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Why is it important for youth to have a voice?
When you talk about health, most people think about what you eat, if you exercise, if you smoke, all the behavioral stuff. Then they think if you have a doctor that gives you a pill if you get sick. That’s a very narrow concept of health.
Our sense of health is that health is about agency. The ability to know that within yourself you can control the things that impact your environment. The worse thing for your health is a sense of no control. People who don’t feel like they’re in control are much more likely to smoke or drink or drive without a seat belt. They’re much more likely to have unprotected sex because they don’t see a future for themselves. When you see a future for yourself and you feel like you have some agency, the ability to navigate the path that gets you to that future, you tend to take better care of yourself and your community.
Our goal is personal agency and community agency. Voice is central to agency. It’s the ability to speak your peace, to project your ideas, to interact with others in a way and learn other people’s perspectives and opinions but also be able to inject yours, that is critical to health. You cannot have health without voice.
What would you like to see happen with BHC youth investments for the rest of BHC’s existence?
I want an army of actuated young people around the state who don’t take no for an answer. That are going to build the next California. That are going to ensure that there is investment in youth across the state, particularly in our low-income communities.
What have you learned from your Merced visit?
Merced’s tough sledding. Getting the city council and some of the other people in the power structure, getting their attention is going to take a little bit more work. It’s going to happen but it’s going to take a little bit more work.
I think they’re too comfortable here. They’re used to not having to be accountable to communities. They’re used to not being accountable to young people. Somebody said to me at the end of an earlier meeting today, “they got it comin’ here.”
What would you say to a young person growing up in struggle here in Merced?
Participate. Join with others. There are other people like you. You’re not alone. Find others, find organizations like you and it will change you and you will change it.
Throughout BHC’s existence, what has had the most profound effect on you?
I think the testimony of young people about how they see their future. That really shakes me up. It makes me want to help them change it.
What goals would you like to see met once BHC is over and what is planned to continue the momentum after BHC ends?
That part I don’t know yet. I’d like to see 14 resilient communities that can take on challenges in a collective way and model for other low-income communities how you use your power to make change.
