Local youth have the voting power to decide which summer programs they want funded through the Youth Power Participatory Budgeting (PB) Long Beach.
Through this process, young people ages 12-26 who live, work or play in Long Beach will have the chance to vote on how $550,000 will be spent on a wide range of youth-centered projects, with awarded sums ranging from $10,000 to $50,000.
“Young people are at the heart of our city’s future, and their voices deserve to be heard in shaping the programs that impact them,” said Mayor Rex Richardson in a public statement. “I encourage all youth to take advantage of this opportunity, cast their vote and make their voices count.”
The voting period will run from April 8-23. Voters can submit their ballots online, or at the following sites during regular business hours:
Parks, Recreation and Marine Teen Centers:
- Admiral Kidd Park (2125 Santa Fe Ave.)
- Cesar Chavez Park (401 Golden Ave.)
- Houghton Park (6301 Myrtle Ave.)
- McBride Park (1550 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave.)
- Silverado Park (1545 W. 31st St.)
Long Beach Public Libraries:
- Billie Jean King Main Library (200 W. Broadway)
- Burnett Neighborhood Library (560 E. Hill St.)
- Dana Neighborhood Library (3680 Atlantic Ave.)
- El Dorado Neighborhood Library (2900 Studebaker Road)
- Harte Neighborhood Library (1595 W. Willow St.)
- Mark Twain Neighborhood Library (1401 E. Anaheim St.)
- Michelle Obama Neighborhood Library (5870 Atlantic Ave.)
Additional locations:
- Economic Development Department’s Long Beach Workforce Innovation Network Youth Career Services Center (508 W. Willow St.)
- Ron Arias Health Equity Center (6335 Myrtle Ave.)
- Youth Movement and Education Center (2217 E. Sixth St.)
- Long Beach Unified School District Wellness Centers in all high schools and middle schools
The City will host a voter fair at the Long Beach Civic Center, located at 411 W. Ocean Blvd., on Tuesday, April 22 from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Youth are invited to learn about summer programs, explore local resources, enjoy food and live entertainment, and converse with community organizations who have projects on the ballot before casting their votes.
The Youth Power PB Long Beach program is the first citywide participatory budget process and it entrusts the city’s young people to decide how Measure US and Racial Reconciliation Funding dollars are distributed. This program is organized by the Health Department’s Office of Youth Development in collaboration with The Nonprofit Partnership, Invest in Youth Coalition, Khmer Girls in Action and California State University, Long Beach.
This marks the third year of Youth Power PB Long Beach. In 2024, 43 project ideas were submitted with 13 selected by youth budget delegates and placed on the ballot. The nine programs prioritized by youth voters in 2024 dealt with community care, housing, health and wellness, future planning and transportation, which aligns with five of the six objectives in the Long Beach Youth & Emerging Adults Strategic Plan.
To learn more about the Youth Power PB process as well as additional voting sites, visit investinyouthlb.org.
