 Good morning. Buenos dias, everyone. Thank you for joining the Investing in Youth panel with Dr. Ross, CEO of the California Endowment and members of the California Endowment's President's Youth Council. My name is Lupe, and I am calling in from Coney Island here in San Diego, and I am a fellow for the President's Youth Council, and so I'll work closely with all of these beautiful people on the screen. And we'll start off with a few of introductions. We could go ahead and have Jill, Carla, and then Dr. Ross introduce themselves. Your name, Prona, where you're calling in from, and your role. Gia? What's up, y'all? My name is Jaheem Jones. A lot of folks call me Gia. I'll go by him, his, and I'm calling from Richmond, California. Good morning, everyone. Carla Sheeter-Hers calling in from Tonga, the lands, East L.A., Boyle Heights area. Good morning, everyone. Dr. Bob Ross, President of the California Endowment. He and his, and I'm calling from Los Angeles, home of the hopefully soon to be world champion Los Angeles Dodgers City. Thank you for the hopes, Dr. Ross. So now that we actually want to start off with you, Dr. Ross, for you to give a quick background on why did you create the President's Youth Council and what was the intention behind it? And if you could give like a quick history. Yeah, thank you. Thank you, Lupus. So by way of background, you know, we should all just be aware and take into account that, you know, we're living at a very pivotal and potentially transformative moment in our nation's history. Probably the most important social justice moment in the last, easily the last 50 years, maybe even the last 100 years, given COVID and some of the racial injustice events that have happened. You know, but even prior to that, I always wanted to make sure in my role as a foundation president, accountable for, you know, three billion dollars in resources to improve health and wellness for vulnerable communities. I wanted to make sure I had young people in my brain buzzing in my head around their ideas. And social justice, not just in this country, but globally, has shown that young people are always at the forefront of social justice change. People named Martin Luther King, named John Lewis, Nelson Mandela, Dolores Huerta, Mayhem Wright Edelman, the Black Lives, more recently the Black Lives Matter movement, and the Dreamers. Those are young people who are well into their teens in their early 20s. And that's where social justice work. John Lewis, who recently died, delivered a keynote speech at the March on Washington in 1963 he was 22 years old, 23 years old when he gave that speech. So I really wanted to make sure that the energy the vibrancy the passion, the ideas of young people who are closer in my head. And I wanted it to establish a youth council to make sure that I was, I'm close to those ideas. Seven years ago, the way the youth council works very briefly is we have 14 healthy community sites across the state of California, we try to have one youth representative from each of the sites. So around a dozen to 14 youth members, their ages range from 16 to 24 or so. They come from distressed and difficult neighborhoods around around the state of California. And I try to fashion my conversations with them the same way I fashion our board of directors meetings. We meet about four times a year. We meet for two to three days over that each one of those times. I hear from the young people we have sort of open mic, where young people get to check in and then we have more structured conversations around strategy or topics or issues. And so they have been able to fill my brain with their thoughts and their passions about our work, and summarizing that I would just say, you know loop into everyone here. You know, we did the youth council has, we're on a, we have a 10 year strategic plan at the California Endowment. We also have a corresponding youth action plan, strategic action plan from the PYC members to me and the board so we have their ideas for how we should be investing our grant dollars and resources to make communities healthier for young people and their families. And I'll just tick off really quickly the ideas I've heard from them over the years that we're beginning to put into practice. One is the importance of full inclusion, absolute full inclusion for all young people, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, number one, number two, the importance of trauma. While reporting there's a lot of emotional trauma that young people are subject to it impacts their health and impacts their wellness, so they've been able to army with more of a trauma informed approach to our grant making our strategies number three ideas like closing youth prisons. That we should be a better nation and putting young people in detention facilities and we should find community based alternatives to put them in. Next schools as wellness centers schools need to be more conscious of trauma and emotional challenges that young people come to school with, and that schools need to be much more attentive to that. Next, entrepreneur entrepreneurship in young people for wellness, making sure that their ideas for for wellness through the lens of being entrepreneurs are advanced, and making sure that that we just started. As you know that the Youth Philanthropy Institute, where many grants are provided by by the Youth Council that encourage entrepreneurship for wellness. There's permission and impact investing. And then, lastly, an important role for again along the lines of healing, making sure that there are community spaces dedicated to healing restoration reflection, and gathering and kinship by young people that they need their hopefully in spaces owned by the community and owned at the grassroots level to move wellness and healing forward that that's very important to their social justice work in the social justice orientation so that's the snapshot summary of the PIC on how it works, why we were inspired to do it. It's been the most brilliant thing I've done a lot of things that have