California Youth and Family Civic Engagement Initiative
Everyone benefits when young people are civically engaged. The Martin Luther King Jr Freedom Center Youth and Family Civic Engagement organizes youth leadership and civic engagement opportunities in Alameda, Contra Costa, Sacramento, Yolo, San Joaquin, Santa Clara and San Diego Counties.
When it comes to civic engagement, we know a lot about what urban and rural America share in common. We know that a lack of citizen engagement means the people’s interests lose out and the forces of greed and hate win. We also know that robust civic engagement leads to a just and equitable distribution of the benefits of America– better health care, jobs with livable wages, and education based on the principles of ethics and democracy.
The California Youth and Family Civic Engagement Initiative connects young people with solutions. The benefits and merits of voting, volunteering, serving, and actively taking a role in community problem solving are well documented. Civic engagement works! Research shows dramatic positive impacts on social-emotional learning, team-building skills, and academic achievement. The basic tenants of democracy– inclusion, cooperation, and equity—flourish when civic engagement is consistently amplified.
Cohort members participate in:
- civics classes and trainings during all school breaks
- out-of-school civic engagement leadership classes
- cultural leadership exchanges
- public speaking coaching and training
- participation in civic projects in collaboration with community-based organizations and local agencies
- intensive residential school break and summer Nonviolence Boot Camps
Throughout the year, the students and their families engage in civic actions of their choice.
To learn more about the Initiative, give our offices a call today at 510-434-3988!