Novato Community Program
Novato Community Program FNL completed their first OTS positive social norms campaign where they developed two youth-centered digital posters. They distributed over 20 posters to local businesses and vendors in … Continued
yli makes me think of bonding and learning with folks from different cities and states, and becoming educated about some of our most pressing issues across the world. yli is truly an organization for youth and young adults.
Brideisha Harness-Parker, Alumni
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.
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MPACT Joint Community Showcase
In partnership with two other community based organizations, JCYC and SF YMCA, this showcase was an opportunity for young people across San Francisco to showcase their creative storytelling projects on … Continued
FNL Coastside Youth Council hosted FNL Month mini activities in April to raise awareness of underage drinking harms and healthier alternatives
Concrete Rose
One of yli’s first Institutional Review Board approved research projects. Youth leaders are approved to conduct research within the SF Juvenile Hall. Interviews with young people detained within the Juvenile … Continued
yli was invited by the UC Master Gardeners to provide resources for our OCPSC campaign Save Our Water
yli shared native plant seeds with the community and shared the importance of planting native plants and environmental stewardship.
REP 559, in collaboration with the Fresno FNL team and other community groups, kicks off the #transportation4all community visioning sessions at Teen Summit
2nd Annual Cultural Fusion Fair
The Racial Equity Subcommittee of the Marin County Youth Commission held their 2nd Cultural Fusion Fair in April 2025. This event brought youth of color and their allies from across … Continued
HOPE at the All Children Thrive Conference
HOPE Leaders Anuoluwapo Olabode and Califa Leader Mia Bunes-Martinez sat on the All Children Thrive Conference. HOPE Leaders facilitated youth leadership workshops.
Justice Grows Here Launches
Justice Grows Here is a program designed for high school students of color who are interested in environmental justice, leadership, and community action. It blends SFPUC’s environmental justice curriculum with … Continued
The Parlier FNL chapter leads on the creation of a community garden at Parlier High School in partnership with the Department of Public Health
yli Long Beach Selected as Grantee to Advance Multilingual Education
yli Long Beach was selected as a subgrantee of Alliance for a Better Community’s Narrative Change Coalition to support youth-led multilingual education. With over 70% of Long Beach youth speaking … Continued
Youth Leaders Decided How $550,000 in City Funds Were Invested in Youth Programming
yli Long Beach served as a core leader of the Invest in Youth Coalition, partnering with Khmer Girls in Action, Long Beach Forward, and Educated Mentors with Meaningful Messages to … Continued
Moving Forward Cohort #1 Complete!
Moving Forward completed their very first cohort cycle at the Pathways to Success Center in March 2025! Youth from the program created a zine about their experiences with content from … Continued
yli co-hosts a Know Your Rights Workshop with Californians for Justice, California Immigrant Youth Justice Alliance, Power California, and Central Valley United for Power
REP 559 youth join the #transportation4all coalition for their community education launch and our youth leaders shared their experience to highlight the importance of a community led transportation measure
Moving Forward – Valley Continuation School
The Moving Forward cohort published a zine developed by Valley Continuation School youth who completed the Joven Noble program, a boys or co-ed youth development curriculum developed by the national … Continued
VoiceWaves Tripled Youth Engagement
By spring 2025, VoiceWaves – yli Long Beach’s youth media and storytelling program – had tripled its engagement, directly supporting 35 youth and indirectly reaching an additional 86, for a … Continued
REP559 launches in Madera!
REP 559 launched! The program will be recruiting up to 15 young people who will work towards policy and systems change for economic and environmental justice. This work will train … Continued
REP 559- S2J2 Launches
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
Allcove Youth Advisory Group (YAG) Hires Allcove Community Outreach Specialist
FNL Coastside Youth Council presented at the Teens Tackle Tobacco Conference at UC Berkeley
Youth Across Madera coalition members hosted and facilitated a Youth Behavioral Health Destressing Workshop for residents of Madera County
Moving Forward – Tenya Middle School
The Moving Forward cohort published a zine developed by Tenya Middle School students in South Merced who completed the Girasol program, an all girls youth development curriculum developed by the … Continued
Internet Safety Day
HOPE Leaders joined Parents, Legislators, Industry Leaders, and Superintendent Tony Thurmond to envision solutions for youth by youth on Internet Safety Day.
HOPE Showcase
HOPE Podcast hosts led a showcase that dove into the addictive nature of social media, the messages we receive online, and the insightful interviews that were captured in the first … Continued
Allcove Youth Advisory Group (YAG) Hires Allcove Project Manager
VoiceWaves Publishes Video Explaining the Youth Power Participatory Budgeting Process
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
Second Annual People Panel: The Future of Redwood City
VOICE hosts the Second Annual People Panel: The Future of Redwood City. Opening remarks by Mayor Martinez Saballos, the panel included Gustavo Castillo, Jose Castro, Rose Lavalley, and Joy Magana.
Youth-Led Zine Published as Part of ClimateLB Youth Initiative
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
The Decay of Merced Parks
Youth United releases an article titled “The Decay of Merced Parks” presented at city council and published here on We’Ced Youth Media website.