been pretty done in my life. And that, not as many that were brilliant but this one was pretty brilliant I'm really glad we did it, and we're learning so much from these young people and you'll have a chance to hear from them now. Thank you Dr. Ross, I do think you have brilliant young people when the Youth Council as well. And I do and I remember. I remember Dr. Ross, I'm reaching out to to the Youth Council and letting us know. What are some recommendations what are those goals that you all envision and pushing us to dream big and, you know, think about what is that ideal life that we want to see and we want to live in. And so we, we went ahead and we drafted a memo I remember 2018, and we sent that out to folks and then 2020 came along and we submitted the action plan. So it's been years of work, developing and talking to our young people and reflecting even our own experiences. When we sit in circle with Dr. Ross and we sit in circle with the Youth Council that help us shape and and really write these recommendations down. I know that the space that you've created with the PIC is very valuable. And so we will go ahead and and Jill and Carla will talk a little bit more about their experiences with the Youth Philanthropies Institute that Dr. Ross was talking about, and as well as what it really means to envision a youth leadership pipeline and investing in young people. So Jill will touch a little bit about that. But in the action plan, folks get a chance to read it and take a look at it. We divide our recommendations to five different areas. And each and every one of them have tangible practical goals that we could do within a year or two. And some of them actually already happened based on the uprisings and like the movement of young people over the last couple of months. I think one of those words, like really excited and surprised on how fast things can move when young people really step into their power. But I will I will definitely pass this over to Carla now for her to share a little bit about her experience and the Youth Philanthropies Institute and what was the value, value of it. Thank you, Lupin. Thank you, Dr. Ross for setting the framework and giving a little brief history in terms of who PYC is and the structure of what we've been trying to do for the last couple of years. And just to echo off what Dr. Ross said, he does have brilliant minds of young people working there. I am one of them. I will give myself a little hooray kudos to myself, right. And I feel like right when as we're doing these action plans, we're always thinking about the importance of young people being in the forefront of young people, challenging these ideas of young people. Forcing and kind of pushing older folks to come out of their comfort zone, right. I think Dr. Ross is spot on that we are all about shifting and changing the narrative that has been in place for so long, right. And for me this experience of the YPI was something new was something different but also was very empowering to me because it made me realize that my voice does matter and this is the space for me to do that a space where I have been in situations where we are trying to move and change in the action plans right I've seen it firsthand I've seen it in my community. And now I'm in a position where I'm able to grant money and in a position where I can fund organizations I can fund movements that are doing the work that I would have love to see when I was a young person in these communities. For me, it was something that I feel like needs to be highly invested into more right more institution should be doing this right more institution should be funding young people and training them and teaching them what this philanthropy Institute looks like right what does it even look like to grant money right because when we as a collective were working on the grant making process we were like this is cool this is fun yeah let's give money, but we didn't realize all the hoops that we had to jump we didn't realize all the little steps that had to come into place right, and I think as a collective we were definitely thankful with the money that we were able to grant the organizations and small groups that we were able to grant as well. I think we were very intentional as we were granting our money right to these different organizations and small group for them to align with our action plan. Like Dr Ross mentioned right, we were very centered in trauma informed and healing you trauma so a majority of our money went to healing you trauma foundations or two organizations right a big part of our money also went towards leadership pipeline right which is really huge and I know geo is going to talk a little bit about that right the importance of it. So when we were creating and when when we were funding money we're very intentional with doing this, but also being mindful that we have our ears to the ground so we know where what our community needs and what they would like to see and I think that's why PIC is very unique in that sense because all of us are young people who are on the grounds who are doing the work and know what our community needs and how we can show up for them. That's the best way as well. And just a quick follow up question this is just more in general of like your experience in PIC. What would you say would be a highlight or something you would walk away with through your engagement in the presidency. I would say a lot of development right as a young person. I feel like being in PIC I've been able to gain so much and to develop myself as a young person as an organizer, and I think I've been given a taste of what philanthropy looks like. Right and I think for me, when I was a lot younger 1514 I was like I want to be in those positions I want to be able to do this I want to be able to be like Dr Ross one day right to be in that chair. Being now in the president's youth council and being on the flip side of it I'm like wow it's a lot of work. Right there's all these little things that I now need to show up for all these things