommend that if you are a highschooler to become a future leader or to even attend a local advocacy day because you deserve your voice to be heard because you can make a difference. It also looks great on your college application and job resumes. I am already looking forward to next year’s Future Leaders. I can’t wait to go back and continue to make a difference!