[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 159 (Thursday, November 11, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2353-E2354]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 IN RECOGNITION OF THE DELEGATION FROM CALIFORNIA'S 9TH CONGRESSIONAL 
     DISTRICT'S PARTICIPATION IN THE VOICES AGAINST VIOLENCE YOUTH 
                      CONFERENCE IN WASHINGTON, DC

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BARBARA LEE

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, November 10, 1999

  Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to salute, congratulate and to 
honor Oakland's best and brightest youth: Mr. Davon Blackwell, Ms. 
Brittany Dunning, Ms. Delanor Ford, and Ms. Magdalena Larios of 
McClymonds High School; Ms. Sonneng Chan of Castlemont High School and 
Ms. Ann Nguyen of Skyline High School. I praise them for taking 
leadership roles in addressing the problem of youth violence in our 
community. These six students represented my home district, the 9th 
Congressional District of California, at the ``Voices Against Violence: 
Congressional Teen Conference'' held on October 19th and 20th here in 
our nation's capital.
  I commend these students for their efforts in working with federal 
law enforcement and education officials, national legislators, and 
leaders of the entertainment industry to develop substantive solutions 
related to youth violence. They made valuable contributions to the 
national dialogue by offering ideas on how our

[[Page E2354]]

nation can work together to tackle this problem on a national level as 
well as locally in our schools and communities.
  These students, and their committed campus coordinators, stand as 
shining examples of the type of determination, vision and energy we as 
concerned adults, parents, and community members must exhibit in order 
to eradicate the epidemic of youth violence. As I reflect upon my 
interactions with this cadre of distinguished leaders, I cannot help 
but marvel at the spirit of cooperation and commitment they had between 
them. I firmly believe that if we, in this great deliberative body, 
applied the same level of cooperation and commitment to confronting the 
issue of youth violence that these six students displayed, we would 
finally put principle over politics and solve this problem. I say, let 
them stand as a source of inspiration and encouragement for us all.

                          ____________________