Youth Leadership Institute (YLI)

“I’m involved with YLI because I want to give back to my community and create healthier communities for future generations.” -Margarita Vasquez, 19

 

Congratulations to Margarita, the Coastside Youth Council, and all of our youth leaders who are working to create more equitable communities! Will you help Margarita to stand on the shoulders of other youth leaders, and pass YLI's 101st policy this year?

 

For 25 years, Youth Leadership Institute (YLI) has sparked the leadership of young people to solve pressing issues in their communities. YLI is a youth development organization dedicated to building young leaders who are creating community change and advocating for healthier communities. Give back to our San Mateo County youth leaders this year for Silicon Valley Gives!

Youth leaders like Margarita Vasquez are working to help pass our 101st policy win in Half Moon Bay, CA! Margarita Vasquez is part of Coastside Youth Council, a program based in our San Mateo YLI office.

Margarita was born and raised in Half Moon Bay, and is daughter to immigrant parents. As the first in her family to attend college, currently she is a 1st year at San Francisco State University studying Business and Administration, she understands the importance of giving back to her community. Margarita is dedicated to bettering the city that invested in her education, well-being, and leadership development.

For the past 3 years, Margarita and her YLI group have engaged with youth participatory research practices to understand the impacts of alcohol and tobacco messaging near schools. Recently, in collaboration with Half Moon Bay’s city council, youth leaders presented their findings and recommendations. Youth leaders encouraged city council to strengthen signage requirements in the city, especially near schools, to diminish the negative impacts of alcohol and tobacco advertising. Coastside Youth Council is excited to continue working with city council, the Coastside Collaborative, and the Half Moon Bay community to see community change happen!

Your gift will contribute to our legacy to engage youth and give them the opportunity to sit with decision makers to make community-wide change. Since its founding, YLI has worked with over 86,000 young people in over 200 communities nationally and abroad.

 

To learn more about Youth Leadership Institute:

-Visit our website, yli.org or email info@yli.org.