Friday Night Live (FNL) is a statewide organization that addresses underage substance abuse. At yli, we take a social justice lens to the work, shifting the focus from individual behaviors to the larger patterns of injustice that target young, low-income people of color and encourage unhealthy behaviors. By helping youth identify issues in their communities, conduct research, and implement media and policy campaigns, yli doesn’t simply deter young people from substance abuse – we help to shape powerful advocates who create lasting change in their communities.
San Mateo County’s yli office led or offered trainings and technical support to 12 Friday Night Live chapters across the geographically diverse county from semi-urban South San Francisco in the North, suburban Redwood City in the South, and rural Pescadero on the Coast.
These chapters engaged in numerous successful campaigns. For example, Be the Change Youth Council led the 2013 and 2016 Healthy Stores for a Healthy Community Campaigns, Digital Storytelling, and delivering workshops for the Family Summit in Pacifica.