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.
I understand officials have lives of their own or may have pre-scheduled events, but notifying the community of your absence would be the respectful thing to do, especially when you claim to want to be transparent with the community.
He was always super fun to be around, one of the kindest and open-minded people I knew, but then he changed. I remember the last day I saw him he was a completely different person. He was unrecognizable. No longer happy. Always mad. I could not understand why he didn’t want to be himself anymore.
Perhaps most importantly, the Youth Council provides Merced’s teens with an opportunity to represent their fellow youth. By building up their leadership skills, the program is empowering many to consider how they’ll wield that voice in the future.
The opportunities for employment available to young people within Merced are very limited, said Michelle Xiong, youth coordinator with Building Health Communities Merced. Besides working in the fast food industry, very few jobs are marketed to teens and young adults.
My uncle was incarcerated at the age of 14 and he has never come back home. A crime landed him in the prison system right after he was released from Y.A.
This is the reality of so many young people, and we are not doing enough to change this.
I believe no child should grow up feeling unwanted, unsupported,or rejected by a parent. I do not want any person to go through what I have endured in my lifetime. I’ve known my entire life that I am different, and I've accepted it, but knowing my mom does not has really hurt me.
A press release from the police department notes that Lloyd was booked and charged with resisting arrest and riding his bicycle on the sidewalk. His companion, 18-year-old Bryce Snell, was arrested while videotaping the incident and charged with obstruction. In the video, Snell is seen being tackled by an unseen officer later identified by his last name, Avery.
Without a father figure I felt lost. I resorted to the street. Many young teens are in the same situation I’m in. Some go even deeper by turning to gangs for guidance.