LORENZO DE ZAVALA YOUTH LEGISLATIVE SESSION

2016 Participant Briefing Book

MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR LDZ EXPERIENCE

California LDZ June 19-26, 2016

University of San Diego San Diego, California

© 2016 National Hispanic Institute – All Rights Reserved

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2016 California LDZ Briefing Book

Table of Contents

1. Welcome Letter Page 3

2. The 2016 CALDZ Journey Page 4

3. Travel and Registration Information Page 8

4. The Full LDZ Experience Page 9

5. Rules and Guidelines Page 11

6. Official Program Checklist Page 14

7. About the Directors Page 15

8. Tentative Daily Schedule Page 16

9. LDZ Proposal Flowchart Page 18

10. Summary of Parliamentary Procedure and Terms Page 19

11. LDZ Proposal Template Page 21

12. LDZ Draft Constitution Page 25

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WELCOME TO THE 2016 CALIFORNIA LDZ

May 2016 Dear LDZer, Congratulations! You are one step closer to becoming a delegate for the 2016 CALIFORNIA LDZ. I remember the summer of 1997 so clearly. It was cheaper for me to fly a day early into Albuquerque and stayed with a family friend. On Sunday, he dropped me off at the university on his way to church. He wished me luck and I walked with my bags to registration. I was prepared for your traditional icebreakers and panel of guest speakers, but instead what I got was a roller coaster ride of having to make decisions, debate my opinions, learn to negotiate and make things happen. Nothing of the experience felt like school or traditional conference. It was an imagined world where learning happened through experience. As I get older and reflect on my personal life journey, there are few other experiences that I can point to that made as much of an impact on my development and growth as the LDZ. Almost every year I look back to my LDZ for reference points on how to act, make decisions, and truly collaborate with other bright people. A few months from now you will look back and realize how much you have grown, and reflect on the learning and friendships from your LDZ. I guarantee it! Enclosed in this packet are some pieces of information to help you prepare and make final arrangements for the LDZ. Two final pieces of information you will receive include formal instructions on preparing a personal proposal for submission and tools on how best to use the required text, Third Reality Revealed by Ernesto Nieto. Remember the LDZ is a game where you learn to navigate complex systems while trying to debate and propose policy ideas. If your aspiration is to one day become a world-class leader, then your future position will allow you to recommend, advise, and direct policies, whether they be in the public domain, a private corporation, local school, or even in your family. What future will you help shape and lead? Years from now, will you be enjoying a reality you impacted and helped shape, or will you live a life that was designed and built for you by others? The LDZ will push you to imagine the world you want to see and determine the community policies it will take for us to build that future. I know. It’s a lot to digest. Recognize that you have accepted because of your potential to do big things in your future, and in the community’s future. The LDZ is an experience that in addition to giving you tools to navigate a path of leadership, will also provide you with excellent hands on training in time management, organization, constituency management, reasoning and argumentation, and social learning skills that will aid you in almost any adult situation. You will also get a chance to have some one on one time with top colleges and make a new network of friends comprised of young scholars like you from across the hemisphere. We are excited to meet you and I congratulate you on sticking with the application process, meeting all the requirements, and making sure you are prepared and ready for the ride. The University of San Diego is an amazing campus, and a team of partners from university admissions and the education school are ready to welcome you! You will learn a little about the directors in this information packet and hopefully have most of your questions answered. Feel free to submit any questions or concerns to caldz@nhimail.com or call us at (512) 357-6137. Sincerely,

Julio Irving Cotto, LDZ ‘97 Senior Vice President and LDZ Director

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THE 2016 CALIFORNIA LDZ JOURNEY LDZ PARTICIPANT BRIEFING INFORMATION This booklet contains general information you need to prepare for your week at the LDZ including a general schedule, what to pack, rules of conduct, and special events. PLEASE READ EVERYTHING THOROUGHLY AND CONTINUE CHECKING YOUR EMAIL FOR ADDITIONAL PROGRAM INFORMATION. You are encouraged to take an ACTIVE role in the program and should determine what position you will pursue. Each LDZ offers you to take part in top leadership positions. Every student will take on a role such as Governor/President, Lt. Governor/Vice President/President of the Senate, Justice of the Supreme Court, Attorney, Senator, and Member of the House of Representatives. Appointed positions include Cabinet and Committee Chair. What I can assure you is that LDZ will not be like other conferences. The LDZ will not be like jeopardy or trivia type games you may play in school. While you may be reading about parliamentary procedure, running for governor, or making motions, I can also assure you that the experience you are about to attend is also not a government class or civics lesson. We are not interested in you running for office or being a future politician. However, we are interested in you becoming an active member of your community in the future that takes on leadership roles with the power of your ideas and your creativity. At the LDZ, you will spend more time trying to invent and imagine versus doing research or analyzing facts. At the LDZ, the leaders who emerge are those who can navigate the complexity of the game, build strong relationships and demonstrate a true ability to collaborate on a future project. During the LDZ experience, leadership lessons will not be learned by listening to the stories of experts or individuals with elevated titles. You will also receive little to no instruction on the rules of the game rather you will have to figure out on your own how to succeed. The lessons are based on the experiences you create for yourself. Staff members are there to ask you the tough questions that help you reflect on and evaluate your own experiences.

The General Convention Prior to your arrival you will file a draft of your official LDZ proposal/resolution. This is an idea you will work to rally support for and hopefully have it passed by the legislature and signed into actionable law by the LDZ Governor. When or if the delegation succeeds in accomplishing all the tasks of the General Convention, then all proposals will be considered by the elected legislature, executive branch, and reviewed by the LDZ judicial branch.

On the morning of the first full day you will begin the LDZ game with the first component known as the ‘General Convention’. It is this first experience where you have to start making your mark. The goal of the General Convention is for you the student delegation to adopt a constitution, form political parties with a clearly defined platform that outlines your legislative priorities. By the end of the second night, you will have a slate of candidates who will run for office. Part of this experience involves you as a delegate participating in determining the rules of the convention which includes the standards for candidacy, what method of voting will you use, how many candidates will you consider? As a delegate have a say in making these decisions and depending on how you vote determines how the game unfolds. You have to be quick, attentive, and focused to not only complete the challenges but also be a leader taking charge of the process. A draft constitution has been provided for you and you should come prepared to support or defend aspects of it. You may also feel free to propose changes in the language or even certain policies. This is step one of your convention. The next step is the creation of political parties that will each have a platform or legislative agenda explaining their priorities and proposed ideas for the future. Party formation is the process of organizing political parties that will channel support for particular ideas and resolutions. As a delegate, you will have the option of joining a party or establishing your own. In this process, political parties will have to converse and conclude their priorities and compile them into a stated platform. The party platform should give a clear direction for the types of resolutions/proposals that each party will prioritize and garner support for in the legislature. Leaders most qualified to ensure passage of legislation in line with or in support of the platform should be considered for office. After platforms are adopted, they will have to select their nominees for each elected and appointed position.

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2016 CALIFORNIA LDZ THE JOURNEY CONTINUED

Determining a slate of party candidates for elected and appointed office is the next phase through a Party Primary. The party primary process will result in a list of candidates who will participate in an election the following day. For one full day you will campaign, hear speeches, and get to make your final decision of who you want as your leadership. The General Convention comes to a close when the elected officials are announced then training begins. That evening staff volunteers work with you to give you coaching and training on the protocols, procedures, and agenda. The following day the legislative session begins.

Important Reading LDZ delegates are asked to read prior to their arrival Third Reality Revealed by Ernesto Nieto. The book can be purchased as an ebook at Smashwords.com or purchased as a paperback from NHI via your student account. Conduct a search for “Ernesto Nieto Third Reality Revealed.” Along with the game of the LDZ and proposal development process, the book is used as a tool to help students reflect. The book recounts a personal journey of self-change and development. LDZ in many ways is an experience in self-change and self-evaluation that acts as a rite of passage to becoming an adult leader. Some read this book as though it was an autobiography. Nothing could be farther from its intent. Third Reality is actually a collection of life stories that depict conditions at certain intervals of life, when we first become conscious of family, when we encounter death, when we question our identity, when we look with disbelieving eyes at life situations that are completely opposite of what we thought would happen, when we look at our inner selves for strength in really tough situations, when realizing that the success we seek is directly proportional to the energies and focus required of us, and when we stop looking around for someone to help us when we are our only and sole means of guiding our individual lives. Third Reality also allows us to make critical comparisons and distinctions between what we learned to believe, perceive, and sense at home and the contradictions of the "real world." Third Reality thinking provides us with a "third space" to mentally take inventory of the multiple issues that face us as humans with the intent of also paying close attention to the beliefs we bring into the game of life from the lessons given us by our loved ones, versus the beliefs and truths that exist outside the circles of our family and close friends. In the end, the book offers no answers. It limits itself to stand alone accounts of people, life experiences, and events that alter and change lives. There are lessons that are gained from reading these accounts, life long, important lessons. And if I were to take everything learned along the way of living life and skim it down to about 10 broad stroke lessons, they would be the following:

1. Family is the source of all strength on this earth and through which you celebrate and remember the past while also envisioning the future.

