On March 1st, 2022, President Biden will deliver his State of the Union address. Here’s what young people want to hear from him.

“During the State of the Union Address, I would like for President Biden to show his commitment to making Community College free for all students in America. Although this plan was cut from the Build Back Better act, I believe this is an essential step for the mobility of many students across the country. Tuition prices are rising, and students have to cover many other expenses such as books, housing, food, and more. Being a college student is challenging, tuition-free community college must be a priority for the President if we want young people to prosper.” – Lia Guzman Genao, New York Fall 2022 Young Advocate

“I would like to hear President Biden address access to mental health care, especially where our lack of care collides tragically with the criminal justice system. One of the hardest questions someone can ask themselves is deciding whether or not to call the police on a loved one who is in a mental health crisis. As a daughter of someone who has had to make that call too many times to count, I urge action to be taken for those 1 in 4 incarcerated individuals who, for the majority, are not violent criminals, but are our most vulnerable members of society. Mental illness and mental health issues can be experienced by anyone, our parents, siblings, and ourselves. As our country has grappled with the isolation of the pandemic, watched as the horrors of discrimination and xenophobia spread throughout our communities, it is imperative that we hold tightly onto our humanity through our policies for our most vulnerable members of society. For the millions of incarcerated mentally ill individuals often left to rot in solitary confinement, without treatment, without compassion, and without love, we must not let them become another forgotten face banished to the shadows of our penal system.” – Alexandra X. Gonzalez, University of California, Berkeley

“At the State of the Union Address, I want to hear the President speak about health insurance coverage. More people need access to quality health care. Having health insurance and getting preventable care is something I worry about, and a lot of other young adults do too. In addition, I would like to see more done about the student loan debt in the U.S. and making college affordable. I also don’t see enough being done about the climate crisis and investing in renewable energy. It is a problem that has been pushed aside for so long and is now the responsibility of young adults.” – Alexandra Reyes Amaya, Colorado young adult