From driving lessons and financial literacy to self-defense and poetry, Long Beach youth have used voting power to fund summer projects of their choosing.
Nine local nonprofits were awarded a total of $400,000 through the second annual Youth Participatory Power Budget. Over 600 Long Beach youth between the ages of 13 and 26 voted online or in-person for summer programming of their choosing.
“Participatory budgeting is the first foray into civic engagement for many young people in Long Beach,” said Mayor Rex Richardson in a statement from the City. “This process supports and empowers youth by making a direct impact on their community.”
Voters could nominate up to four nonprofits to receive funds, with LGBTQ-focused Devotion Fitness garnering the most votes from youth with 208. Some summer projects will run for one week, while others will last for the duration of the summer.
Funds are being distributed by the Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services, The Nonprofit Partnership, Invest in Youth Coalition anchored by Khmer Girls in Action, and the Cal State Long Beach Department of Geography. Grants range from $25,000 to $50,000. Funding for the Youth Power PB Long Beach program is provided by Measure US.
The nine nonprofits and accompanying summer programs include:
- 208 Votes: Devotion Fitness (Health & Wellness) $50,000 — Sunset Boxing and Wellness will offer 12 weeks of outdoor boxing, sound baths and picnic-paint & skate nights this summer for emerging adults ages 18 to 26 (13-17 year olds may participate by completing a parental consent form). Devotion Fitness programs help young adults navigate life by relieving stress, providing an inclusive space to exercise, and creating a lifelong community.
- 175 Votes: Our Generation Cares (Transportation) $50,000 — Car and Driver 101: Drive Smart, Own Responsibility will take a comprehensive approach to increasing access to safe and affordable transportation for youth and emerging adults. From interactive lessons to exciting field trips, Car and Driver 101 transforms beginners into skilled drivers and instills a sense of control and independence. With classroom instruction, practical driving lessons using a real-car-driving simulator and a loaner vehicle for youth to take the DMV test, this program ensures that participants have access to the resources necessary to obtain their driver’s license.
- 150 Votes: spcaLA (Community Care) $25,000 — spcaLA Friends for Life Summer Camp will provide 40 scholarships for their Friends for Life Summer Camp to youth ages 12 to 15 who reside in the 90804, 90805 and 90813 zip codes. In addition to regular camp activities – dog training, cat care, games and activities – this week-long camp will offer an expanded curriculum around anger identification, conflict solving, empathetic choices, anti-bullying and kindness towards others.
- 136 Votes: Success in Challenges (Housing) $50,000 — YEAH! – Youth Education and Adjustment Housing will provide stable housing, community support and life skills training. Their holistic approach addresses the distinct needs of homeless transitional-aged youth. Workshops include financial literacy covering topics like credit scores and budgeting. The program ends with a graduation, stipend and certificates.
- 132 Votes: Mission Muay Thai (Community Care) $42,700 — Punch to Protect, Kick to Defend will provide youth with a self-defense program that helps foster personal growth, discipline, and community spirit to empower and protect our youth through situational awareness. Youth will access the protective knowledge by learning the art of eight limbs including punches, kicks, knees, elbows and defensive tactics to protect the body from potential threats.
- 131 Votes: Elite Skills Development (Planning for the Future) $50,000 — EmpowerED: Life Skills for Success will provide youth and young adults of Long Beach the knowledge, practical skills and abilities to set themselves up for future success. They will provide workshops and hands-on experiences with expert mentorship from field professionals that will help build individual independence, resiliency and economic equity.
- 128 Votes: M.O.R.E. Mothers (Health & Wellness) $50,000 — Summer Full of Art Program provides youth ages 8-13 a safe and supportive environment to grow, learn and develop creatively. This program allows youth to explore their creativity through painting, drawing, creating vision boards, clay making, photography and free admission to local museums. Designed for youth with all abilities, this program will teach awareness, acceptance, community building and effective life-skills.
- 105 Votes: West Coast Credible Messengers (Health & Wellness) $50,000 – Artful Resistance and Break the School-to-Prison Cycle will address the community priority area of physical, mental and emotional wellness in Long Beach by providing teens and emerging adults with opportunities for creative expression, personal development and community engagement. Through workshops focused on art, poetry and collaborative projects, participants will explore themes related to the school-to-prison pipeline, build awareness of systemic barriers, and develop skills to resist oppression and advocate for change.
- 85 Votes: Future Innovators (Transportation) $32,300 — Career CruiserLB – Youth Transport provides a weekly accessible and reliable transport service to support the youth and emerging adults of Long Beach in getting to career workshops, job fairs, hiring events, networking opportunities, visiting corporate campuses, and other job search activities. This weekly transport service will be provided to all those keen to participate in a weekly Career Workshop which will prepare youth with the skills and confidence needed to land a great job, internship or perhaps even explore further education.
Those interested in participating in any of the summer programs can reach out directly to the organizations. Contact information for each organization can be found on the Office of Youth Development webpage.
