Youth and Parent Leadership Development - Dream Centers

Immigrant and Refugee Support

Expand existing project, program, or initiative

According to the 2022 State of Immigrants in L.A. County (SOILA) report, the immigrant population alone makes up over a third of the county population of more than 10 million. This population significantly contributes to the economy and the diverse society as a whole, but have suffered disproportionately from the pandemic, recession, and other negative community conditions. For immigrants and refugees to fully integrate and thrive, they must be given the skills, resources, and support to address language access issues, barriers to social and economic mobility, lack of civic representation and participation, and barriers to naturalization. Giving this underserved group a voice is the first step to opening up the dialogue in L.A. County, starting necessary conversations about issues that matter most to them. Changing system structures to promote justice and opportunity for immigrants and refugees in our economy and all other aspects of society will uplift every community.

AYC's mission focuses on meeting the needs of the immigrant community, making resources and services available to those marginalized by oppressive systems and conditions. We facilitate the empowerment of those most impacted by systemic racism and inequity, following their lead on the issues and programs they think would make the biggest difference, recognizing that historically, immigrants have been shut out of decisions impacting their communities. Ensuring that immigrant rights are protected begins with civic engagement opportunities, which are often hindered by citizenship status and language access. The YPLD program ensures that immigrant voices are heard and that their issues are represented properly through community advocacy and input. YPLD works on all aspects of our vision for thriving immigrant youth and families in L.A. County, primarily through its workforce development, staffing, and programming at middle and high school Dream Resource Centers.?The centers support undocumented, immigrant, and BIPOC students and their allies with resources, programs, training, and leadership development.?They are spaces for youth-led efforts to transform schools into safe, restorative, and compassionate spaces where students, families, and communities can flourish. This includes having partners who can provide assistance on college and career pathways for undocumented youth now that DACA is no longer in effect, and more legal resources for immigrants to seek naturalization.

AYC envisions a future where immigrant youth and parents will be leaders and advocates, creating a true shift in power to those impacted by the systems that capitalize in keeping minorities at a disadvantage. By building civic engagement skills at our Dream Centers, immigrants will feel more confident and prepared to directly address community issues. Ensuring that students have the resources they need in school contributes to a healthy built environment, creating a safe space for youth and families to accommodate their daily needs. Giving immigrant leaders the freedom and self-determination for funding decisions allows them to make a more immediate impact. It fosters a sense of belonging to one another, responsibility to their community, and authority over the systems that exist to support them. The process of real change in L.A. County will occur once transparency exists between immigrants and organizations because programs will be able to fully respond to their changing needs.

The impact of YPLD is measured through attendance recordkeeping, event outcomes, and efficacy questions. This year, students at a Dream Center conducted a needs assessment survey that received over 900 responses, nearly 75% of the school population. Addressing the survey issues will improve immigrant student academic, social emotional, and leadership outcomes. The YPLD Adult/Parent Education Academy, where youth served as planners, teaching assistants, translators, and interns, assists immigrant parents in learning English and civic engagement. Parents wrote about a community issue and presented to elected officials at the end of the program. During a housing rights workshop, a parent mentioned a loophole in eviction law that allowed landlords to proceed with no-cause evictions. We have heard from Alhambra officials that they plan to revise the law to close the loophole. This meeting also compelled the City of Alhambra to create a committee to support immigration issues.