that I now need to really take into consideration. So for me there's been a lot of development and growth in my part, where now I'm like, I really want to do philanthropy. What is the next step for me what does that look like now that I have some experience, and I kind of know what it looks like as well. Thank you Carla. And then we'll come back and talk a little bit more about what what are some things that we could do to strengthen use of partnerships. And geo I know that in part of our action plan, we talked about creating a pipeline creating a ladder where youth participants could take up space for like a staff member and be in a full time positions and continue on their professional development. So I'm wondering if you could share a little bit about what this like an infrastructure can look like for you and what does that. What do you want to do I know you're in a much like younger age range in the youth spectrum. Thank you, Dr Ross and Lupe for in Carla also just for starting up. And I think when we're talking about creating a youth pipeline we have to be really invested into youth power. With that being is youth led youth driven youth oriented youth paved and I think when I first came into the PYC I was 16 I didn't know what any of this was like, I had just learned what the W nine was. And I think they really invested into me as such as such a young age knowing that I was just now learning certain topics on really starting to be into this group into this organizing work of networking on a statewide level. I definitely think it's about investing into you for investing into you much lower than 16 is grabbing youth in middle school on 12 and 13 about putting them into the position of power. I'm 17 going on to 18 soon and I think seeing that I have a unique experience in high school and just being a minor in the US alone. I've been able to craft a different ideologies and different experiences viewpoints perspective that not just you know folks like Carla or Lupe can be able to be so tightly. So I think it's about really investing into youth at such a younger age. And I know that sometimes scares board members and Dr Ross, especially when we're talking about these conversations about bringing in new PYC members, but it's about taking that risk and it's about seeing what do we actually see in that young person that makes that makes them scared and why, why is it making them scared that why, why is that they're the thought of bringing someone on making them scare is what we know that that young person is powerful and that they're going to be very gentle, unique and creative with their work that they bring to the endowment into California into the US on by itself. Coming when talking about a pipeline, we have to understand that it can be tokenizing that we have to be able to guide you and navigate you through so many different systems and structures and so many different trainings like I said I had to learn about so much and I'm continuing learning as I go through the presence you tell school. It's about understanding the point of entry understanding that young adults on youth and youth young adults transitional age you are still navigating through the careers and pipelines. Many of our presidency councils are still in college, college is graduated so I'm also graduating high school so it's about understanding where we navigate and how are we better giving them into their career pathway because not everyone wants to be in philanthropy and see themselves working in social justice so it's about how do we craft a professional development pipeline that is tailored to getting them to their career so they can be successful in that. Also, it's about movement and movement and build skill strategies it's about the knowledge that we know about building, building bridges from our communities to TCE and that those should be the young people. It should be the young people doing it. It should be the help it should be the support that the endowment and PYC gives the young people to be able to successfully build those bridges so that we can create an intergenerational and intersectional trajectory that is tailored to what we call youth organizing to what we call youth power that isn't tokenizing that isn't marginalizing them that isn't just bringing them on because oh we just want to look diverse or we want to say that we have youth on board but by actually grasping their voices, their stories, their experiences, and making sure that shows up in our next ten years on our next 50 years of the endowment. And it looks like one of the PYC members being in Dr. Ross's seat it looks like well what if we had Carla being the next CEO what if I was the next CEO what if, what if, what if we actually had those different stairs, those stairs to what the CEO of the endowment looks like and I know that's scary Dr. Ross right now, but it's definitely taking the risk of seeing what PYC thought in me that they should be thinking and other folks that that's the reason why why we're so scared and why it's going to be a scary crisis, investing into youth at a younger age but we also be scared, I'm gonna just say you also be scared because the youth are here to run we are here to take over, and we are here to be able to address the audience, advise the all. So yeah, that's what I believe in youth pipeline. I am afraid Joe but it's a good kind of afraid. Definitely. It's the fear of a roller coaster ride fear so you know it's going to be great but it's sometimes it's scary along the way. Definitely. We're coming for that feed Dr. Ross we're coming. Thank you y'all. And actually Dr. Ross. It'd be good to hear from you what you think youth adult partnership looks like knowing that you've been in partnership with with us for like years. What would that look like for other folks who want to engage young people. Yeah, I think I've learned a little bit from my experience with the youth council is sometimes, sometimes you can tokenize. You bring young people on board to get engaged, and you can talk if you're not careful you really