2. Dreams are only imagined outcomes that rarely become realities without the unceasing and determined effort of breathing life into them.

3. Death is an undeniable reality that must occur, so that others may be born and also allowed to live. 4. Wasting time is the misuse of a precious resource that eventually evaporates into thin air with nothing to

show for your efforts 5. Showing fear of challenges is common to the human experience, but allowing it to defeat and dominate

your spirit is an unmistakable sign of personal weakness in your makeup. 6. Being tough minded means not allowing defeat to hold you back as a result of disappointments, setbacks,

tragedies, discouragements, and barriers. 7. Success is only a temporary victory for the mountaintops in life you expect to reach. 8. Humility is a view of life that allows you to see yourself against the vastness of a universe in which you are

smaller than a speck of sand in its overall design. 9. Power without a moral and ethical compass to guide the way invariably becomes a root that breeds self-

importance and self-omnipotence. 10. Acceptance is the realization of only being an instrument with the opportunity to do good for others while

on the earth

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2016 CALIFORNIA LDZ THE JOURNEY CONTINUED

Getting Game Ready Why is this important? Leadership throughout the hemisphere requires the skills, knowledge, and capacities to influence, inspire, and imagine. The world is changing quickly and communities are transforming. Cultures and societies are intersecting and new economies are forming. Having the know how to navigate these worlds will be of major important to a future world leader. At the same time, not long from now you will be applying to college across the country or in a new setting. In some cases, the university may be larger than you home town. In other cases, the environment and teaching approach may be very different than what you have become used to in high school. How will you navigate new worlds in just a few months? Fast forward a few more years and you may be taking a new position with a global firm that employs thousands. How do you quickly standout? You may be interviewing for a competitive medical residency. How will you ensure yourself the best possible result? How will you be in control of the process?

The LDZ game challenges you in order to prepare you for the complexities of college, adulthood, and future leadership. By making strong grades we know that you have study habits, discipline, and motivation to do well. Now you have to apply your smarts by imaging future possibilities for yourself and the community. How do you want the world to look at age 26? How about age 36? Go even deeper – age 56? That’s almost 2056! The LDZ game is an experience designed to give you the tools to be one of the leaders around the table that helps shape, guide and build the future and not with your GPA and credentials but with your imagination and your ability to inspire others with opportunities and vision. Will you run for Governor? Will you ensure that your ideas make it to the Governor’s desk for adoption? Will your proposal be the one selected to represent the 2016 CALIFORNIA LDZ? Also ask yourself, what do you want to learn about leadership? How do you to grow this summer? What new skills do you want to learn or refine? What kind of image do you want to impress upon others that makes a memorable impact? We hope that from now to the summer you ask yourself these questions as the best means of getting game ready. At the program, have fun. Make new friends. Meet amazing volunteers who attend some of the world’s best institutions. At the college fair, make it a point to speak to every representative. Hopefully you do well and are awarded a top prize by the students. Do know this, this is only the beginning of many communications we hope to have with you as we watch you grow into a powerful world leader. Welcome to the NHI network, la familia de NHI.

About the Learning Experience Learning how to make ideas work appears easy for most young people. Some dream about a new business or invention that will make millions. Others think in smaller terms like finding a good paying job for the summer. Whatever the case may be, ideas are always plentiful to youth. The problem is that many dreams never get off the ground. They are short-lived thoughts, stored in the back of our minds as memories. Why is it that most ideas never really work? Why do they fail? Do ideas fail by the fault of the people trying to make them work, or is it defects in the ideas themselves? Volumes of books have been published on this subject, and many more will likely be written in the future. At the LDZ, one of the most important lessons you will take home with you is a much better understanding of how to make ideas work. Why is this lesson so important at this point in your life? The answers are obvious. Depending on whether you are a junior or a senior, you will make critical decisions about your future over the next five years. If you are a senior next fall, for instance, you will make decisions that may involve as much as $100,000 to $200,000 for your undergraduate and graduate studies. You may be leaving the security of home and family to live on a college campus 2,000 miles away from home. You may also have to travel to another country as part of your study abroad programs. Finally, you may be married in the next ten years and even have the responsibility of rearing your own children. Life offers no easy answers to some very difficult situations. How you react to these challenges, your capacities to plan ahead and stick with your strategies, and, most of all, how well you make your ideas work for you will largely determine your future happiness.

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2016 CALIFORNIA LDZ THE JOURNEY CONTINUED

These are some of the reasons we want you to share in the LDZ experience. We want you to spend an entire week learning how ideas emerge, how they are shaped, how they attract the interests of others, and how they seem to take on a life of their own. These are very important lessons for young people like yourself, who we expect to be successful, and to whom we will turn to for leadership in the future.

Learning Objectives of the LDZ The question most often asked by participants is “What am I here to learn?” The National Hispanic Institute’s infamous response is, “You are here to learn how to make your ideas work by mobilizing others to support your efforts.” If you think that coming to the LDZ is to learn about government and politics, then reconsider your expectations. There are enough programs around the nation that teach youth about government and the legislative process. The legislative segment of the LDZ is designed to provide students with a structure and means of testing their ideas on issues of importance to a growing U.S. and global Latino community. We want you to become more adept at making your ideas work by increasing your knowledge and understanding of organizations through governance. This is done through the following: a) Formal and informal structures b) Processes and procedures c) Personal/group strategies and tactics Providing the means through which you can learn about formal and informal structures in decision-making is an essential educational objective of your participation at the LDZ. At the program you will participate in conventions, caucuses, a student judicial system, a youth government, committees, youth political party organizations, and other environments where students discuss and plan solutions. This experience provides you with an understanding of how hierarchical structures impact outcomes; it also sheds light on the importance of networking to form your personal support system to represent your interests. For you as a high -achieving student, this is an important first step for your ideas to work. A second educational objective of the LDZ is to increase your understanding of formal processes and procedures. Most youth, for example, tend to lose focus and become bored when faced with using Robert’s Rules of Order (Attached at the end of the document) to conduct meetings. They often underestimate the importance that formal processes and procedures play in decision-making. The benefits of mastering these processes are: a) decision-making efficiency and time savings; and b) using technicalities to your advantage. Because Latinos traditionally emphasize informal personal relationships to achieve status, power, and influence, the use of formal processes and procedures is an additional tool to effectively promote your ideas. The third educational objective of the LDZ is to help you develop a better grip on utilizing different strategies and tactics to achieve personal and group goals. Most of the time, young people your age tend to think that credentials are the only important factors to compete or to be considered for an award, job, or top position in an organization. But what happens when all of the applicants have the same achievements and accomplishments? What happens when your ideas are the same as your competitors? This is where strategy and tactics come into play. Your participation at the LDZ will increase your understanding of public relations, persuasive speaking, negotiations, marketing, and name identification. Having a positive image does not happen by accident. It requires work, a sound public relations approach, saying the right thing at the right time, influencing others to see you as a person they can trust, speaking with conviction and authority, and constantly building relations with others. Remember, the more people you know, the more extensive your network of support and the more options you have for others to accept and follow your ideas.

Campaigning for Office Decide on the office you will seek prior to your arrival at the LDZ. The program is very fast-paced. Take every opportunity to present yourself as a serious candidate. You may bring buttons, posters, and/or ribbons for your campaign. Be creative and remember to market yourself uniquely. Think of various ways that people will remember you and your name.

