Reflections from the 2026 Youth Legislature Youth Governor

By Hugh Carter, 79th Youth Governor - Mill Creek Delegation

You know, growing up, I never felt like I perfectly fit in with the community I live in. I don’t listen to much “modern” music. I never really cared much for fashion, facial care, or aesthetic photos. So, I’ve never been able to truly fit in with people who thought or acted like me. In a certain sense, I’ve never been considered “cool.” But when I became the Youth Governor of Washington State, that all changed.

When I was elected, my predecessor, Governor Phillips, told me that very soon I would be heading to D.C. for something called the “Governor’s Conference,” or Gov Con for short. He said it would be one of the best experiences I’d have as governor and that I’d probably never again be in a room with so many similar and like-minded people. We did many incredibleand wonderful things at Gov Con. We went to the White House, inside the Capitol building. We got to see all the monuments and memorials. My personal favorite was the Abraham Lincoln Memorial. The activities they had us do were unforgettable and some of the most fun I’ve had in a while. But that wasn’t the best part of Gov Con—not even close. The real fun, and the most memorable part of Gov Con, was the people and the conversations.

When I first landed in D.C., I remembered what Youth Governor Phillips had said. I immediately felt a rush ofexcitement flow through me when I stepped off the plane and started meeting my fellow governors and the staffmembers. I realized right away that Governor Phillips was absolutely right. These people—though different inopinions, appearance, and culture—were very similar to me. In the accurate words of the Youth Governor ofMissouri, Governor Clark, “The conference is filled with people that are literally your chosen family by the end offive days.” And I literally couldn’t agree more.

In less than a week, we all got really close—almost like we’d known each other our whole lives. We told each otherthings we didn’t tell anyone back home. We were vulnerable with one another, even when it felt uncomfortable. Imet people who loved the same music I do, who had the same hobbies I have. I felt like I had known them my entirelife.

We had deep conversations about everything—politics, current issues, life, even favorite convenience stores. Nomatter what the topic was, we always went in-depth. Nitpicking every single detail. And whether we agreed ordisagreed, we never fought or thought of each other differently. We accepted and appreciated each other for whowe were.

I can’t express the amount of sadness I felt when I had to board the plane to go back home. I didn’t want to leavemy fellow governors. In less than a week, they became like a second family to me. They appreciated things in methat I hadn’t even appreciated about myself. And most importantly, they thought I was cool!