Sen. Laphonza Butler visits Fresno to meet with city’s future leaders: Young people
A community open house that included young people brought Sen. Laphonza Butler for her first visit to Fresno on Friday since taking office.
“I am choosing to show up in communities like this,” Butler said, “because I believe you truly are the future of our democracy.”
The Democrat was sworn into office on Oct. 3 to replace Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who died in September.
Butler became the first Black lesbian to enter Congress after she was appointed by Gov. Gavin Newsom.
The open house emphasized the services available through her office, as well as her focus on the next generation as she outlined her vision for the rest of her term.
“There are those who believe that the future of our democracy is in the hands of what happens this November,” Butler said. “I think the biggest threat to our democracy is happening in high schools and on college campuses right now — the cynicism that is developing in our younger generations about the effectiveness of government in their lives.
“If we aren’t showing up and inviting you into conversations,” Butler explained further, “where your hopes and dreams (and) your fears and your greatest expectations can be seen (and) can heard, and can govern the policies that we move forward – we are failing you.”
Butler has said she will not seek re-election this year.
The visit included a meeting with young people that was closed to the media. Her staff said she planned to discuss reproductive rights, jobs and the economy during that closed door meeting.
She scheduled a similar open house for Saturday in San Francisco, according to her staff.
