It’s an inspiration to me to see that youth are speaking up on what they feel passionate about. I think itâs important for youth to understand that their voices matter and that they need to stand up for their communities.
Meet Nayeli Veloz, Calafia Fellow 2020! “Fear is a way to quiet us,” she says. “We know if we speak up it could go bad for us. At the same time, itâs beautiful how the community surrounds those of us who have less opportunity. Discrimination closes down some doors, but my community opens up new ones.”
Meet Ivan Manriquez, Calafia Fellow 2020! The depiction in the media that immigrants are aliens and come to invade is very personal to Ivan. Seeing Latinx families torn apart connects to him greatly because in Fresno there is still a dense population of undocumented immigrants, especially people he knows.
On Saturday, July 11, 2020, local young people of color organized a peaceful protest and march to allow the community an opportunity to hear their voices, their pain, their rage, and their passion for justice.
Hosted at Dominican University in San Rafael, Peer Summit 2020 brought hundreds of local middle schoolers from across Marin County together for a full day of presentations, performances and workshops. The event’s success demonstrated, once again, the value of having youth at the helm in event planning and implementation.
âIf theyâre still working, then we should still be working to represent our community.â Young people in Half Moon Bay organize to ensure that youth voice is included in city priorities as City Council meetings go virtual.
On Thursday, February 27th, three yli youth leaders were recognized for their powerful leadership potential by the San Francisco Foundation’s Koshland Program. Over the next year, the multi-generational cohort of fellows will meet monthly for trainings, workshops, and field trips with the objective of crafting a project that they will implement in the following year.
“Iâm off to fight again at City Hall!â Collin Lee yelled to his mom as he rushed out the door. He and two other youth leaders have been organizing for years to reduce underage drinking in Fresno, “the Drunkest City in America.”
