I’ve heard our city council say it’s the responsibility of our parents and schools to invest in youth. The pressure can’t be put solely on our parents and teachers. With our slow economy, many parents are busy with long work schedules and teachers have to focus on lessons that stick to curriculums rather than life lessons. Also, in a city as culturally diverse as Merced, many immigrant families have language and cultural barriers that hinders their ability to support their children like other families can.

Throughout my involvement in our campaign I’ve also heard my peers say they want to get out of Merced because they see no future for themselves here. How can we see a future for ourselves in Merced, when city leaders refuse to invest in that future? The city has a responsibility to serve all residents, including youth. And it should be held accountable to do so, for the good of everyone.

Even though initially I was disappointed by the council’s decision on the city budget, now I’m actually excited for what is to come. There are more youth than ever paying attention to how our city is run and the momentum will only continue to build. The Invest In Our Youth campaign is far from over. The more youth are kept down, the harder we will fight for what we deserve.

Tags: city budget, city council, merced, spotlight, youth investment