Dear John,
Young leaders in Kansas are stepping up.
Last week, MAP traveled to Topeka to partner with the Kansas Future Caucus for a moment of action. In a panel discussion titled “A More Collaborative Kansas: How Young Legislators Are Shaking Up Topeka,” the young legislators discussed their work in the state legislature and goals for the 2023 legislative session.
There is a profound culture shift taking place.
“The [Future Caucus] idea extends past the legislature... It’s giving people something higher to aspire to… Politics does not have to feel like it has for the past 4, 8, or 12 years… If it’s going to be a long term change, it’s got to be from this generation. It’s got to be from future leaders of our parties and the state, and that’s in this room,” said Rep. Rui Xu, the Democratic co-chair of the caucus during the panel.
“When I first came in, [the legislature] was very polarized. I would stay away from Democrats; that was ingrained in my mind, but that’s not how you get things done. That’s not how you get legislation passed… We are bringing back the fact that: I’m going to disagree with you in committee…. I disagree with you on a lot of things… But afterwards, let’s go get drinks or dinner and have a conversation,” said Rep. Blew, the Republican co-chair of the caucus.
Relationship-building is key to good policymaking. And the Kansas Future Caucus is the go to place where young legislators can find policy partners in the statehouse. Kansas is just one of MAP’s many points of proof that the Future Caucus model works. It creates a permission structure that unites legislators along their shared generational identity so they might transcend their partisan differences.
Learn more about how young legislators are shaking things up in Kansas by reading the full article and watching the recap video below:
