On May 20th, my colleagues elected me Secretary General of the JNC (Young Nationalists of the Canary Islands). It is true that it was something that excited me, I had and still have the desire and confidence to work for the Canary Islands, and there was also a nice aspect to it, being the first Secretary General of the JNC from Lanzarote, but it is no less true that doubts are always present.
I was 28 years old, had finished my degree in Political Science, and this opportunity presented itself, exciting of course, but as almost always, when one opens a new stage in their life, fears gnaw at them, those ants in the body, those thoughts "what if I'm not prepared", "what if I disappoint my colleagues", "what if I get vertigo"; in short, what could a boy from Argana Alta contribute to the Canary Islands, and other "what ifs" that, as is logical in a young man entering politics, arise.
Ten months have passed, intense, very intense, of a lot of work, of many trips that, believe me, are difficult to reconcile with my work in the private sector. Ten months where the organization has been renewed in all the islands, where we have promoted the creation of an equality commission with very clear objectives and fundamental LGTBI challenges to understand the current Canary Islands, where we have launched a key project for us in terms of care and awareness of the environment as is the project 'Trust in Change' with which we comb the Canary Islands cleaning our beaches, mountains or ravines of plastic and garbage, trying to create collective awareness about the importance of caring for and protecting our land. We have met with animal rights groups to understand and contribute to the Canary Islands that we are trying to draw, with feminist associations to create the definitive Canary Islands in which gender is not a differentiating condition, ten months in which we have recovered the street having been in this time in five of the eight islands recovering the one-on-one with our people, knowing each island, its streets, its emblematic places, attending demonstrations, claiming equal pay, the vindication of LGTBI rights, opening a social debate from the eighth island, La Graciosa, for the inclusion of this in the flag that Canarians consider as ours, meeting with several general directors, to know and demand fundamental actions such as the adaptation and modernization of the Canarian Youth Law, to listen, debate and contribute to the preliminary draft law on the possession and protection of animals, to know the actions that were being carried out in social services, in transport, and a long etcetera. We even opened a historical participation process so that our corporate image would be created by young Canarians regardless of their political affiliation.
These are just some of the things that have happened to me in ten months, after all those "what ifs" from the beginning, but the most beautiful thing has been to meet all those young people from every corner of this blessed land with an inexplicable vocation to take care of the Canary Islands, to improve it, to try to help all the young and not so young people of this land to live better. From the first colleague, to the last, I have nothing but words of gratitude, talks, anecdotes, work and more work are enriching me so much on a personal and professional level.
The permanent committee, the island secretaries, the colleagues who are not members of national bodies and who give their all for the organization, for the Canary Islands. A huge team, with a human quality that combs every neighborhood, every municipality, every island every day. Girls and boys who are part of the street, of associations, organizations, collectives, sports clubs...
They are the true engine of this organization, they are the ones who have taught me that the "what ifs" are fought as a team, with work, humility, companionship. That the challenge of life, of politics is to have a team that makes you grow, and I am lucky, believe me, to have the best team that exists in the Canary Islands.
They are the heart of the Canarian Coalition, the present of this party.
Thank you for so much, followed in the struggle.
David Toledo, Secretary General of the Young Nationalists of the Canary Islands.
