California YMCA Youth & Government

Congratulations!

Today, we were thrilled to welcome California State Attorney General Rob Bonta to meet with California YMCA Youth & Government SVP Lisa Van Ingen Pope and #YMCALA President & CEO Victor Dominguez. We talked about AG Bonta's commitment to supporting young people and building stronger communities, and how we can?create more opportunities for our youth in Y&G to learn, grow, and thrive. Thank you Rob Bonta! ?#losangelesyouth #mlc #ymca #leadchange

#Cranecharitablefunds #Barksdale #CalYY&G #Grateful

#Volunteerism is at the core of the Y. Sonoma County Family YMCA engages volunteers for their California YMCA Youth & Government program, a program led statewide by the YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles, lifting the civic leadership of teens. There are Y&G volunteer opportunities at nearly every YMCA in the state. Find your Y and get involved!

We are so excited to announce that Lydia Pochueva has been selected for the California Partners Project Youth Advisory Committee! Lydia (Diablo Valley) is a passionate mental health and education advocate. She is the Director of Operations for Our Minds United, a non-profit fighting for school mental health curricula across California. Lydia is entering her fourth year of Associated Student Body (ASB) Leadership, where she drives restorative justice and student wellness programs. She has also held roles within the California YMCA Youth and Government Department of Finance and Board of Managers, where she continues to improve civic education opportunities for California students. Congratulations Lydia on this well deserved honor.

I’m pleased to share the news about joining the California YMCA Youth & Government Board of Managers. By fostering leadership and providing hands-on experiences, we can help the next generation develop the skills they need to lead and create meaningful change. I look forward to working with the team and my colleagues to engage more young people who represent our great state.

Anthony Chavez, born in California's Central Valley, grew up immersed in the farm worker movement founded by his grandfather, Cesar Chavez. Since high school he has promoted the legacy and values of his upbringing by promoting service-learning, civic engagement, and character education initiatives across the nation with the Cesar Chavez Foundation and Alameda County Office of Education. Anthony has worked with organizations like The Education Trust—West and XQ Super Schools to improve educational equity and reimagine high school, while also volunteering with organizations such as Gratefulness.org and the Latino Community Foundation. He earned a B.A. in Religious Studies from CSU Bakersfield and completed the Coro Fellows Program in Public Affairs. We are proud to welcome Anthony to our Board of Managers at Cal Y Y&G!

Maria Reina Lemus came to the United States at the age of 9. Her family settled in Kerman, California where her parents worked as immigrant farmworkers and always emphasized the value of having a good education. Maria attended Fresno State, where she earned a bachelor's degree in public health. Maria currently serves as the District Director for Assembly member Dr. Joaquin Arambula, who focuses on statewide health policy. As the Co-Founder of the Education and Leadership Foundation in Fresno, Maria advocates for expanding access to educational opportunities and services for immigrant families. We're thrilled to be able to work with Maria across the state and especially in the Central Valley region. Welcome Maria!

The California YMCA Youth & Government Board of Managers is proud to welcome Karen Kennard back to the Y&G family. Karen, an alumna of the program, brings to our board a wealth of experience in serving her community, from her early work as a speech therapist, to her career as an attorney and a Certified Arbitrator. Karen earned her Bachelor of Arts at UCSB with a major in Speech and Hearing, then received her Master of Arts from the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis in Communication Disorders, then finally a Juris Doctorate from UC Berkeley and has worked as an in-house litigator, general counsel, and arbitrator for over 30 years. Her extensive knowledge of the judicial system and her dedication to our delegates make her a wonderful addition to our Board of Managers. We are excited to work with her as we move forward.

To all our California YMCA Youth & Government alumni, friends, & family, we celebrate with the Montebello-Commerce YMCA honoring our longtime volunteer and incredible supporter, Arnold M. Alvarez-Glasman. Tickets to the Montebello-Commerce YMCA can be accessed via the link in John's post below. It's time to celebrate!