The bilingual forum drew nearly 70 people and was a joint effort from BHC Merced’s Neighborhood Action Team, Health Equity Project and the Merced Organizing Project.
Organizers invited all the candidates running for Merced City Council Districts 1, 3 and 5 - the only three district seats up for grabs this election year.
I am trying to bring an annual Nut Festival to Merced, to really make us a destination place while creating jobs for our citizens including a summer youth employment program for ages 16-19. I want to bring all the communities together to focus on how to move Merced together in a positive way that will include UC Merced students and fostering an atmosphere where they can use the skills they have acquired, creating new tech companies and expanding our health care while giving back to the community through helping with students in our city schools. This will help elevate ALL areas of our community creating jobs, which promotes public safety by lowering the crime level.
I like to bring forth a stronger investment in our youth. One idea I have is to work with Downtown businesses to create a summer youth internship program with the city. Often our youth have nothing to do in the summer; and I want to make sure we are investing in them and keeping them off the street especially from those members of our community who are looking to recruit them into gangs.
As leaders of Merced, I held these men to higher standards and expected them to be more respectful towards the community they represent, especially because I am a future voter.
Joining groups like We’Ced has really helped me bring my attention to all the things that do happen in Merced. In the long run, I want to inform more friends and peers about local events so more and more people can begin to grasp the idea that there are so many things that do go on in Merced.
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.
Nearly 100 people gathered at Tenaya Middle School on the evening of October 22nd for a city council candidate forum. The youth-led forum, which was hosted by local organizations We’Ced Youth Media and Building Healthy Communities (BHC) Merced, was the first of its kind in this city.
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