Virginia Student: Gov. Youngkin’s Policies Are About Denying ‘Our Identity, Humanity and Our Very Existence’

Jackson I want to ░░░░░░░░ in Rivka Vizcardo Lichter ░░░░░░░░ sophomore at Oakton High ░░░░░░░░ in Fairfax County and ░░░░░░░░ student organizer at the ░░░░░░░░ Liberation Project Thank you ░░░░░░░░ much for being with ░░░░░░░░ here this afternoon VIZCARDO ░░░░░░░░ Of course Thank you ░░░░░░░░ much for having me ░░░░░░░░ Tell us about these ░░░░░░░░ today Do you think ░░░░░░░░ delivered the message that ░░░░░░░░ wanted them to send ░░░░░░░░ LICHTER I think looking ░░░░░░░░ social media looking across ░░░░░░░░ press that we received ░░░░░░░░ I really think that ░░░░░░░░ got the message across ░░░░░░░░ we wanted to which ░░░░░░░░ Virginia students are not ░░░░░░░░ these proposed guidelines Jackson ░░░░░░░░ Youngkin s team is ░░░░░░░░ NBC News in a ░░░░░░░░ partly that when parents ░░░░░░░░ part of the process ░░░░░░░░ will accommodate the requests ░░░░░░░░ children and their families ░░░░░░░░ parents should be a ░░░░░░░░ of their children s ░░░░░░░░ I wonder how you ░░░░░░░░ respond to that VIZCARDO ░░░░░░░░ Of course These proposed ░░░░░░░░ are not about parental ░░░░░░░░ If they really were ░░░░░░░░ parental rights then Governor ░░░░░░░░ would be looking at ░░░░░░░░ like expanding access to ░░░░░░░░ in Virginia This isn ░░░░░░░░ about parental rights this ░░░░░░░░ about attacking Virginia students ░░░░░░░░ also hear that Governor ░░░░░░░░ doesn t think that ░░░░░░░░ understand how harmful these ░░░░░░░░ can be Countless students ░░░░░░░░ Virginia have read these ░░░░░░░░ and understand that the ░░░░░░░░ implications are not to ░░░░░░░░ the rights of parents ░░░░░░░░ instead to deny our ░░░░░░░░ our humanity and our ░░░░░░░░ existence Our goal is ░░░░░░░░ ensure that every student ░░░░░░░░ thrive in Virginia schools ░░░░░░░░ it s clear that ░░░░░░░░ Governor is not interested ░░░░░░░░ students or in parents ░░░░░░░░ advancing his own political ░░░░░░░░ in his next campaign ░░░░░░░░ Why did you feel ░░░░░░░░ was important for you ░░░░░░░░ put your energy and ░░░░░░░░ time and your resources ░░░░░░░░ leading this charge VIZCARDO ░░░░░░░░ So the most important ░░░░░░░░ that I want to ░░░░░░░░ is that these proposed ░░░░░░░░ do not only affect ░░░░░░░░ and queer students as ░░░░░░░░ mentioned previously It also ░░░░░░░░ denial of school counseling ░░░░░░░░ necessary mental health supports ░░░░░░░░ Virginia is in a ░░░░░░░░ of mental health crisis ░░░░░░░░ I can tell you ░░░░░░░░ a student who I ░░░░░░░░ dedicated my advocacy to ░░░░░░░░ other students and making ░░░░░░░░ that they can fight ░░░░░░░░ their own rights that ░░░░░░░░ movement has been one ░░░░░░░░ the most important actions ░░░░░░░░ ve ever taken in ░░░░░░░░ work and advocacy Jackson ░░░░░░░░ should mention what we ░░░░░░░░ hearing from Fairfax County ░░░░░░░░ is where you go ░░░░░░░░ school your school district ░░░░░░░░ in response to Youngkin ░░░░░░░░ proposal that they re ░░░░░░░░ to an inclusive learning ░░░░░░░░ for each and every ░░░░░░░░ and staff member thoroughly ░░░░░░░░ the new state proposed ░░░░░░░░ policy It is not ░░░░░░░░ yet Rivka as you ░░░░░░░░ There s a public ░░░░░░░░ session until later on ░░░░░░░░ October and so far ░░░░░░░░ have been thousands of ░░░░░░░░ More than 19 000 ░░░░░░░░ in and counting here ░░░░░░░░ about your advocacy group ░░░░░░░░ Pride Liberation Project What ░░░░░░░░ do you have now ░░░░░░░░ now and when this ░░░░░░░░ period closes when this ░░░░░░░░ could become official VIZCARDO ░░░░░░░░ Of course So what ░░░░░░░░ are planning to do ░░░░░░░░ to focus on our ░░░░░░░░ school boards who as ░░░░░░░░ know have the power ░░░░░░░░ reject these guidelines and ░░░░░░░░ the Virginia Department of ░░░░░░░░ for unconstitutional guidelines which ░░░░░░░░ clearly what these proposed ░░░░░░░░ are So what we ░░░░░░░░ looking to do is ░░░░░░░░ follow up this collective ░░░░░░░░ of walkouts with local ░░░░░░░░ board rallies and demonstrations ░░░░░░░░ then just following up ░░░░░░░░ your earlier point about ░░░░░░░░ County I am a ░░░░░░░░ student but I m ░░░░░░░░ Virginia student first And ░░░░░░░░ because Fairfax will protect ░░░░░░░░ students does not mean ░░░░░░░░ other districts in Virginia ░░░░░░░░ And that s what ░░░░░░░░ m here for I ░░░░░░░░ here to protect the ░░░░░░░░ of all Virginia students ░░░░░░░░ just the students in ░░░░░░░░ county or in my ░░░░░░░░ Jackson Rivka Vizcardo Lichter ░░░░░░░░ the Pride Liberation Project ░░░░░░░░ you for your time ░░░░░░░░ what I know has ░░░░░░░░ a busy and important ░░░░░░░░ for you Really appreciate ░░░░░░░░