Neighborhood Impact Projects

Youth & Community advocacy efforts led the City of Long Beach and Mayor Rex Richardson's office to set aside funding for a seaside park youth center feasibility study: https://www.longbeach.gov/globalassets/city-manager/media-library/documents/memos-to-the-mayor-tabbed-file-list-folders/2023/march-15--2023---priority-project-funding-requests-list 

14th St Court Vision Plan was presented by over 40 youth and community members to the Long Beach City Council in April 2023. Youth continue working with the City to secure the implementation of the vision plan. City Council Presentation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFE-HW4b0F4  

In 2022, Youth organized a community cleanup with the local community in partnership with Arts Council. They took the trash from the cleanup and sculpted an earth out of it to symbolize the neglect of the neighborhood. The sculpture was presented to City Council: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbig1CmJw9Q 

Youth organized the first-ever Gang Violence Prevention Panel in the Washington Neighborhood in April 2022. It featured Homeboy Industries, Brothers, Sons, Selves, Coalition, Californians For Justice, Office fo Equity, and Books & Buckets Youth

Books & Buckets has featured school board members, superintendents, City Council members, State Assembly Members, State Senators, and Congressional staff as presenters in our program to bring the listening sessions directly to the neighborhood and youth.