REP 559 builds on the values and legacy of Fresno Boys and Men of Color, a yli program launched in 2012. Over the last decade, our youth have called for a space inclusive of all gender identities – and for more leadership to create and implement campaigns on the issues they care about. Youth are often at the cutting edge, voicing community needs long before they enter mainstream dialogue. In Fresno for example, youth have been talking for years about the need for mental health resources, community parks, and free transportation – all issues that are now being addressed in local policy.
REP 559 leans into the yli model and responds to shifts in youth organizing across the state and beyond by deepening shared decision-making between youth and adult allies in all program stages, from recruitment to program design, to defining roles and positions, to crafting and implementing campaigns that weave together racial justice, school justice, environmental justice, health justice.
Campaign Highlight
Utilizing our strengths in capacity building and youth organizing, yli will develop 2 cohorts of youth in Fresno and Madera addressing economic prosperity, community health and climate justice. Youth will be leading research efforts to amplify the need for new career pathways, composing the Central Valley Youth Economic and Climate Bill of Rights to share with local and state-wide decision makers, and creating opportunities to educate and engage their communities.
Interested in Joining?
REP 559 is back in person, meeting weekly in Fresno and Madera County. If you are interested in joining, please reach out to Kelly Trujillo at [email protected].