can tokenize their participation. You know they're not window dressing. You know a fashion thing like you know a pocketbook or bracelet. You really have to bring young people on board with the level of seriousness that adults, you know seeing one another. And that's that that you know that requires humility requires grace and dignity, because young people, by definition, are both passionate and impatient. And we'll, and we'll push me and push us to uncomfortable places, but in order for this country to address structural inequality racial inequality economic exclusion, all of these issues. We have to take ourselves to uncomfortable places to new places. And that's exactly what the PYC does for me, even if I don't do everything they want me to do. They're pushing me to new places and pushing the organization to new places. And that's exactly what we need in philanthropy and that's exactly what we need in Congress that's what we need in the Senate. That's what we need in in school districts that we need in mayor offices is the voices and participation of young people to push us further for full inclusion for full economic participation for full health and wellness. And I think right now we have a lot more like systems and institutions who want to engage young people. And it'd be really interesting to see like you know what can be why see author for folks and advice on what it needs to partner up with an institution. And I know what we're like about to wrap up some time, but I want to hear just one last time from geo and Carla. And advise you all will share with young people as they step into these spaces and apprenticeship with adults. I think for me it's definitely creating authentic and real relationships right I think that's something that we've been working at with endowment and their board creating authentic relationships, and not just surface level relationships right. I think, especially when doing adult and youth partnership it's meeting young people halfway and vice versa understanding adultism understanding how oftentimes our privilege can come into place and because of our age. How sometimes right there's this assumption that young people don't know anything and vice versa but there's always room to grow always room to learn and always room to work together. I think PYC is creating this intergenerational approach right where we're always trying to work and to invite our elders into space as well. Yeah, I think a piece of advice I'd say is probably being vulnerable is to be able to voice what you need I think coming into these spaces can be scared it can be. I know it's for me being scared being able to say in front of like 15 people I barely knew in front of Dr Ross in front of the board. And I still get scared to these days where I think to be is being able to be vulnerable to be able to say what you need. In that time right now because it's not every day that you know you'll be able to be in front of the CEO. And he's sitting here asking you what you need as a young person as an activist as a person living in Richmond or living in Fresno Los Angeles. I think it's being able to take those opportunities and to be able to be vulnerable. It's whether it looks like you need a transportation whether it's like you need mental health days whether you need whatever it looks like that these folks are here to help you. And that you should be able to take these opportunities and take these distance these disadvantages these advantages and then also not being able to be scared in these spaces because at the end of the day they are helping you on they are the ones who will be able to be building these bridges and navigating and guiding you to do an implement. Yeah, if I may I just want to say echo what what georgia said and Carla, it's important that these young people, not show up pretending to be an adult. You know show up with your full selves with your full passions and your full vision because that's the value that's being added with the youth council. I mean I already have a board of directors of 50 year olds and 60 year olds and 70 year olds. And, and, and I don't, I don't need my youth council showing up exactly the way they do. I need the youth council showing up with their full selves and bring it to the table. And what Geo said sometimes that means being vulnerable and sharing your, your greatest fears and your struggles, as well as your dreams and your hopes, and that's the value of the conversation. Yes, thank you Dr Ross. Yeah, and I think right now we're seeing a lot more the value of young people's voices and decision making spaces. And how we want to move to youth adult equity right we are allowing and giving power to young people's lived experiences. And that comes like also acknowledging their their trauma and knowing that when they expose and they become vulnerable right that they're also healing these spaces so I don't think it's a, it's a learning space for both the, the folks who are sharing power with the young people. So we are at time. Any last remarks Dr Raza you would want to share, and you could close this out. No I just think I know for I know this this is an audience that cares about economic inclusion and full participation and covert is really unmasked savage inequities in economic dislocation and help dislocation. In our country and so this is yet another moment to make sure we invite young people to be in shared space with us as we think about strategy and policy and systems change, and having young people as equal meaningful partners, and not as is not as window dressing. So, you know, the President's Youth Council, and the way we did it, it's not perfect that we started with some bugs and mistakes, we learned from the young people how to do it better. But I just encourage all in that mission investing work in the impact investing work, try to find a way to get young people involved and participating at the table with these strategies. Thank you. Thank you everyone for joining me and I hope you all are enjoying the rest of the sessions of this week.