Youth United For Community Action

WE LAUNCHED HIGHER LEARNING IN JUNE OF 1997, WHOSE GOAL IS TO CREATE A SAFE SPACE WHERE HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH CAN COME TOGETHER TO EXAMINE AND ACT ON ISSUES THAT IMPACT THEIR COMMUNITIES. IN 2010 WE RENEWED OUR COMMITMENT TO ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL CHANGE, AND YOUTH ORGANIZING, RESULTING IN THE LAUNCH OF TWO NEW CAMPAIGNS, A LEADERSHIP AND BASEBUILDING NETWORK IN EAST PALO ALTO, THE REVAMP OF OUR STAFFING STRUCTURE TO BETTER SUPPORT YOUTH-TO-STAFF TRANSITIONS, AND A RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT PLAN AIMED TO DIVERSIFY OUR FUNDING SOURCES. CURRENTLY, OUR WORK INVOLVES LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT, COMMUNITY ORGANIZING, AND COALITION BUILDING.

THE HIGHER LEARNING PROGRAM WAS LAUNCHED IN JUNE 1997 TO SERVE THE GROWING NUMBER OF HIGH SCHOOL AGED YOUTH INVOLVED IN THE FIRE FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM. THE HIGHER LEARNING PROGRAM (HL) WAS INITIATED BY HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH IN EAST PALO ALTO TO HELP SUPPORT AND DEVELOP YOUNG PEOPLE AS ACTIVE LEADERS IN THE COMMUNITY. AS A RESULT, HL EPA BRINGS HIGH SCHOOL AGED YOUTH TOGETHER IN A HEALTHY AND SAFE ENVIRONMENT WHERE THEY CAN IDENTIFY AND EXPLORE ISSUES AFFECTING THEM AS YOUNG PEOPLE AND AS MEMBERS OF THEIR COMMUNITIES. ONCE AN ISSUE HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED, THE YOUTH RESEARCH AND EVALUATE THE ROOT CAUSES OF THE SPECIFIC ISSUE AND DEVELOP/IMPLEMENT ACTION PLANS TO PRODUCTIVELY ADDRESS THIS ISSUE.

YUCA HAS A LONG HISTORY OF WORKING ON HOUSING ISSUES, SPECIFICALLY ADVOCATING FOR STRONG ANTI-DISPLACEMENT POLICIES AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING. OUR GOAL FOR THE HOUSING CAMPAIGN IS TO EDUCATE AND EMPOWER LOW-INCOME EAST PALO ALTO RESIDENTS BY INFORMING THEM OF THEIR HOUSING RIGHTS AND CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMUNITY LAND OWNERSHIP, WHILE ADVOCATING FOR CITY POLICIES IN EAST PALO ALTO AND ALSO BRINGING TENANTS TOGETHER.OUR GOAL IS TO INFORM, EDUCATE AND ASSIST OUR COMMUNITY TO MAKE SURE WE PROTECT OUR RESIDENTS IN THE FIGHT AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE BY WORKING WITH DIVERSE ORGANIZATIONS ADVOCATING FOR EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT, AND IMPLEMENTING SUSTAINABLE GARDEN PRACTICES/WORK. WE DO SO BY GROWING AND SHARING FRESH PRODUCE WITH OUR NEIGHBORS.

OUR EDUCATION CAMPAIGN IS IN A MORE NASCENT STAGE BUT SEEKS TO IMPLEMENT RESTORATIVE JUSTICE MOST HOLISTICALLY IN LOCAL SCHOOLS AND YOUTH PROGRAMS IN EAST PALO ALTO. YOUTH ARE TIRED OF SEEING THEIR PEERS PUNISHED AND DISCIPLINED FOR SMALL INFRACTIONS AND WANT TO SEE PROBLEMS ADDRESSED AT THE ROOT RATHER THAN EXACERBATING ISSUES. YOUTH HAVE BEEN MEETING WITH LONG TIME YUCA PARTNER DR. CASEY WONG TO ENHANCE OUR FACILITATION SKILLS AND TO BEGIN THE PROCESS OF WRITING A BOOK ON HOW WE IMPLEMENT TRANSFORMATIVE JUSTICE HERE AT YUCA WITH THE HOPES TO LATER SHARE WITH OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS.YUCA ALSO WORKS CLOSELY IN COALITION WITH OTHER LOCAL COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS, COALITIONS, AND RESIDENTS. WE INTEND TO CONTINUE GROWING OUR BASE OF LEADERS, EXPANDING OUR COALITION, AND BECOMING MORE ACTIVE IN REGIONAL COALITIONS. YUCA HAS A LEADERSHIP PIPELINE SO THAT YOUTH FEEL ENCOURAGED TO CONTINUE TO GROW AND DEVELOP WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION. YOUTH HAVE RECENTLY STAYED TRUE TO THE PIPELINE AND HAVE BEEN TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITIES PRESENTED THROUGH OUR YOUTH DEVELOPMENT CURRICULUM.