After the Girls State Documentary, I’m Campaigning for Missouri’s First Woman Governor

Earlier this year, I was featured in Apple TV+’s documentary Girls State, a look inside the American Legion Auxiliary’s week-long program that invites 500 high school-aged young women across the state to learn about democracy first-hand. Participants have the option to run for judicial, legislative, and executive offices ranging from the city, county, or state level.

When I got to Girls State, I chose to run for governor — campaigning on securing women’s fundamental freedoms — and won.

Cecilia in Girls State

Let me set the scene: it was 2022, just a month after the Supreme Court leaked the decision that would overturn Roe v. Wade. A week after I returned home, the courts would move ahead with this fateful decision. Within 15 minutes of the Dobbs ruling, my home state of Missouri became the country’s first to enact a statewide ban without exceptions for rape or incest. Women’s rights had just been taken away, abortion had just been banned, and there was debate about whether to ban birth control next. I was 17 years old.

In the blink of an eye, I, along with millions of women in Missouri and across the country, lost a fundamental freedom that had been the law of the land for nearly 50 years.

The lessons I learned at Girls State are on full display now as we approach 2024, where my home state has a crucial governor’s race — and an abortion amendment — on the ballot.

It was at Girls State the following year where I met one of Missouri’s actual candidates for governor: state Representative and House Minority Leader Crystal Quade. I had the honor to introduce her to the group of 500 eager young women in attendance. What I remember most about the speech was her presence. Rep. Quade commanded the stage and spoke clearly about her priorities and how she’d achieve them as governor.

While other politicians shy away from running on restoring abortion rights, Rep. Quade has taken it head-on. In the state legislature, she’s fought back against dangerous and extreme policies that would further restrict access to reproductive rights. She’s been a leading voice on the ballot initiative to restore reproductive freedom. She’s used her voice to advocate for survivors of rape and incest against our state’s draconian law. She would be the state’s first female governor, and the youngest governor in the country — inspiring all of us in the room, and young voters across the state and country.

Meanwhile, her opponents — Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, Lt. Governor Mike Kehoe, and state Senator Bill Eigel — are running loud, unapologetic campaigns to further restrict abortion rights. All three candidates support the state’s current law, which doesn’t even allow for exceptions for rape or incest, giving rapists more rights than survivors. They are competing with each other to be the most extreme candidate in the race, and promise to continue to restrict Missourians’ reproductive freedoms if given the chance.

At the same time, Missouri could also be one of the first states in the nation to vote to proactively protect abortion rights and reverse the state’s current dangerous and extreme ban via an amendment on the November ballot. This citizen-led initiative has garnered over 380,000 signatures of support — more than double the requirement — from every single Missouri county and congressional district. Missourians from all political backgrounds are coming out in support of the amendment, making clear the issue of reproductive freedom is not a partisan one, and that access to abortion is something we all want.

In Crystal Quade, I see the eyes of those 500 young women from Girls State. I see a smart and accomplished public servant who wants to improve the place she’s called home her whole life. I see a leader who will protect the dreams of my young cousins in public school, preserve the livelihood of my retired grandparent, restore reproductive freedom for all Missourians, and most importantly, take care of the place I’ve called home my whole life.

As I said in my victory speech when I was voted governor of Girls State, “God can save the world, women will save America.”

From one Missouri “governor” to another hopeful, I believe Crystal Quade is the leader we need now to help us save our home state.