From hunger to transportation, San Diego youth work on their own Bill of Rights – The San Diego Union-Tribune

Food insecurity is an issue close to the heart of UC San Diego student Tyler Sepulveda.

Growing up there were days where he might not have eaten if he hadnt had food at school. At home there were times when his mom would have to stretch to make sure he and his brother had a meal, sometimes taking a rice or pasta box labeled for three servings and having to portion it out to last several days.

That story is not just me; 1 in 5 kids experience food insecurity here in San Diego, Sepulveda told a room full of people from various government, nonprofit and business sectors Saturday. For an area that is one of the largest economic hubs here in California, I dont think that is how the world should be.

Sepulvedas personal experience was among many stories young people from throughout San Diego County shared to highlight issues of importance to their generation Saturday.

The conference in Logan Heights hosted by Youth Will, a youth empowerment nonprofit, drew more than 70 people a diverse group of young San Diegans joining community members from other nonprofits, government agencies and local businesses.

They came together to discuss how issues like transportation, housing, access to health care and restorative justice are impacting young people in the region. They also discussed what possible long-term solutions could look like and what role various groups can play in helping develop a Regional Child and Youth Development Master Plan.

Local young people began drafting the countys first youth master plan in collaboration with local leaders and Youth Will. Here, Shadia Omer talks with Janet Ruiz of the San Diego American Indian Health Center and Maddy Moritsch of the Alliance for a Healthier Generation.

(Nancee E. Lewis)

Earlier this year Youth Will and young people from throughout the county created a Youth Bill of Rights and set their sights on developing a plan with long term strategies for the entire region to support and ensure the success of young people.

When we believe in young people, when we give them the opportunity to prove themselves, they will, said Sean Elo, executive director of Youth Will. What we are trying to do here is work toward that vision our young people have created... and if we work with them I know we can actually be the San Diego we envision where every young person has what they need to be happy, healthy and reach their potential.

Although the conference didnt provide long-term solutions to every issue young people are hoping to address in the ultimate regional plan, Saturdays event served as a starting point by bringing together various stakeholders in the community and reflecting who still needs to come to the table.

Attendees broke into 11 small groups to focus on the 11 issues outlined in the Youth Bill of Rights.

Some of the groups, such as the one focused on transportation, had few community member volunteers.

Cassidy Jacquez, a Fallbrook resident who is a third-year student at Cal State San Marcos, emphasized the need to engage young people around the topic of transportation, especially since many young people and students like herself are commuters who would benefit from having a solid public transportation system that is affordable and widely accessible.

We need to incorporate a better transportation system so that people like me... can actually get to school without having to spend money I dont have on gas, she said.

Other groups saw more immediate community engagement.

For instance, a group focusing on justice and safety included individuals from a variety of entities including the county probation department, the county public safety department, the San Diego American Indian Health Center and Youth Empowerment, a community group focused on helping at-risk youths.

That groups discussion focused heavily on how it could help connect youth, community organizations, and government entities to share and learn new information about various accountability practices through alternate means like education and therapy. Members of the group also discussed the need to get more feedback from young people, as well as various ways to create points of access with government entities that are less intimidating and more widely known for members of the community.

The engagement from so many different community members at the event Saturday including county Supervisor Greg Cox and Assemblymember Todd Gloria was a positive sign, according to Youth Will leadership. But still much work needs to be done.

We can put a Bill of Rights together, we can put words on paper, but unless we act on it, its not really going to be anything, said Warsan Artan, who leads operations and youth organizing at Youth Will.

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From hunger to transportation, San Diego youth work on their own Bill of Rights - The San Diego Union-Tribune