Campaign launched by the OYC in 2015
Convened by the Alliance for Children’s Rights
The Opportunity Youth Collaborative (OYC) Young Leaders Program is a paid one-year training program in leadership development, public speaking, advocacy, and much more. Through regular meetings, activities, trainings, and active participation in various OYC efforts, Young Leaders will feel empowered to use their collective experience to champion the needs of young people who have been disconnected from school and work and/or impacted by systems, such as child welfare, juvenile justice and homeless. Young Leaders will have the opportunity to advocate and become impactful change agents in the Los Angeles County community!
“As the backbone for the LAOYC, the Alliance for Children’s Rights has had the privilege of witnessing the growth trajectory of the
OYC Young Leaders. Their fierce dedication and impact as advocates—speaking from their own lived experience—demonstrates the importance of using our platform to amplify the voices and vision of the young people in our communities.”— Jennifer L. Braun, President & CEO
Alliance for Children’s Right
The DCFS Director’s Advisory Council brings together Young Leaders and DCFS staff to work as a team. It’s a space where young people with foster care experience can share their ideas and stories to help make DCFS policies and programs better for everyone.
The YMN Visionaries Board leads the charge in building an LA county-wide network of supporting programs that serve system-impacted youth that seeks to center advocacy and cooperation amongst young people and various community partners.
The Horizons 32k Youth Advisory Council will provide vision and guidance to reach the goals of the Horizons 32K Strategic Plan, focusing on creative and realistic solutions to reconnect young people to workforce and educational opportunities with holistic supports.
Holistic Stability means young people have consistent, reliable support across all areas of life necessary to thrive. Including safe housing, financial well-being, education, health and wellness, and supportive relationships. Stability is not just about surviving, it’s about building a foundation for belonging, growth, and long-term success.
Young adults with lived experience should be at the table from the start. The LA OYC’s youth leadership approach is grounded in the intergenerational partnership model. This model emphasizes shared power, mutual learning, and the belief that systems change happens when lived expertise and the experience of long-time system leaders come together to co-create solutions.
Jackie Robles
OYC Young Leader
Jasmin Ambrosio
Kahlen Barnes
Daniel Bisuano
Sherrie Bradford
Iziko Calderon
Nyla Davis
Cristopher Espino
Roberta Frame
Taneil Franklin
Jasper Garcia
Christopher Hendrix
Kamaurah Hogan
Mercedes Jackson
Ya’Jan Johnson
Peyton Kivett
Ka-Leah Mucthison
Tahir Nance
Alexis Obinna
Marlene Ochoa
Maya Ochoa
Nancy Olivares
Jacqueline Robles
Giulyana Rodriguez
Sarai Rojas
Abigail Rubtsova
Alaska Romero-Crosby
Adriana Segura
Micheal Strickland
Joel Swazo
Jennifer Vega
Lania Whiteside
Ashanti Wince
Taneil started her advocacy journey younger than most. When she was in foster care, she often had to advocate for her education and placement needs to be met.
After all, she knew what was best for her. However, like so many others in care, her voice was hushed by adults in the room. Now an OYC Young Leader and sophomore at LA Trade Technical College (LATTC) with Project Tipping Point, Taneil has dreams of becoming a lawyer and advocating for people who are often silenced.
In January 2020, Taneil was asked to provide her testimony in front of the LA County Board of Supervisors to support increased funding to prevent youth homelessness. Taneil jumped at the opportunity and provided the Board of Supervisors with a compelling argument they could not disregard. As a result, the motion was passed.
This victory set the tone for the rest of the year. Eager to utilize her voice and enact change within several foster youth spaces, Taneil showed up with enthusiasm, and her heart for justice became apparent every time she spoke. She led focus groups, participated in three panels, and became a vital voice of the DCFS’s Director’s Advisory Council.
Her advocacy has sparked several conversations regarding the engagement of youth in care, explicitly addressing racial inequities within the child welfare system. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Taneil’s determination did not falter despite suddenly losing her job. She maintained good grades and kept her commitment to the OYC. Despite the hardships, Taneil always came ready to address the issues, spark conversations, and collaborate in order to create a brighter tomorrow for the youth who come after her.
“The OYC has broadened my network and impacted my path towards a meaningful career. To me, a young leader is a youth with a desire for improvement and change for the better of a community and that’s what we are.”
A creative artist, LAOYC Young Leader, Iziko Calderon joined the leadership program in 2022 with a vision to make the world a better place. As a Young Leader, Iziko talks to policymakers and systems leaders about the real life issues faced by transition age foster youth, with the goal of creating sustainable, effective change throughout LA County.
Through the LAOYC Young Leaders program, Iziko is gaining a better understanding of the LA County governing process and the child welfare system through increased involvement in the local and state democratic process. Iziko says that they have learned that it is possible for young people and systems leaders to work together to advance change.
In their time with the Young Leaders, Iziko has influenced the LAOYC’s goals and priorities through visioning sessions and workgroups with DCFS, DMH, Children NOW, and other partners.
Iziko was especially inspired by a meeting with the Department of Mental Health and the LA Youth Commission, where they felt like their ideas and experiences were truly heard and recognized as a catalyst to create youth centered solutions to youth-facing problems. They explain that this experience made them want to work in social justice spaces, using their work with the LAOYC as their North Star.
Iziko is part of the NextUp program at LA Southwest College and now has an internship with El Nido Family Centers. They are connected to a job resource center to explore career options in social justice, and plans to pursue their interests using their experiences as a young leader to guide their journey.
California Mentoring Partnership
California Youth Connection (CYC)
City of Los Angeles Youth Development Department (YDD)
Coalition for Responsible Community Development (CRCD)
Foster Together Network (FTN)
Housing Justice Collective
Journey House
Kids In The Spotlight (KITS)
Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture
Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS)
Los Angeles County Education Coordinating Council (ECC)
Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (DMH)
Los Angeles County Office of Child Protection (OCP)
Los Angeles County Youth Commission
Los Angeles LGBT Center
National Center for Youth Law
National Foster Youth Institute (NFYI)
Seen&Heard
Reproductive Health Equity Project for Foster Youth (RHEP)
United Friends of the Children
Campaign launched by the OYC in 2015
Convened by the Alliance for Children’s Rights
The OYC Young Leaders Program is a one-year leadership program for young adults in leadership development, public speaking, advocacy, and more. We believe young adults should join us as equal decision makers to co-create and implement the services and programs that serve them.
Mission: The OYC Young Leaders are young adults with lived experience of the Los Angeles child welfare system dedicated to raising awareness and engaging employers, educators, policy makers, youth, and others to increase stability leading to employment, wellness, and higher education opportunities for foster youth.
Vision: Building a world where all young adults with lived experience of the Los Angeles child welfare system have the means to actively and meaningfully contribute to improving their communities.
“As the backbone for the LAOYC, the Alliance for Children’s Rights has had the privilege of witnessing the growth trajectory of the OYC Young Leaders. Their fierce dedication and impact as advocates—speaking from their own lived experience—demonstrates the importance of using our platform to amplify the voices and vision of the young people in our communities.”
— Jennifer L. Braun, President & CEO
Alliance for Children’s Rights
Through testimony at Board of Supervisors meetings, the OYC Young Leaders advocated for $32.4M in funding for housing and employment in 2020.
