We are proud that on a day where a 16-year-old activist is recognized as TIMEās Person of the Year, the City of Los Angeles takes a bold step forward to assure that youth voices are recognized.
Today, the Los Angeles City Council approved the establishment of a youth development task force based on legislation I introduced with CouncilmanĀ Jose Huizar. This is a critical first step to create a youth development department. Currently, youth initiatives in Los Angeles are spread across 26 departments and hundreds of different programs. This means there is no central oversight, strategy, or metrics to assess the impact of our investment. The task force will help the City set a clear agenda on how to maximize the number of youth we serve in the most effective way.