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2016 CALIFORNIA LDZ TRAVEL AND REGISTRATION INFORMATION

ARRIVAL AT THE PROGRAM & REGISTRATION If you travel by air, do not wait at the gate of your arriving airline for someone to greet you. Please walk straight down to the “Baggage Claim” area to meet NHI staff waiting to pick you up. Look for NHI representatives wearing “LDZ” T-shirts and possibly signs. They are there to greet you, help you with your luggage and take you to the campus for registration. If for some reason your plane arrives late or you fail to connect with someone at the “Baggage Claim” area, contact the NHI staff number. Your parents will receive additional information for the “Parent Weekend Schedule” with important phone numbers to contact NHI and/or university staff when necessary. PLEASE MAKE SURE TO CONTACT YOUR PARENTS UPON ARRIVAL. If you arrive by bus, wait at the bus station for an NHI staff person to meet you and provide transportation services to the campus. And finally, if you travel to an LDZ site with parents, remember that the time of registration is indicated in the cover letter. It will identify the location of the LDZ Dorm, map to get to the campus along with the scheduled time of the Parent Orientation.

REGISTRATION/CHECKOUT TIMES & LOCATION Once on campus, you will officially be registered, be assigned a room, room key, meal card, and provided a full agenda for the week. Be careful not to lose your key or meal card because penalty fees are charged for these lost items by the university. At registration, you will be given other items such as an LDZ t-shirt, student training materials, and a student identification card that you are expected to wear at all times for clear viewing on your shirt, blouse, or coat for the remainder of the week. Once registered, you should take the opportunity to unpack, meet other students attending the program, and meet your senior counselor. Check your schedule of the week for the official opening session of the program. Please note that depending on arrival of students and distance from the airport at each host university, the official opening may be delayed a few hours. Afterwards, the program goes into full operation and you will see the week evaporate before your very eyes. Registration Times Registration/Checkout Location 10:00am – 3:00pm Palomar Courtyard Alcala Vista Apartments Checkout Times 10:30am – 12:30pm

TRAVELING BY AIR/TRAIN/BUS Upon arrival at airport or bus/train station:

1. Call your parents to let them know you arrived 2. Go to Baggage Claim or Waiting Area (Bus/Train) 3. Look for staff wearing NHI t-shirts with signs 4. Confirm your arrival with NHI staff 5. Staff will guide and escort you to the shuttle 6. Board bus/shuttle service to University of San Diego.

NHI’s Facebook page – http://www.facebook.com/NHIHQ will share pictures of the travel team the morning of the first day. When able, the program staff will also share hotline numbers to call at the airport and stations on Facebook. Also, the NHI main office in Maxwell, TX at 512-357-6137 will be open during the check in times to field messages from staff and families.

TRAVELING BY CAR Once you get to campus, check in with the visitor booth at the gate. They'll give you a map of campus and parking

information.

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2016 CALIFORNIA LDZ THE FULL EXPERIENCE

NOCHE CULTURAL - TALENT SHOW At the conclusion of the official business portion of the program on Friday, students will enjoy the final hours of the program as friends. Friday evening, NHI presents Noche Cultural – a student only talent show. We encourage students to demonstrate their talent by singing, playing musical instruments, dancing, reciting favorite poetry, etc. All presentations should be in good taste representing the diversity of talent and cultural expression among the LDZ participants.

AWARDS CEREMONY & BALL Attendance at the Saturday evening awards ceremony and ball is for LDZ participants and their families only. Attire is semi-formal to formal. Children under 12 must be accompanied and under the direct supervision of adults at all times.

PARENT WEEKEND SPECIAL EVENTS NHI warmly welcomes all parents, counselors, sponsors and friends to participate in the final weekend of the LDZ. The closing ceremonies of the legislature will be Friday at the University of San Diego. A College Fair, Awards Ceremony, and Governor’s Ball will be held on Day 7. The final event will be the Day 8 morning farewell ceremony of the LDZ. Please refer to the LDZ Parent Weekend Schedule for details and sites.

LDZ T-SHIRT & MERCHANDISE All students will receive a LDZ T-shirt at registration. This t-shirt is to be worn used on Thursday’s excursion outside of campus. The National Hispanic Institute will sell other items during the week. All proceeds of souvenir sale items are used to support youth leadership programs of the National Hispanic Institute.

THE LDZ COLLEGE FAIR At the five domestic programs and to a smaller extent at LDZ Las Americas, NHI brings students some our nation’s top colleges and universities. This year, NHI expects over one hundred institutions to join NHI’s College Register. Each summer, a number of representatives gather at each of the five LDZ sites to personally meet with students and parents to answer questions pertaining to admission, financial aid, academic majors, and housing. The college fair is private and only for LDZ delegates and their families. You will have an entire afternoon to meet and interact with both small and large institutions. You will also be able to recognize the difference between a liberal arts and comprehensive education. It is up to you to spend the time critically examining your future options. Do not go to the College Fair with your mind made up on the college you want to attend. You never know what special gifts you will find along the way by spending a few extra moments asking key questions and nurturing relations. Who knows, you may come out of the fair with a different frame of reference! Many years ago, NHI president, Ernesto Nieto, was at a church retreat in Kerrville, Texas, during the summer. He was dissatisfied with the social atmosphere of the university he was attending, but felt compelled to remain there because of the basketball scholarship that had been awarded to him. During a break, Ernesto decided to do a quick “shoot around.” A minister, who was walking nearby, watched him for several moments and inquired whether or not he was playing basketball in college. That brief encounter ended up with him attending Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, on a full athletic scholarship. The rest is history. In other words, don’t settle only for what you see, read, or are told by your advisors. Keep an open mind. Listen carefully and you may end up attending a college or university that will mean much more to your personal development than a degree. Now you see why the LDZ College Fair is organized only for you. We want you to take full advantage of being one-on-one with our nation’s best.

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2016 CALIFORNIA LDZ THE FULL EXPERIENCE

CELEBRACIÓN If a student at the LDZ receives an award, an automatic bid is issued to attend Celebración in McAllen, Texas in November 2016. Celebración is an annual showcase event of NHI that invites the top students who attend its leadership programs during the summer. Conducted at the McAllen Convention Center in the Texas Rio Grande Valley, nearly 900 youth from throughout the United States and several Latin American countries will be in attendance. Unlike regular NHI summer programs, there is no tuition. However, there is a registration fee of approximately $425 that covers the hotel, food, and special events. Parents are also welcomed to attend an event that features three national competitions, workshops on leadership development, and an awards dinner for NHI alumni who are making a difference in the lives in the community through service to others. Overall, nearly 2,000 people are expected to be in attendance to an event where the participants will meet city officials, attend concerts, and enjoy making friends with peers from throughout the Latino world. So make plans to have your child in attendance if he/she is an award recipient or a special nominee pick. For more information on Celebración, email Julio Cotto at jcotto@nhimail.com.

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2016 CALIFORNIA LDZ

RULES & GUIDELINES LDZ – NO TOLERANCE RULE We do not invite youth who want to make life hard on others. If it happens, however, we are always ready to respond. If a student takes unlawful drugs or consumes alcohol at the LDZ, parents are immediately informed and the students are turned over to the local police and arrested. They are also removed from NHI rosters and are never allowed to participate in future NHI programs. Smoking is also not permitted, nor is foul language, fighting, or hazing of other students. The spirit of the LDZ is one of placing students in positive and nurturing environments. Anything short of those goals is neither permitted nor tolerated.

HEALTH & SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS It is the responsibility of the student and parents to advise the National Hispanic Institute of recent medical and safety concerns prior to registration at the summer LDZ. In the event of a recent change in the medical condition of the student, such as a contagious ailment, the family should inform NHI immediately. In such cases, clearance by a physician is required before registration at the LDZ program site. It is in the interest of all students and families to also inform NHI of any other behavior or incidents (such as drug use or pregnancy) that may adversely affect the participation of the individual student or other participants. Families are held liable for withholding information that may affect the health and safety of participants. Students on doctor-prescribed medication should notify NHI during registration.

FIREARMS, LIQUOR, & DRUGS Firearms, liquor, and drugs are strictly forbidden while participating in the LDZ. Possession of such items constitutes grounds for immediate dismissal and notification to local authorities. Parents are contacted to make immediate travel arrangements for their son or daughter.

VIDEO/AUDIO RECORDING & CELL PHONE USE It is prohibited for students to video/audio record any part of the LDZ program. Only parents are allowed to videotape Awards Ceremony and Governor’s Ball and Closing Ceremony. In addition, it is prohibited for students to use cell phones during any official business segments of the LDZ, or claim exemption from group sessions with counselors or any official meeting to visit on the telephone. Not abiding by these rules are grounds for confiscation of equipment.

