Statewide social justice campaign #SchoolsNotPrisons held its first event in Merced, Calif. on July 8, bringing nearly 300 people out in support of dismantling the school-to-prison pipeline.
Above: Alex Carrillo may be a recent transplant to Merced but he’s already leaving his mark on the city–making the most vulnerable communities feel seen and heard.Read More
Above: Local parent Carla Gonzalez addressed the Merced City School District board of trustees during the June 13 public hearing on school funding.Read More
Above: Dozens of residents gathered in Winton earlier this year for one of several Know Your Rights events hosted by community groups and immigrant advocates throughout Merced County.Read More
(Photo courtesy of Aaliyah Lannerd)
By We’Ced Youth Media
We’Ced asked our youth reporters, coworkers, friends and family members about the special role maternal figures play in their lives. Read More
This recent spike builds upon an older trend of Merced’s youth reporting higher-than-average rates of depression or hopelessness. According to 2011-2013 data from online research tool Kidsdata, minority teens in Merced County report feelings of depression at higher rates than statewide peer groups. The numbers are based on responses from 7th, 9th and 11th grade students who reported feeling sad or hopeless almost every day for two weeks or more.
Dozens of families, activists and young people came out to participate in Merced’s third annual Cesar Chavez march; walking down the city’s Martin Luther King Boulevard while holding signs displaying their support for undocumented rights and the continued protection of farm workers.
“We’re very happy with the event,” said Jesse Ornelas, community organizer and member of the local chapter of the Brown Berets. “We got the community to come out and talk about issues that were relevant to South Merced and the farmworker community in general in this area.”
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