State of The State Speech: Severn Served

By Alianna Jones, Trish Zheng, and Lily Smith

As we sat in the balcony, peering down on the historical floor of the House in Tennessee’s capitol building, everyone couldn’t help but feel the magnitude of our privilege to be there. The air was already thick with restlessness as we waited for the session to officially begin. The nervous chatter and rustling was quickly silenced as we saw our very own executive director, Susan Moriarty, approach the stand. Her introduction furthered the growing excitement as we leaned towards the railing, trying to catch every word. Finally, she finished her spiel and the moment we were waiting for finally arrived: our governor, Will Severn, swaggered his way down the aisle, his entourage not far behind. He approached the podium, and his confident gait told us all we needed to know about the speech to come.

After respectfully acknowledging his fellow officers and the delegates on the Floor, Governor Severn began his address with fervor. He acknowledged his platform and the unique position he had to enact change and didn’t dally in diving into his endorsements. Remarkably, each of the bills he backed were centered on issues he has been in support of since his initial campaign for governor; this was truly a testament to his character, showing that when he chooses a stance he becomes immovable in his beliefs. He stood by the policies he has campaigned for since the beginning, notably environmentalism, education, voting rights, and infrastructure.

He stated that his goal for Tennessee was for us to be “leader(s), not follower(s),” in the fight for change. His determination to leave a lasting impact has influenced his decisions today, with his endorsed bills reiterating his commitment to Tennessee, and imploring the government to take action. 

One of the first issues Governor Severn explored in his speech was the ongoing fight against climate change. Climate change has affected all of us; global warming is an issue we will all have to face the consequences of. Governor Severn urges for a solution to pollution and toxic chemicals, prioritizing public health.

Another major talking point was finding common ground and being united, not divided by differences. Governor Severn acknowledged how state partisanship dominates—especially when it comes to education and school board elections. He wishes to cultivate an atmosphere of acceptance and understanding so that we may find common ground and unite and not let us be defined by our differences. 

Severn showed his support for reforms in the education system. This included normalizing and providing care regarding mental health for both students and faculty. He also spoke on improving our lackluster teacher salaries. He especially emphasized his desire to eliminate all book bans in Tennessee, as diverse and inclusive education is essential to the development of society. These bans have left “libraries empty,” resulting in a lack of education and worsening the state’s already struggling school systems. He understands that the future is in the hands of young students. 

This led to his plans for involving young people in the voting process by lowering the minimum voting age to 16, as well as establishing a student committee in the Tennessee board of education. Governor Severn’s hopes for a rise in civic engagement in every citizen, as shown in his support of automatically registering every Tennessean to vote.

Governor Severn’s final promise to his audience was that of improving Tennessee’s infrastructure. He supported bills with goals for improving public transportation, making cities safer for pedestrians, and providing more funds for infrastructure projects across the state. 

As Governor Severn stepped back from the podium, the roar of applause echoed through the balconies. He left us with a sense of both inspiration and determination as we made our way out of the capitol, believing that the future was in good hands.

The following bills were endorsed by Governor Severn and his cabinet: WHB/23-2-7, RHB/23-3-1, WHB/23-3-8, BHB/23-3-12, RHB/23-5-1, WHB/23-6-7, WHB/23-7-8, RSB/23-1-3, WSB/23-1-11, BSB/23-2-14, RSB/23-4-6, RHB/23-1-3, RHB/23-2-3, BHB/23-3-13, BHB/23-3-15, and BHB/23-6-14.