HOUSING QUARTERS Living quarters are separate for males and females. Students are required to respect all rules and regulations of the university dormitories, especially the RESTRICTION of females in male dormitories and males in female dormitories. Refer to the list of items you need to bring for your dorm room. All items are listed in the checklist section.

TRAVEL The National Hispanic Institute provides all in-town (local) transportation once students arrive to the program. Transportation is also provided for students arriving to and departing from plane/bus terminals from out of town for a $40 transportation fee. In making travel arrangements, students should provide for a two (2) hour travel time between the airport and the university as students are checked in, gathered, and boarded.

LDZ BOUNDARIES The boundaries of the Lorenzo de Zavala Youth Legislative Session are limited to the activity areas of the campus. Participants are NOT allowed off the campus premises except for authorized or supervised trips involved with the LDZ program. Violations are cause for immediate dismissal. This includes leaving the dorms after curfew hours. All off-campus activities are fully supervised by NHI Senior Staff.

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RULES & GUIDELINES CONTINUED DAMAGES TO UNIVERSITY PROPERTY The property where you are staying belongs to the university. All students are held responsible for damages they incur and are billed accordingly by NHI. Damages are assessed for tampering with fire systems, equipment, or emergency call systems; removal or tampering of window screens; missing linens; lost keys and meal cards (if applicable). When checking into your room, immediately report existing damages to your counselor. All participants are expected to keep their rooms and beds in order at all times.

PERFORMANCE OF DUTIES Each person is required to participate in ALL scheduled events including recreation and exercise. Students may be excused with a doctor’s statement if personal restrictions prohibit their participation in physical activities.

MEALS Meals are scheduled three times daily. Depending on the university, each student is issued a meal card or wristband. Lost meal cards must be paid for by students prior to departure from the LDZ program site. The only meal exception students must purchase is dinner on Thursday if an evening excursion is scheduled. The first scheduled meal is dinner on Day 1. We suggest that you pack a snack for your trip to the LDZ, eat lunch before arriving to the LDZ program site, and have money available for your return trip meals. The final meal guaranteed is breakfast on the final day.

SAFETY DEPOSIT FACILITIES In the event that students wish to leave their plane tickets with NHI staff for safe-keeping, they can turn them in at registration. These items are to be given back at check-out, prior to departure. REFRAIN from bringing valuables to the program. NHI is not responsible for items that are lost, stolen, or damaged at the program.

KEY DEPOSITS

A key deposit of $20.00 is required of all students. This deposit is refunded at checkout when keys are returned. Students are responsible for paying for any lost keys prior to their departure from the program. Students should insure safekeeping of their personal belongings and money at all times. NHI does not assume responsibility for lost items.

HOSPITAL & MEDICAL ATTENTION Hospital and medical attention are available around the clock. General inquiries about students feeling sick are held daily. Illness should be reported at first sick call. The LDZ carries Group Camp Insurance on all registered participants NOT COVERED by their own insurance. Students covered by family insurance are asked to reimburse NHI for medical expenses incurred. NHI encourages students to drink lots of water throughout the program to avoid dehydration.

UNIVERSITY & EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS Parents should record the appropriate telephone number of the LDZ host university the student will attend. These numbers are located on the Parent Weekend Schedule that is sent to each student. The NHI office may also be contacted at 512-357-6137 for these numbers. NHI Office hours at the central office are 9:00am - 6:00pm Central Standard Time, USA. While at the program, messages may be left with the Operations Director to be given out to students daily at (951) 892-0961.

VISITORS Visitors are not allowed during the LDZ with the exception of the Parents Weekend activities. Visitors to the Texas LDZ in Georgetown are welcome to observe from the gallery of the state capitol House and Senate chambers on Wednesday through Friday. Other LDZs may be observed through the guidance of the On-Site Program Director as long as no interference occurs. This policy is in place for the safety of all students and volunteers participating in the LDZ.

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2016 CALIFORNIA LDZ

RULES & GUIDELINES CONTINUED ATTIRE Clothing should be sufficient to last you the entire week. Sports clothing should be used for recreational or informal events only. No shorts or sandals are permitted during official sessions. Scheduled meetings with guests, college recruiters and events such as the Legislative Session and Party Primary require business attire/clothing. Gentlemen must wear ties and/or coats. Ladies are encouraged to wear conservative business attire, preferably dresses or suits. All participants are expected to look neat, conservative, and well groomed at all times.

LUGGAGE FOR THE LDZ We ask that you plan your attire for the week and do not over pack! Each student is limited to ONE average size suitcases (less than 50 pounds for most commercial airlines) and ONE carryon bag. You may want to bring a travel iron. Pack items that can be easily coordinated. This is especially important for those students who are traveling by airline because of luggage limitations or luggage fees.

THE AWARDS CEREMONY & GOVERNOR’S BALL The Awards Ceremony and Governor’s Ball is a semi-formal to formal event. Ladies, if you have a formal dress, or can borrow one, please bring it. Tea length dresses are also popular. Young men are encouraged to wear suits. Due to insurance restrictions, an adult must accompany any child under the age of 12 for the Awards Banquet or Governor’s Ball.

CURFEW Curfew is based on the length of time involved in each major activity of the day. Because of the intensity of the program, we ensure that all students and staff volunteers receive adequate rest. Every effort is made to make the week enjoyable. For this to happen, one of the few rules that MUST be observed is to end each program of the day at a designated time. We ask that students adhere to this requirement in the spirit of cooperation for the benefit of all involved with the LDZ, as well as the other students enrolled in the university attending summer school. In some university towns, NHI must also abide by a city curfew for minors. Leaving the dorms after curfew hours is strictly prohibited.

RECREATION Recreation is required daily. Everyone must participate in recreational activities unless they cannot due to medical reasons. The university may also open facilities for tennis, racquetball, baseball, soccer, and weight lifting. Please bring your own sports clothing and accessories. We highly encourage you to bring at least one pair of comfortable gym or athletic shoes and not solely rely on sandals and formal shoes only.

ABSENCE Absence from the any session of the LDZ is strictly prohibited. From the moment a student registers until the Closing Ceremonies, the activity schedule is filled. Do not make requests that cannot be granted. If you are making plans to be gone temporarily with a parent/guardian, NHI must receive a signed parent permission slip at registration and confirmed with the On-Site Program Director.

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2016 CALIFORNIA LDZ

OFFICIAL PROGRAM CHECK LIST

REQUIRED ITEMS & CHECK LIST • $20.00 KEY DEPOSIT (Check or Cash) o IMPORTANT NOTE: If key is NOT returned prior to departure on June 29 (lost key, misplaced, etc.), the key

deposit will not be returned and the family will be billed the remaining replacement fee for the room key. Families that do not submit a key deposit will be billed for the full amount to replace a lost or damaged key.

• MEDICAL & PARENT RELEASE FORM (Please check your account online or confirm with NHI) • MEDICATION PERMISSION LETTER – Please e-mail letter with details along with parent signature to

caldz@nhimail.com by June 1, 2016. (Please put Medication Permission in Subject Title)

• NHI 3rd Reality Revealed eBook – Purchase as an ebook at https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/311359 or purchase the paperback version at Amazon.com or the CreateSpace.com store.

DRESS CODE – CLOTHING

• Sleep attire • Socks/Hose • Sneakers, Heels, Flats & Dress shoes • Dress Code: LDZ students are showcased as the best and brightest of the Latino community. Students must

dress accordingly during sessions and activities. Student may change into casual attire every day in evenings after sessions and program activities. The dress code during sessions & activities is as follows:

• Business Casual Attire: khakis/slacks/dress skirt with dress shirt (3 days) • Business Formal Attire: MALES: suit/blazer or slacks & tie/dress shirt with dress shoes;

FEMALES: slacks/dress skirt & dress shirt or dress top/dress with closed-toe shoes (3 days) • Casual Attire: T-shirts, jeans, shorts, polos, sneakers, etc. (NO short shorts, NO tight shirts, NO

baggy pants, NO profanity/ inappropriate language on clothing.)

Day 1-Business Casual Day 4 – Business Formal Day 7 – Business Formal Day 2-Business Formal Day 5 – Business Casual Day 8 – Casual Day 3-Business Formal Day 6 – Business Casual

DORMITORY ITEMS & LINENS SOME LINENS PROVIDED - bed sheets and bath towel WILL BE provided by.

