The Student Congress seeks to take seriously the participation of young people in the making of a democracy at a time of social, political and economic crisis. It is based on the following ideas:

• Recognizing the importance and validity of the experiential knowledge of young people and linking it with other types such as business, professional and academic knowledges in the community.
  
  
• Promoting a multiplicity of dialogues and seminar discussions across race, generations, gender, social class etc. in order to come up with the feasible policies.
  
  
• Putting students in contact with people at various stages of the learning/career process and thus allowing them to get specific information from those who are there now (junior college, university, various careers).
  
  
• Preparing high schools students to run for student government and eventually for public office or for leadership in their community by providing practical leadership experiences.

Contact information:

Francisco H. Vázquez, Ph. D., Director
Hutchins Institute for Public Policy and Community Action
Sonoma State University
1801 E. Cotati Avenue
Rohnert Park, CA 94928
Tel: 707-664-3185
Fax 707-664-4389
francisco.vazquez@sonoma.edu