Permanent funding for youth development in Sac City (4/13 Council meeting)
Children and Youth Fund Proposed to Council
WHAT HAPPENED? TELL US THE MAIN POINTS IN YOUR OWN WORDS.
Sac Kids First coalition presented their proposal to the Council. According to the speakers, this is the third attempt to try and advocate for a continuous Children & Youth Fund. In their last two attempts, Sac Kids First was only given a one time allocation of $6 million. These individuals are advocating for funds that will be provided to the children and youth of Sacramento all year long and not just one time. They want to develop a strategic plan to reach more children and youth with a lens of racial equity and intersectionality. It's important to have a stable fund for children and youth to rely on, especially those in poverty. Overall, child poverty rate in Sacramento is 20% and if it was broken down into individual races, the percentage would be higher. By achieving a stable fund for children and youth, Sac Kids First argue that childhood poverty could be reduced and children would be given better opportunities and support.
WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE?
I believe this proposal is important for social justice because it advocates for a vulnerable population that gets overlooked way to often. Our children and youth are the first to suffer whenever something in their environment is not going well or is not stable enough for positive development. As stated above, 20% of Sacramento's children and youth are experiencing poverty and this is not their fault but a result of their environment and systemic oppression. Children and youth should be our first priority as they are the next generation. What happens early in life has an impact well into adulthood. A couple of youth members came to advocate for this proposal and speak on why they believe this proposal should be passed at the meeting.
Social Justice PolitiCorps should take into consideration this proposal and focus on the fact that with more funds, children and youth will have the opportunity to come across more resources and mental health care to make sure they are receiving the support they deserve. Children and youth need to be put first.
ARE THERE IMPORTANT NEXT STEPS ON THIS ISSUE? WHAT SHOULD SJPC READERS DO?
The coalition's next step is to continue meeting with the Mayor and the City Councilmembers on a regular basis to ensure that we are taking actionable steps to make a Children & Youth fund a reality in Sacramento. If readers are interested in being active with the coalition and attend monthly meetings, they can email monica@youth-forward.org.