Do Not Forget To Bring… • Toiletries (shampoo, soap, toothpaste/brush, sunscreen, deodorant, brush/comb)

• Flip Flops/Shower shoes

Other/Optional Items • Pillow

• Blanket

• Hair Dryer • Camera/Film/Memory Card/Batteries/Charger • Cell Phone Charger • Iron/Steamer • Excursion Dinner Money – this is for the evening at Belmont Park www.belmontpark.com • SPENDING MONEY (Optional): Students may choose to order pizza or food in the late evenings,

purchase snacks at vending machines, or buy USD apparel or NHI gear (t-shirts, backpacks, etc.). We Discourage Students From Bringing:

• Computers, iPads, Gaming Systems, or any other expensive technology

• Expensive jewelry IMPORANT NOTE: NHI is not responsible for lost items

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2016 CALIFORNIA LDZ

ABOUT THE DIRECTORS THE CALIFORNIA LDZ DIRECTORS At every LDZ, the National Hispanic Institute identifies and active alumni from its extensive alumni database to act as the LDZ Education Director. These volunteers are active in community life and annually contribute towards the advancement of the National Hispanic Institute through leadership service. We are pleased to announce the 2016 California LDZ Education Directors are Luis Guillermo Gonzalez and Olivia Travieso.

San Antonio, Texas native Luis Guillermo Gonzalez, Esq. has been a consistently active member of NHI since his participation in the 1998 Texas Ambassador Great Debate. He participated in the 1999 Texas LDZ and was elected Speaker of the House. The following year he became an All-Star at the 2000 Texas Collegiate World Series. Beginning in the fall of 1998 with the local Great Debate, he became part of the original group that grew the San Antonio Great Debate project which recently won the 2013 Texas Ambassador Great Debate. Luis is still very involved with Great Debate freshmen in San Antonio but regularly consults and participates in the LDZ. As an undergraduate at Stanford University, Luis become the youngest Secretary of State in the history of the LDZ and was instrumental to taking the LDZ

to Puerto Rico and Mexico. A graduate of the University of Texas at Austin Law School, Luis has a private legal practice in San Antonio where he conducts a lot of work abroad and with new entrepreneurs. He also is a member of the founding team of Our Community, Inc., a company he started with his brother and NHI associates that focuses on working with companies and organizations in designing and implementing strategic and coordinated efforts that benefit and develop the local community.

A longtime friend and business associate of Luis, Olivia Travieso is also a founding member and co-owner of Our Community, Inc. in her native San Antonio. She is also a Real Estate Investment Analyst with Travieso Properties and is currently the Coordinator of at Brooks Academy of Science and Engineering a charter school academy in San Antonio. Since her first participation with the 2001 Texas LDZ and the 2002 Texas CWS, Olivia has always answered the call to lead and volunteer. Olivia has been a member of teams at NHI that have opened new programs and major international events like Celebración. A graduate of Southwestern University, Olivia had the opportunity to study abroad and work with enterprising businesses in South America and Mexico. She also holds a Master of Public Affairs from the Lyndon B. Johnson School at the

University of Texas at Austin. There she also completed the LBJ School Portfolio Program in Nonprofit Studies through the RGK Center of Philanthropy and Community Service. A former Dean of Women, Onsite Director, and Education Director, Olivia will serve as the co-Education Director. Victoria Sanchez is also from San Antonio, Texas and a sophomore at St. Mary’s University. She is an alumna of the Great Debate, LDZ, CWS, and this year was a John F. Lopez, Jr. Research and Management Fellow with NHI’s home office and locally with NHI at San Antonio working on recruitment, outreach, and operations support. Senior Counselors are undergraduate or graduate students who spend nine days on campus for the LDZ. They arrive early for additional certification and development training. They also work to prepare the arrival and set up for the program. Each Senior Counselor is assigned a gender-based group of 10-15 LDZ students to work with and mentor throughout the week. Make sure your child shares the contact information of their Senior Counselor. You can find out the group you are in by the colored circle that will be on your name badge at registration. This year’s SCs are from Texas Tech University, University of Texas at El Paso, University of San Diego, the United States Naval Academy, University of California at Santa Cruz, University of Houston, California State University San Marcos, St. Mary’s University (TX), University of Texas at Austin, and Grand Canyon U niversity. California LDZ On-Site Director caldz@nhimail.com / (951) 892-0961 Note: Please contact this phone number to leave messages for your son or daughter or in the event of an emergency.

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2016 CALIFORNIA LDZ

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE

Sunday, June 19, 2016 10:30 AM – 4:00 PM Official Student Registration 11:00 AM – 1:30 PM Parent Orientation 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM Boxed Lunch 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM Official Opening and Welcome 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM Dinner 7:30 PM – 10:30 PM LDZ Orientation 11:00 PM Lights Out

Monday, June 20, 2016 6:00 AM – 7:00 AM Jazzercise Aerobics 7:30 AM – 8:30 AM Breakfast 8:30 AM – 1:00 PM General Convention 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM Lunch 2:00 PM – 6:30 PM General Convention 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM Dinner 7:30 PM – 10:00 PM General Convention 10:00 PM Evening SC Meetings 11:00 PM Lights Out

Tuesday, June 21, 2016 6:00 AM – 7:00 AM Jazzercise Aerobics 7:30 AM – 8:30 AM Breakfast 8:30 AM – 12:00 PM General Convention 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM Supreme Court Training 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM Lunch 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM General Convention 4:00 PM – 6:30 PM Legislative, Executive, and Judicial Training 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM Dinner 8:00 PM – 10:00 PM Legislative, Executive, and Judicial Training 10:15 PM Evening SC Meetings 11:00 PM Lights Out

Wednesday, June 22, 2016 7:30 AM – 8:30 AM Breakfast 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM Joint Sessions and Opening Ceremonies 9:30 AM – 1:00 PM Youth Legislative Session 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM Lunch 2:00 PM – 6:30 PM Youth Legislative Session 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM Dinner 7:30 PM – 10:00 PM Youth Legislative Session 10:15 PM Evening SC Meetings 11:00 PM Lights Out

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2016 CALIFORNIA LDZ

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE CONTINUED

Thursday, June 23, 2016 7:30 AM – 8:30 AM Breakfast 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM Joint Sessions and Opening Ceremonies 9:30 AM – 1:00 PM Youth Legislative Session 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM Lunch 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM Youth Legislative Session 4:00 PM – 10:00 PM Excursion 10:15 PM Evening SC Meetings 11:00 PM Lights Out

Friday, June 24, 2016 7:30 AM – 8:30 AM Breakfast 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM Joint Sessions and Opening Ceremonies 9:30 AM – 1:00 PM Youth Legislative Session 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM Lunch 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM Youth Legislative Session 4:00 PM – 6:30 PM Closing Ceremonies and Final Supreme Court Trial 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM Dinner 8:00 PM – 11:00 PM Noche Cultural (Talent Show) 11:30 PM Evening SC Meetings 12:30 AM Lights Out

Saturday, June 25, 2016 8:00 AM – 9:00 AM Breakfast 9:30 AM – 10:45 AM University Presentation 10:45 AM – 12:45 PM “How to Become a JC” 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM Lunch 2:30 PM – 4:00 PM College Fair 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM Free Time/Pack/Relax 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM Dinner 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM Awards Ceremony 9:00 PM – 11:30 PM Governor’s Ball 11:30 AM Lights Out

Sunday, June 26, 2016 8:00 AM – 9:00 AM Breakfast 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM Closing and Circle of Love 10:30 AM Dorm Check Out 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM Departures

18

FIRST READING (Number, Author, Title

only)

SIGNED INTO LAW

Final Passage (2/3 vote is required)

THIRD READING (Usually just a formality)

Passed as written (Simple majority)

SECOND READING & FLOOR DEBATES

Passed out of Committee (Simple Majority Required)

Amendments (Submitted in writing; needs

a 2/3 majority)

Passed with Amendments (Needs a 2/3 majority)

Killed or Tabled in Committee (Keep trying!!!)

