California Governor Gavin Newsom has appointed Raj Bhutoria and Avanti Ramraj, two Indian-American community leaders, to the California Youth Commission. Established in 2023, this commission aims to provide opportunities for civic engagement, especially for disadvantaged youth.
Raj Bhutoria is the Chief of Staff at Snappr since 2023. Before that, he was a Strategy Analyst at Accenture and a researcher at the Financial Economics Institute. Avanti Ramraj, from Santa Clara, has interned at Supporting Initiatives to Redistribute Unused Medicine (SIRUM) since 2024. She has also interned for the Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs Association and organized for the California Democratic Fund-Raising Association. Additionally, she serves on the Stanford Women in Medicine Executive Board.
Bhutoria expressed his honor at being part of the commission, saying, “I am deeply honoured to be part of the first class of founding commissioners for the California Youth Empowerment Commission. This is a unique opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of young people across California.” He added, “I am committed to addressing the critical issues of our time, such as climate change, education affordability, and creating fair economic opportunities for our generation, ensuring that the voices of our youth are heard and acted upon.”
The commission advises the Governor, State Legislature, and the Superintendent of Public Instruction on youth-related issues. It also drafts and proposes model legislation to impact the state’s youth. Assemblymember Luz Rivas praised the initiative, stating, “California is yet again leading the nation by creating a pathway to civic engagement between our young leaders and their government so that they can provide critical input on the policies affecting the future of our great state.”
