Young people – particularly youth of color and their allies – are deeply motivated to address inequities in their communities. At Youth Leadership Institute, young people realize their power by learning to use their voices to create meaningful change.
We work within coalitions and with elected officials to promote policy change that makes our communities more equitable and just for young people, especially young people of color. And it’s paying off with over 130 policy wins so far.
Change happens when conversations take place. At yli, we believe that conversations of real significance only occur when all voices are heard. And we’re here to ensure that youth voice is heard. Loud and clear.
yli signs on to be a co-chair and sponsor of the 3rd Annual Latinx Graduation Celebración in partnership with Education and Leadership Foundation and Fresno Unified School District. The Celebración … Continued
Interviews with young people detained within the Juvenile Hall will commence in late April/early May 2025.
yli shared native plant seeds with the community and shared the importance of planting native plants and environmental stewardship.
REP 559 launches REP 559- S2J2 in Fresno county, recruiting up to 15 young people toward policy and systems change for economic and environmental justice. This work will train youth … Continued
VoiceWaves youth participant Yvie Jett (16) produces and publishes a video highlighting the local Youth Power Participatory Budgeting campaign, a process in which local youth are shaping summer youth program … Continued
A diverse cohort of VoiceWaves participants published a 16-page zine publication about climate change. The zine, part of the City of Long Beach’s ClimateLB Youth Climate Action Fund Microgrant Program, … Continued
Yvie Jett (16), a VoiceWaves youth participant, created her first video project—a recap of the 2024 Trans Pride Long Beach event—where she interviewed trans, nonbinary, and gender-expansive community members about … Continued
REP 559 youth and their adult allies surveyed ~280 Fresno Unified students for their Mental Health Awareness Campaign. With this information they created outreach and educational materials that they then … Continued
Youth Across Madera Coalition members hosted and facilitated a ITIN x Financial Literacy workshop for young people across the county at their local library, highlighting the importance of what an … Continued
In partnership with Assemblymember Joaquin Arambula, 2 yli youth participants sat on a panel for a Youth Mental Health Town Hall. They discussed the mental health needs of youth in … Continued
Youth Leadership Institute co-hosts FUSD Candidates Forum with Faith in The Valley, Power California, CV UP, Californians for Justice, Woven Coalition Justice, and CMAC. Read more about the forum here!
Grand opening of the Healing Generation Center. The HGC is a youth wellness hub dedicated to providing critical resources and services for the most vulnerable young people in Merced county. … Continued
yli Long Beach youth participant Gisselle Becerra Murillo (20) publishes a social media post raising awareness about mental health resources and destigmatizing seeking support. This post is the first of … Continued
For the third year, yli Long Beach youth rejoin the Invest In Youth Coalition in facilitating a participatory budgeting process where youth help shape summer programming through a multi-step approach. … Continued
VoiceWaves youth participant Vanessa Rodriguez (21) publishes an interview with a local food bank representative raising awareness about the issue of food insecurity, who it affects in Long Beach, and … Continued
Sunnyside and Roosevelt FNL Alumni speak at Fresno City Hall to uphold the Responsible Neighborhood Market Ordinance and educate on the harms of allowing liquor stores in close proximity to … Continued
Fresno youth came together to attend the September 12th Fresno City Council Meeting to advocate against the reissuing of a conditional use permit for alcohol sales. The group of staff … Continued
Youth Across Madera members created a radio PSA highlighting our extreme heat campaign with OCPSC to inform community members about the dangers of extreme heat and how they can best … Continued
yli Long Beach is one of eight recipients awarded a $5,000 Youth Climate Action Fund micro-grant, empowering youth to lead climate action through community-based storytelling and printed zines.
yli co-sponsored the 2nd Annual Queer Housing Summit with South Tower Community Land Trust, Housing Now!, and Fresno EOC LGBTQ+ Resource Center at Fresno’s historic Tower Theater.