Defeated (Goes back to committee)

A 2/3 majority vote by both houses can override the

Governor’s/President’s veto

Vetoed

Not signed

Sent to the Governor/President after

passing both houses

Amendments (Submitted in writing; needs a 2/3 majority)

Passed with Amendments (Needs a 2/3 majority)

Defeated (Goes back to committee)

Sent to Second Chamber

for Consideration

ASSIGNMENT TO COMMITTEE

(The Speaker and Lt. Governor make assignments

2016 CALIFORNIA LDZ HOW A LDZ PROPOSAL

BECOMES A LAW (ILLUSTRATED)

19

2016 CALIFORNIA LDZ SUMMARY OF

PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURES

Order of Precedence Can Interrupt Require Vote

Speaker? Second? Debatable? Amendable? Required? Privileged Motions

1. Adjourn No Yes No No Majority 2. Recess No Yes No No Majority 3. Question of Privilege Yes No No No No Vote Subsidiary Motions

4. Postpone Temporarily Yes No No No Majority (Lay on Table) 5. Vote Immediately No Yes No No 2/3 (Previous Question) 6. Limit Debate No Yes No Yes 2/3 7. Postpone Definitely No Yes No Yes Majority 8. Refer to Committee No Yes Yes Yes Majority 9. Amend No Yes Yes Yes Majority

1

10. Postpone Indefinitely No Yes Yes No Majority Main Motions

11. a. General Main Motion No Yes Yes Yes Majority2

b. Specific Main Motion Yes Yes Yes No Majority3

Reconsider No Yes Yes No Majority Rescind No Yes No No Majority Resume Consideration No Yes No No Majority Create Orders No Yes Yes Yes Majority Incidental Motions

Appeal the Decision of the Chair Yes Yes Yes No Majority Point of Order Yes No No No No Vote Point of Inquiry (Rules) Yes No No No No Vote Point of Information (Proposal) No No No No No Vote Withdraw a Motion No No No No No Vote Suspend Rules No Yes No No 2/3 Object to Consideration Yes No No No 2/3 Division of a Question No No No No No Vote Division of Assembly Yes No No No No Vote

NOTES 1. Amendment must be made in writing and requires a 2/3 majority during Third Readings. 2. Requires a 2/3 majority during Third Reading and 4/5 if Proposal was assembled during Third Reading. 3. Motion to reconsider must be made by a Person who voted on the winning side of the question to be reconsidered.

20

2016 CALIFORNIA LDZ PARLIAMENTARY TERMS

Addressing The Chair: Madame Chairman, Mr. Chairman, Ms. President, Mr. President Announcing The Vote: Affirmative votes announced first, negative second, regardless of the outcome of the notion. Appeals: Challenge to a ruling of the Chair Ballots: Slips of paper for voting Carried: Same as passed or adopted when referring to outcome of a motion Caucus: Private session in advance of a scheduled meeting Chair, Chairman: The presiding member Chairman Protem: Pro Tempore for the time being. S/he is also addressed as Madame Chairman or Chairman Convene: Open a session Ex Officio: From office; by right of office Holding The Floor: Recognized by chair and thus entitled to speak Immediately Pending Question: The question next to be acted on; the last proposed. In Order: Correct according to parliamentary procedure Majority: More than half of those voting Minutes: Written record of business transacted Motion: A proposal to do something Nominate: To propose a name for office Obtaining The Floor: To secure permission to speak Old Business: Unfinished business of last meeting Orders Of The Day: The agenda for the day Parliamentarian: Parliamentary advisor to presiding officer Pending Question: An indisposed motion Plurality: Not a majority, but more votes than any other single candidate received Point of Information: Request for information concerning a motion Point of Order: Challenge to error in procedure Precedence: Rank, coming first or ahead of Previous Question: Immediate vote requested without further discussion Proposal: Motion beginning with “Proposed” Proxy: A person authorized to vote for another Quorum: Number of members required to be present to conduct business Recognize: Nodding to or calling name of member by chairman Restricted Debate: Argument limited strictly to motion immediately pending Second: To indicate support of motion saying, “I second the motion.” Slate: List of candidates Viva Voce: By voice Yield: Give way to (another motion or speaker)

21

2016 CALIFORNIA LDZ THE LDZ PROPOSAL

Part of the challenge of serving as an LDZ delegate is being charged to imagine future societies, reimagine communities, propose new perspectives, and inject new thought into community conversation. NHI as a leadership development organization believes that providing bright youth opportunities to harness their skills, capacities, and knowledge they are able to make a more positive impact in society beyond achieving academic, professional, or financial success. LDZ advances your leadership by placing you in a game where participants who succeed are those who master procedure and protocol, have a command of organizational culture and human relationships, learn to negotiate and compromise, but mostly have inspiring ideas and motivating projects that call for support and engagement. As a delegate, you must submit a resolution/proposal prior to your arrival at the LDZ and make sure you are prepared to start rallying support for your ideas. Whereas other experiences and school often ask you to take a look at current events or to study the past, NHI challenges its young leaders to think deep into the future and imagine the possibilities. In some cases, delegates take what they have imagined and act on it as they get older. Delegations for 2016 will be challenged to imagine proposals/resolutions that make leadership integral to the development of youth in Latino communities throughout the Americas. Leaders are required to help deconstruct and analyze big challenges. Leaders invent new products that spawn new industries and economies. Leaders are needed in order to help communities and school reimagine the learning required to prepare children for the coming decades and the eventual 22nd century. NHI contends that communities throughout the hemisphere would benefit from a new, growing generation of community leaders. These benefits would make an impact if leadership were to become a fundamental and central part of a young person’s development and learning. This is NHI’s reason for challenging you to adopt this focus. A lot of advancements can be made and communities can be reimagined through an investment in leadership. Your goal is be to present an initiative, project, campaign, initiative, product, movement, etc. that makes leadership integral to a young community member’s learning and development. How you go about it is where you can start to get very creative and anchor the idea in something you are passionate about. Leadership is relevant to any culture, community, organization, institution, country, or company. Young people, especially bright ones also have a wide range of interests. So have fun making a connection between an area of personal interest and the theme of making leadership integral. What could you do in the area of health? How about technology? What opportunities existing to promote the 2016 LDZ theme through the arts, culture, or even education? In addition to promoting the theme you must also make sure to follow principles of community social entrepreneurship. In thinking about the future, you must imagine yourself as a leader that presents a new vision of the future. Think about your local community. Think about your state. Think about the community that you want to see. Do not put yourself in a problem-solving role or a “fixing” role. Rather, try to imagine possibilities. How do you want the community to be? What community beliefs do you want to the Latino community to adopt? Do you want the community to see itself as enterprising? As creative? As hemispheric? What should be our priorities? What should be the concepts, ideas, and projects that 21st century leaders offer? The next question to ponder is – how do you make this happen? You need a means of rooting your new ideas and beliefs in the community. This is the project aspect of your proposal. NHI’s mission of developing a new generation of leaders form Latino communities throughout the Americas is made possible by employing a strategy called community social entrepreneurship (CSE). While it has elements of, it is not what is commonly known as ‘social entrepreneurship.’ Aside from other factors, the key difference is that participants are both the investors and beneficiaries but also the work and the design all come from within the community. The principles and definition are outlined in the LDZ constitution draft which will be subject to adoption by your delegation. Many strategies for change or community development models have been historically based on social advocacy and social reform movements. What makes CSE unique is that the resources required to execute the resolution/proposal have to come from the existing community. It also requires the community to look inward and determine its own outcomes and its own direction. The community has a 360-degree participation and benefit through CSE. Other approaches have principles that require negotiating with entities outside of the community or seeking the resources outside of the community. The CSE approach calls for a particular type of proposal to be designed. The community at hand is the NHI community of learners and leaders. You are a member

