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Oakland Youth Leadership Summit Focuses on Youth-led Change in the Community

MEDIA ADVISORY FOR:
September 24-25, 2013

Young Invincibles Contact:
Adriana Zyskowski, 
Adriana.Zyskowski@YoungInvincibles.org, 
213.221.7326

Civicorps Schools Contact:
Michele Moore, Michele.Moore@cvcorps.org, 510.992.7832

Oakland Youth Leadership Summit Focuses on Youth-led Change in the Community

[OAKLAND, Calif.] – Over 50 young adults ages 18-24 will gather for a two-day Leadership Summit sponsored by Civicorps and their partner, national group Young Invincibles. The Summit will take place at Civicorps Academy, the only accredited high school and job training program in the East Bay for 18-24 year olds who have previously dropped out of school.

The Leadership Summit, which follows an August teach-in on the Trayvon Martin case and the release of the movie Fruitvale Station, will bring together youth, political leaders, and community activists on the power of youth voice to address issues such as health, safety, youth engagement, education, and career opportunities in Oakland.

On Tuesday, State Senator Loni Hancock and Junious Williams from Urban Strategies Council will kick off the Summit, addressing young adults from Civicorps, Youth Radio, The Mentoring Center, Lao Family Community Development, and other organizations on the power of youth voice.  Later, Young Invincibles California Director Tamika Butler and local activists will discuss how they work toward change in the community. Summit participants will be prepared to identify the issues that matter to them, and to create action plans for influencing decision makers on those issues.

On Wednesday, the youth participants will present their plans and ideas to a panel of elected officials, including Mayor Jean Quan, Assemblymember Rob Bonta, Oakland Interim Police Chief Sean Whent, Deputy District Attorney Paul Hora, Supervisor Keith Carson, Justin Davis from the Kapor Center, and elected representatives from OUSD and Peralta Colleges.

WHAT: Leadership Summit of Oakland youth, community activists, and elected officials to discuss community issues, brainstorm solutions, and inspire action.

WHERE: Civicorps, 101 Myrtle St., Oakland, CA 94607

WHEN: Tuesday, September 24 and Wednesday, September 25, 8AM – 3PM

Key Meeting Sessions:

Tuesday, September 24

9:15 – 9:45 am: Opening Speeches: Junious Williams, Urban Strategies Council, and Senator Loni Hancock discuss the Power of Youth Voice.

12:45—1:30 pm: Panel: Local community activists discuss Pathways to Change

Wednesday, September 25

1:00-2:30 pm. Panel and Youth-Led Presentations: Mayor Jean Quan, Assemblymember Rob Bonta, Oakland Interim Police Chief Sean Wendt, and other Oakland decision-makers.

This event is one of fifteen stops on the Young Invincibles National Jobs Tour. With the unemployment rate for young adults in California standing at 20.2 percent—about twice the state average, Young Invincibles is highlighting the need to expand workforce training and job creation programs that are so vital to our generation’s future.

Members of the print media are encouraged to RSVP by emailing Adriana Zyskowski at Adriana.Zyskowski@YoungInvincibles.org, and must RSVP 24 hours before the event. Members of the non-print media can schedule one-on-one interviews separately with Adriana Zyskowski at Adriana.Zyskowski@YoungInvincibles.org.  For more information, please visit http://www.cvcorps.org/news and http://jobs.younginvincibles.org.

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Civicorps promotes active citizenship and environmental stewardship by implementing an educational curriculum based on academic rigor, community-based learning, and the arts, combined with the mastery of real-world skills through job training and civic education programs. Civicorps runs a public charter high school that enrolls youth ages 18-24. Students in the Civicorps Academy participate in paid job training on environmental and community beautification projects. Their recycling program provides additional job training opportunities. Civicorps works to improve workforce development and education systems by providing paid job training, education, and real-world skills to help young adults learn important skills, earn credentials, and pursue jobs in their communities.

Young Invincibles is a national organization committed to amplifying the voices of young adults, aged 18 to 34, and expanding economic opportunity for our generation. Young Invincibles ensures that young adults are represented in today’s most pressing societal debates through cutting-edge policy research and analysis and innovative campaigns designed to educate, inform and mobilize our generation to change the status quo.