Two Local Teens Headed to D.C. to Represent California in Breakthrough T1D 2025 Children’s Congress

LCCN Staff Report

CERRITOS, CA — Two talented youth from the Gateway Cities will soon be swapping textbooks for talking points as they head to Washington, D.C. this July to represent California at the Breakthrough T1D 2025 Children’s Congress, a nationally recognized advocacy event raising awareness and funding for type 1 diabetes (T1D).

Seventeen-year-old Jenesie from Pico Rivera and sixteen-year-old Shravya from Cerritos are among 170 youth delegates selected from across the country to attend the three-day event, running July 7–9. The delegation, which also includes five international participants, will meet with members of Congress and federal leaders to share their personal stories of life with T1D and advocate for continued federal support, including funding through the Special Diabetes Program (SDP) and accelerated cell therapy research.

Shravya, a student at Gretchen Whitney High School in Cerritos, is a dynamic speaker and award-winning public forum debater who was diagnosed with T1D at age nine. She channels her energy into performing arts and advocacy and is ready to use her voice to influence national policy. “Being able to speak directly to lawmakers about something so personal is empowering,” she said ahead of the trip.

Shravya

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Jenesie, a senior at El Rancho High School in Pico Rivera, was diagnosed at age 11 and is passionate about securing funding for research that could ease the burden for future generations living with the autoimmune disease. She joins 15 other California delegates in bringing a unified state voice to Capitol Hill.

Jenesie

Breakthrough T1D’s Children’s Congress, which began in 1999, gives young people a platform to share the real-life impact of T1D—a chronic condition that affects nearly nine million people worldwide and currently has no cure. The event will include leadership training, meetings with policymakers, and a Senate hearing featuring testimonies from the youth delegates.

The 2025 event is chaired by Stacie Oshima of California, whose son Evan was diagnosed at age six. Oshima’s leadership with the organization and Southern California Chapter will guide this year’s delegation through what is often described as a life-changing experience.

“Every day these youth and their parents face the burden of type 1 diabetes,” said Michelle Popoff, Executive Director for the Breakthrough T1D Southern California and Hawaii Chapter. “Children’s Congress empowers youth to speak with a unified voice to urge federal leaders to support the entire T1D community.”

Founded as JDRF and rebranded as Breakthrough T1D, the organization remains the leading global force in T1D research and advocacy, investing in promising medical breakthroughs while fighting for policies that support those affected.

For more information, visit: cc.breakthrought1d.org