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2016 CALIFORNIA LDZ THE LDZ PROPOSAL CONTINUED

of the NHI community by having either started your leadership journey with us at the Great Debate as a freshman or being a delegate at the LDZ. Remember, NHI has 80,000 members who just like you started their leadership development in high school through an experience like LDZ. You will find the CSE principles included in the draft of your LDZ Constitution. We caution you of approaching this as a ‘problem-solving’ exercise. You will learn quickly that at the LDZ, we rarely if ever talk about problems, negative aspects of the community, or as we sometimes calls them, ‘deficits’. Instead, our challenge is for you to create opportunity. The challenge is to build something new. Build upon the ‘good’ and the ‘value’ that exists in yours and other Latino communities throughout the hemisphere. It may present itself as a much harder task than fixing a problem or looking for a solution to a riddle. The leader we hope to work with is one that thinks forward and in the future as opposed to looking at the right now or never getting out of examining the past. Your proposal when entered at the LDZ will follow a process briefly explained in this information. The best ideas move on. Others are worked on, revised, or in some cases put aside for their merits or content. Our advice? Think about something that is important to you within the Latino community, your local one or one you have some familiarity with. How would you advance that community? What area of its makeup would you want to focus on and expand the base of opportunities? Do not worry too much about money or the nuts and bolts of how. Right now, just imagine. Remember you will only submit a summary and use the first days of LDZ to draft the actual proposal. The Latino community throughout the hemisphere is quite vast, has different geographies, natural resources, products, human talent, the list goes on and on. If you were sitting at the table of leaders that will make major decisions that impact the future, what idea would you throw out for consideration? NHI is a network of 80,000 alumni of which 99% attend college, 90% attended some of the very top, selective schools. How would you leverage the NHI organization and membership to make your proposal come to life? Involve your parents, siblings, and community members in this exploration from now to the summer. What is it they imagine? What are new policies that have made life better for them than their youth? What are policies and ideas that did not really benefit anyone? When you have something, jot down some notes and submit a 1-2 page summary explaining your idea. Make sure to name your proposal. Take about what it will do in the community, what are the assets you will leverage and build this project on and most important how we all will benefit from adopting your proposal 20, 30, 40 years from now.

One last thing to think about regarding your proposal is this. The only caveat or “restriction” is that you need to figure out how the entire student delegation will have a role in helping you carry out your proposal. So you have to think big, but you have to think big about something that you and your fellow LDZers can make happen in a year. This year, we want to challenge the LDZ delegations to pass and adopt proposals that they all want to take an active role in executing. You have until Tuesday of the program at 6:00 PM to enter your final version but make sure that at minimum you show up with a draft on Day 1. Include with this document is the final draft of the LDZ proposal format for you to use.

The Format Thinking of NHI as a proposal, Ernesto Nieto, president and founder, wanted to create a new belief in the world about young Latinos. He was tired of constant images of Latinos as negative and deficient. That Latino youth were teen moms. That Latino youth were delinquents. That Latino youth were drop outs. That Latino youth were the labor force for the future. He wanted for people to see and start to believe something else. Have a fuller picture and recognize the promise and assets as well. He wanted the image of the future Latino to be one of an individual who values academic excellence, creative and innovative thinking, embraces a greater transnational Latino culture, and focuses more on the future and less on reforming the past. In order to make his proposal a reality he needed a means of promoting this concept. His response was to create a learning institute that would develop young leaders for Latino communities of the future. This institute would have summer learning experiences that invited the very best minds to college campuses to develop their leadership skills and capacities by contemplating big, broad questions

23

2016 CALIFORNIA LDZ THE LDZ PROPOSAL CONTINUED

about the future. The method would be game based and interactive. And the staff would be young people slightly older, students in college or graduate school. Fast forward 36 years and here we are. Now you see NHI alumni in the business, educational, political, arts, and community services world’s leading with new perspectives and new ideas. NHI alumni are regarded as some of the most creative people in the Latino community. NHI alumni have reputations for being able to handle large volumes of work and tackle challenges creatively and in a collaborative way. In many communities and colleges, “NHI” and “NHIers” are associated with words like excellence, rigor, ambition, service, imagination, and innovative. Universities have even created scholarships for NHIers after all these years due to the belief about the talent among Institute members like you. It all started much like your proposal. An idea. The next challenge was how to disseminate this belief and concept to people so that it takes root and has a long lasting impact. Lastly, what are the little features and nuances that will make it stand out, unique, and attractive to people so that they want to support your idea? Yet, you also need a theme to give you focus. In the case of Ernesto Nieto, the “NHI proposal” was related to youth, leadership, and also education. There are many social issues and opportunities in a variety of different areas of focus for you to think about when you think about the Latino community of the future. Remember, your challenge is to create something that promotes making leadership an integral part of a young person’s life.

Section 1 – Preamble As the form says, this is the overall purpose for presenting this proposal. It is the reason for the proposal being important. Think about the United States of America’s constitution. It begins with a preamble, “We the people, in order to…(what the people want)…do ordain and establish this Constitution for…(the action)…”. This sets up the whole proposal. It should be brief but outline the purpose, guiding principles, and deeper intent behind the proposal.

Section 2 – Background Information In the form it uses the word ‘rationale’. This is your logic and reasoning for putting this whole idea together. This could be where you can cite some statistics, provide some history, or refer to a trend you see. An example would be, “The Latino population in the United States is slated to be the largest ethnic group by the year 2060.” Another would be, “More and more Latinas are becoming entrepreneurs and fueling the economy.” In the case of Ernesto and NHI as a proposal, some of the background information would have been, “The fastest growing sector of the U.S. is Latino youth population” and “in a post-Civil Rights U.S. there are fewer Latino leaders than there were in the 1960s and 1970s.” Section 3 – Community Project Summary This is now the description of what it is you plan to do. What is the project, plan, or campaign you want to launch with the support of the delegation? Remember, they need to take an active role in getting whatever “it” is off the ground. In the case of NHI, the project was a learning institute that would sponsor leadership programs for high school youth. In fact, the first programs were for young adults from 1979-1981. It was not really until 1982 when the project shifted its audience. It would require volunteers, parents, school partners, and active learning. The community would have to be the investor, but also the beneficiary of more developed, talented youth. Learning would be active, fun, and different to school, university, or corporate training. The early work would be local but with a nation that drove a bigger vision years into the future. Section 4 – Benefits Statement For this section, the question to answer is, “As a result of adopting this proposal, what will be the long-term benefit and overall impact to the quality of life in the Latino community.” This is the big question. It is a future question, so it is hard to prove. Thus you must make a compelling yet logical case here. In the case of NHI, the intended long-benefit was that communities would gain a better corps of trained young leaders who want to engage the community in positive change, progress, and build on the assets. A leader that seeks opportunity instead of fixes problems. We are only 36 years in but little by little we see some of our first alumni taking public office, starting amazing new businesses, becoming published and tenured professors, but also being active in their communities with a new message and new approach to the future. We will see, you are part of that long-term evidence of whether NHI’s work will have long-term community impact.

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2016 CALIFORNIA LDZ THE LDZ PROPOSAL CONTINUED

Other considerations for you to consider are:

• Legislative proposals will be submitted by all delegates no later than Tuesday, 10:00 AM of the legislative session.

• The action segments will include the manner in which the delegates of the convention will participate in addressing a particular issues and/or concern.

• Committee chairs will be empowered to determine the order in which proposals are heard during the public hearings.

• The committee chairs would call for both proponents and opponents to each bill given a public hearing.

• Committee hearings would be limited to 1.5 hour sessions in the mornings and afternoons, followed by participation in the general sessions of the House and Senate

• Committee chairs would be authorized to conduct special hearings during the evenings, but only with the unanimous consent of the Governor/President, Lt. Governor/Vice President/President of the Senate, and House Speaker/President of the House.

• Only the Governor/President are able to authorize special sessions and only for the agendas as set by the chief presiding officers.

• The proposed end time of the LDZ session is 3:00 pm, Friday, the last day of the youth session.

• Bills not receiving attention during regular public hearings could be attached to other existing bills that have passed and assigned for second reading purposes.

• All delegates of the LDZ legislative session shall be provided official rule books to observe during the legislative session.

• All delegate proposals will be filed with the LDZ Supreme Court for review.

• The Supreme Court will hear arguments over the constitutionality of proposals and their adherence to principles of Community Social Entrepreneurship.

• Justices will occasionally publish opinions on proposed, adopted, or overturned legislation.

• Attorneys will file be able to file amicus briefs and position papers in favor of or in opposition to LDZ legislation.

Filing Your LDZ Proposal/Resolution You must submit your LDZ proposal as a PDF, Word, or Google Doc file to caldz@nhimail.com. Also, bring a copy with you for your use and also to file. The last day to file a proposal is June 16. If you do not submit your proposal via e-mail by that date, bring a copy for filing in the General Convention.

Final Thoughts Have fun with this proposal process. We will not provide you any other examples. We want you to think as broadly and creatively about what kind of long-term change and impact you want to see. Why do you see what you see? How do you make it possible? How do you get your LDZ peers involved? This is what leaders do. Come up with new ideas and possibilities, test them out, and every now and then, something really innovative and special happens. Good luck!

