By Sophie Cho, Annie Chen
On September 22nd, the Youth Entrepreneurship Society kicked off its first general meeting of the year with warm welcomes to new members, an in-depth analysis of public policy, and the introduction to the annual YES Launch. As our monthly speaker, UTD dean of the School of Economic, Political, and Policy Sciences Dr. Jennifer Holmes gave great insight on the process of enacting change in our communities; something many of our members inspire to do in the near future.
With opening statements by Sally Wang and a speaker introduction by Josephina Qiu, Dr. Jennifer Holmes began by emphasizing the importance of engaging in advocacy in the community, guiding us through the steps of creating a clear, executable plan for changing policy. First, she explained how to create impact goals that are both measurable and achievable, while making sure to consider our core values, the timeframe of execution and change, and the effect on other aspects of society. YES members learned how to find the right audience to advocate to; which involves deciding whether to tackle local, state or federal government, as well as the importance of using the media to spread awareness for the cause. Dr. Holmes followed up with the importance of timelines and noting holidays and events, as events corresponding to a cause are a great time to draw attention to that issue. With finding the right demographic also comes communicating to them effectively, whether through social media or physical campaigns. She notes that having a key message for advocacy in public policy is crucial for its success. In the active Q&A session after her insightful and thorough presentation, Dr. Holmes concluded with encouragement, emphasizing the impact of the youth. Pulling personal experience and ideas, she reminded YES members to be open and respectful when discussing policy with others, especially to family and friends. As tolerance and acceptance is what brings unity and positive change, a message that is often overlooked.
After a short break, orchestra liaisons Ashley Chen and Ted Ma presented a recap of the events the orchestra has performed at this year, with a beautiful video showcasing the orchestra’s hard work throughout the rehearsal process and performances. They began preparing last November, and have been performing at various occasions to promote music and YES to the local community. Next, officers Kathy Xia and Sophie Cho promoted the upcoming 5K Art Walk and Run by detailing their personal experience with participating. This annual run where artists perform along the route, helps to raise funds for the community and small business. Both officers recalled the fun and good spirit displayed by the 128 participants at last year’s Art Run, and urged those who hadn’t registered to do so.
Lastly, officers Allen Zhang, Matthew Tian, Bryan Tong, and Andy Xu introduced this year’s YES Launch business competition, giving an overview of the project, timeline, and areas of evaluation, as well as drawing from their past experiences to give helpful tips and advice to all of this year’s participants. The YES launch is a well-loved program where teams of members, guided by experienced mentors, create a business product and plan, pitching it at the End of Year Party to a panel of judges. To enhance the experience of this year’s launch, cumulative competitions will be included throughout each groups’ pitch progression, building up to the final presentation. With much to look forward to, the meeting concluded in high spirits and newfound knowledge on how to make even societal changes feasible.
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