YO! Cali Steering Committee Sets Long-Term Horizon

More than 25 youth leaders and organizers representing YO! Cali Steering Committee organizations gathered in Oakland this past May 19 to finalize the Network’s 2030 “horizon,” set key goals for the 2018-2019 program year, and gather input on the 2018 Young People’s Agenda. A highlight from the gathering was a site visit and peer learning exchange hosted by the RYSE Center in Richmond, CA. As one of the founding steering committee member organizations of YO! Cali, the RYSE Center is a model of transformative youth organizing.

”It’s important organization have opportunity like the peer exchange to share knowledge, build collective power and connect our work. I really enjoyed the opportunity to visit RYSE and have our youth see their space. Getting the chance to actually see, experience and feel the energy in their space was inspiring! You really see how youth own the space, and get a feel for how they have built a culture of trust and respect. Having the opportunity to physically be in the space, and hear from their youth leaders and staff about how they are able to combine offering youth leadership activities, arts, and mental health services was very valuable. It was amazing to see how a community organization can exercise its power, be creative with funding resources, and manifest its vision of building resources in their community that they want and deserve!”  
-Jennefer Heng, Organizer with Khmer Girls in Action

One key element of YO! Cali’s horizon––or longer term goals for 2030––is to expand the current Emerging Organizers’ Fellowship program statewide to engage Fellows from up to 45 organizations in three pathways––the Emerging Organizers Fellowship, a Lead Organizers and Organizing Directors Fellowship, and Youth Policy and Grassroots Governance Fellowship.  Also on the 2030 horizon, the Network plans to expand to more than 60 active member organizations with regional Anchor Organizations in five to six regions across the state. Finally, over the next twelve years, the Network seeks to build power, change practices and policies, and create long-term transformation that results in concrete movement victories connected to issues from the 2018 Young People’s Agenda.