25

2016 CALIFORNIA LORENZO DE ZAVALA YOUTH LEGISLATIVE SESSION A RESOLUTION TO

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Author: _________________________________ House of Membership: __________________________

Section I. Short Title – This Resolution May Be Cited As

The “__________________________________________” Resolution of 20____.

Section II. Preamble - The overall purpose and aim of this resolution is: _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________

Section III. Background Information – The rationale supporting this resolution is: _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________

Section IV. Community Project Summary – The major components of this project are: _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________

Section VI. Benefits Statement – The long term community benefits are: _____________________________________________________________________________________

Introduced, read, and adopted in the House of Representatives on the ___ day of ______, 20___.

_____________________________________________ Speaker of the House Signature Date

Introduced, read, and adopted in the Senate on the ___ day of ______, 20___.

_____________________________________________ President of the Senate Signature Date Approved on the ___ day of ______, 20___.

_____________________________________________ President/Governor Signature Date

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DRAFT CONSTITUTION OF THE CALIFORNIA LORENZO DE ZAVALA YOUTH LEGISLATIVE SESSION

Article I – Name: The organization shall be known as the California Lorenzo de Zavala Youth Legislative Session of the National Hispanic Institute, Inc. hereby referred to as “LDZ”. Article II – Location: The Office of the California LDZ shall reside at the University of San Diego in San Diego, California.

Article III – Purpose: The LDZ provides its members with opportunities to further their skills, competencies, and knowledge as emerging leaders and envision the future from an asset point of view with the intent of strengthening the social value and standing of Latinos. Article IV - Mission: The mission of the LDZ is:

1. The development of intellectual Latino leaders

2. The fostering of new thinking and a new intellectual movement among the Latino community

3. The creation of innovative and inspiring community policy

4. The proposing and implementation of new youth led community projects that set out to create

5. Long-term, sustainable advancements in the Latino community

6. The promotion of an asset based Latino agenda that advances the quality of life for Latinos

Article V - Belief Statement: Membership in the LDZ as an extension of membership in the National Hispanic Institute (NHI) is a life-long commitment to learning and leadership in the Latino community. This means a commitment to intellectual and personal development, cultural education and advancement, community engagement, and community social entrepreneurship. Members of the LDZ believe the Latino community represents immense promise and is filled with assets that represent countless opportunities to future American societies. Members of the LDZ hold themselves accountable for being active participants in engaging the greater community and each other in shaping the Latino community’s future trajectory. The LDZ encourages members to be inquisitive, open to all possibilities and perspectives, and adopt a perspective that seeks out assets and focuses on what is good within the community. The LDZ guides members to craft new ideas and implement them with each other’s support and involvement in an effort to advance the quality of life for Latinos everywhere. The LDZ builds on the energetic spirit among youth and the raw talent of smart, young people wanting to play an active role in shaping tomorrow.

Article VI - Membership Requirements and Limitations:

1. All students who have met the following two conditions are automatically eligible to apply for and receive official status as members in good standing of the National Hispanic Institute. Members in good standing must have:

1. Rising juniors or seniors in high school who are enrolled in a collegebound curriculum; and 2. Have a minimum 3.2 GPA or the academic equivalent.

2. Members will strive to:

1. Present new possibilities and solutions to social and community challenges 2. Develop each other as learners by using questions and creating experiences in order to learn 3. Carry themselves in the highest regard as representatives of their families and communities 4. Work to avoid negative perspectives and deficit thinking in an effort to present the most creative

possibilities as young leaders 5. Enhance their learning over time by remaining actively engaged in NHI for life

Article VII. Annual Convention: All registered LDZ members are expected to attend the General Convention at the University of San Diego.

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1. During the convention, the delegates in attendance shall form at least two political parties with clearly delineated platforms which outline their legislative priorities and agenda.

2. During the convention, political parties will shape, present, and adopt platforms which outline their legislative priorities before presenting candidates for elected office.

1. Platforms are subject to review and modification by the Secretary of State’s office.

3. During the convention, political parties will hold party primaries in order to determine an official slate of candidates for the office of Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Supreme Court Justice, and Senate.

4. During the convention, political parties will hold a conference to determine 12 attorneys in teams in teams of 2 that will be appointed to practice law before the LDZ Supreme Court.

5. During the convention and the legislative session delegates will approve and adopt proposals that adhere to Principles of Community Social Entrepreneurship and demonstrate outcomes that will focus success:

1. Community Social Entrepreneurship (CSE) is a modern-day concept and strategy in community self-betterment and self-advancement. It is an approach to community change and advancement that employs a concept of engagement in which the intended outcomes of a particular community effort come mainly from strengthening the assets and capacities of a community rather than reliance on external community resources and expertise for support.

2. Principles of Community Social Entrepreneurship are:

1. Governance remains with the community in which it is centered, certainly not under the control outside sources and authorities;

2. The target audience is the investor-beneficiary; 3. Community advancement is measured in skill development, competency enhancement,

and confidence in managing constituencies; 4. Collaboration and cooperation replace authority and power as the focus; 5. The idea of reaching goals through self-management and imaginative thought builds

confidence; 6. Sustainability is seen as crucial to a community endeavor; 7. Recognition for good work becomes part of the chemistry of engagement; 8. The responsibility for change is placed in the hands of its members rather than external

sources; 9. Shared values and shared responsibilities for the outcomes become the energy and spirit

behind the mission; 10. Failure and disappointment is part of the learning process; 11. Legacy is key to a community undertaking; 12. Asset development is a key outcome of a community effort; and 13. Encouraging the heart, fostering courage, and heightening the spirits are all integral to the

experience.

3. 12 Basic outcomes that foster success in a Community Social Entrepreneurship project:

1. Creates a learning environment that raises hopes and inspire imagination and innovation 2. Generates energy and a mental readiness to engage 3. Makes risk-taking a requirement for success 4. Allows for self-learning to take place from the experience of doing 5. Elevates self-expectations 6. Makes collaboration and collective endeavor essential to problem solving 7. Make overcoming fears and apprehensions of failure basic to individual progress 8. Fosters comfort with making rules and setting high standards 9. Makes preparation for the unexpected normal to planning 10. Replaces old beliefs and mental models with new social perspectives and outlooks

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11. Fosters an appreciation for skill development, competency, and knowledge as fundamental to personal growth and maturity

12. Makes ownership and governance a condition of the learning process

6. Definitions. All words in this Article shall be interpreted to have their plain language meaning.

7. During the convention, political parties will assign all their unelected and non-appointed delegates to form the membership of the LDZ House of Representatives.

8. During the convention, each delegate will officially enter a proposal into their respective house of membership or sponsorship no later than 10:00 AM on the 2nd day of the convention.

9. Eligibility for a leadership office and/or participation in the General Convention is limited to officially registered LDZ delegates.

10. The official proceedings for the General Convention are explained in detail in the official LDZ Participant Manual.

Article VIII. Policy Interest Groups: Once registered as delegates, each delegate must register with an official Policy Interest Group. The groups are charged with presenting only asset based ideas and agendas for consideration.

Article IX. Presiding Officer: The National Hispanic Institute LDZ division will appoint an official Secretary of State to preside over the General Convention using Robert’s Rules of Order. Article X. Meetings: All meetings will be called, managed, and scheduled by the Secretary of State. Article XI. Quorum: An official quorum is decided by the number of registered members attending an official meeting which shall be not less than 51% of the registered members.

Article XII. Special Call Meetings: A voting majority of 51% of the registered members may call a meeting of the General Convention without the advice and consent of the Secretary of State for purposes of conducting important business of the LDZ. Article XIII. Referendum and Recall: In circumstances when the existing leadership is either not assuming the responsibilities of their respective office in a policy group or political party, any member of that respective group may file a motion to replace such an officer, provided that the motion for recall has a second and the voting support of 2/3 of the voting membership present at the meeting. The same process shall be observed in the case of a referendum. Article XIV. Amendments: Amendments to this constitution and by-laws must first be submitted to the president and also circulated among the membership for at least 2 days before official action can be considered at the next scheduled meeting. A 2/3 majority is required for adoption an amendment after a proper motion has been filed and officially seconded by a voting member of the LDZ. Article XV. – Ratification: Ratification of this constitution requires a simple majority vote of the registered delegates.

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NOTES