Mayoral candidates meet with Odyssey youths

The youths at Odyssey Youth Center, concerned about their future in Spokane, met last week with four of the five candidates for mayor – Al French, Dennis Hession, Mike Noder and Mary Verner.

After introducing themselves, the candidates each had three minutes to respond to questions posed by the teens, who packed the main room of the Odyssey center.

The candidates seemed impressed that the kids were taking time to get involved in their community.

“You are a very important part of this community,” Hession said. “A growing part of this community.”

Verner said she had expected a duplex to go up in the building where the center is now housed when she noticed that improvements were being made to the structure.

“But the flag went up and the sign went up,” she said. “This is much better than a duplex.”

The first question posed by the teens concerned what the candidates think are the most important issues facing the lesbian-gay-bisexual- transgender-questioning-allied community.

French said he believes the Spokane community must be educated about the LGBTQ community.

“What we need to be invested in the community,” French said, “is understanding and acceptance.”

Hession agreed that acceptance is important to the teens, but he also said opportunities, such as jobs, must be available to them.

Noder said he thinks the kids of Odyssey are facing many of the same challenges other organizations face. He stressed to the kids the importance of not getting distracted by narrow interests and bigotry.

Verner said the youths of Spokane need to have jobs. She said the city has a reputation for losing young, smart individuals to other cities, and she said she would like to see them stay in Spokane.

She also discussed the youths’ challenge of finding an individual to stand up and defend their rights.

The average age of the teens at the Odyssey center has dropped in the last few years. Once, most members were 19 to 21 years old; now, teens between 14 and 18 years old are going to the center and coming out to their peers, schools and parents at a younger age.

The kids said this leaves them open to harassment and bullying in school.

The candidates all agreed that the issue would be something the next mayor should take up with the school board.

“It would be disingenuous to say I have the answer and I know how to make it end,” Noder said. He added that the kids shouldn’t be afraid to go to school.

Verner agreed that the demographics are changing in the schools and offered to meet with the superintendent and would like to visit the schools with problems.

French said that he would like to increase the presence of resource officers in those schools with problems to ensure the safety of the students.

He worries the students don’t feel safe and he would like to work to help them.

“That’s the kind of leadership you’ll see in me as mayor,” he said.

Hession noted the changing demographics and said, “It seems that means youth that have questions about their sexuality are willing to share it, and that’s a healthy thing.”

Another concern the youths expressed included harassment at the Spokane Transit Authority Plaza.

French serves as the chairman of the board of directors of STA and said that any teen that had a problem with one of the security guards at the Plaza should get their name and call him. He even offered his phone number to the teens.

Another suggestion French had was for the teens to introduce themselves to the security guards to let them know about their fears and concerns.

The kids at the center are much like other teens in the area. They want to be able to have a voice in the community, and asked the candidates how they would go about helping them with that.

Verner said there will be a youth on all boards and commissions. She would also like to start a rotating appointment of a youth to shadow her as mayor.

French wants to propose “Future Leaders of Spokane,” an organization similar to the neighborhood council program, which acts as a liaison between the citizens and the city council.

Noder noted that many teens today who aren’t yet old enough to vote have started blogs to get their opinions out into the world. He recommended staying informed and talking to their parents about issues that concern them.

Hession said he recognizes the importance of youth and that they have a say. He recommended the Chase Youth Commission to the teens.

Odyssey Youth Center is a place for Spokane youths looking for acceptance.

The inclusive center for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or questioning youths and their straight, allied friends provides camaraderie, resources and a sense of history.

The center at 1121 S. Perry St. has information about coming out to parents, schools and churches. It has a library of books dealing with issues of sexual orientation. The center offers teens referrals to other organizations that will help them, and it gives them a sense of community, understanding and belonging.

Many youths also asked the candidates for yard signs.

If the kids weren’t old enough to vote, they were encouraged to talk to members of their families and communities about which candidate they favor.