The Youth Commission and Trauma Foundation successfully organized Peace & Safety Youth Advocacy Day on Monday, April 12, 1999 in Sacramento. This event was sponsored by President pro Tempore of the Senate John Burton. Advocacy Day was a chance for young people from across the state to have their voices heard on gun control legislation and to advocate for increased violence prevention efforts. Not only did it mobilize youth to encourage legislators to support/oppose key policy, youth learned first-hand about civic participation and how government operates. Legislators who spoke at the rally include Assemblyman John Vasconcellos, Senator Dion Aroner, and Assemblyman Jack Scott. We were fortunate to have Dolores Huerta attend with the United Farm Workers.

Thank you Trauma Foundation for your support and we look forward to future collaborations, and thank you to our bus coordinators. We would like to thank the Wellness Foundation and Margaret Smollens for providing buses so youth could attend the event. A special thank you to Supervisor Yaki and his office for their support.

"Stop Placing Blame and Start Finding Solutions"

By Jamal H. Anderson, Youth Commissioner

My name is Jamal H. Anderson and I am 15 years old. Yes, I am a teenager! To many, this is an indication that I must be rude, inarticulate, irresponsible, and somehow involved in some type of criminal activity. However, I am none of the above.

We discovered some very disturbing facts about youth and violence. Among them were the fact that: Guns are the number one killer of young people in California. In 1992, more than 1/3 of all Californians killed by firearms were 10-25 years old. California leads the nation in both the number of gun related deaths and the number of guns manufactured. In response to these startling statistics, we, the San Francisco Youth Commission along with the Trauma Foundation decided that it was time to stop placing blame and start finding solutions. We held the first youth led, youth run advocacy day on gun violence, Peace and Safety Youth Advocacy Day.

During this extraordinary day, over 150 youth gathered from places throughout the state from as far away as Southern California to lobby various legislators to support several key bills. Among these are SB 23, creating a statewide ban on assault weapons, SB 15, banning Saturday Night Specials, AB 106, mandating gun accident prevention and safety standards (trigger locks), and lastly AB 235, increasing spending on violence prevention. These bills will go a long way toward protecting all Californians from gun violence.

Each year gun violence disproportionately affects the youth of California, and it's finally time to say: "Enough is enough." Gun violence is preventable. We as youth can only do so much, but with the help of politicians and other leaders, we can all stop placing blame and start finding solutions to stop the violence. Because if we don't, who will?

Second Youth
Empowerment Conference

By Luis Novoa, Youth Commission Intern & Resource Fair Coordinator

On Saturday, May 22, 1999, hundreds of youth from San Francisco gathered at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium for the Second Youth Empowerment Conference. The conference was organized by the San Francisco Youth Commission, the Mayor's Department of Children, Youth & Their Families and San Francisco's Promise. Youth empowerment is the goal of all these organizations, therefore we decided to create this extraordinary day. The goal was achieved through interactive workshops, the abundance of information at the resource fair, motivational youth speakers and fabulous youth entertainment.

The opening ceremony was a great beginning for the day of youth empowerment. Mayor Willie L. Brown, Jr. gave encouraging words to the youth of San Francisco. Lateefah Simon, from the Center for Young Women's Development, gave a very enthusiastic and powerful speech. Following Lateefah were the Pan-Asian Entertainment Lion Dancers, the traditional Asian lion dance is always a delight to watch, and this day was no different. An open-mic followed the opening session. This was a way for the youth to talk about any youth related issues.

The resource fair, which consisted of over 50 organizations, offered information on what resources and services are available to youth. Youth were able to obtain vital information about youth issues from health care, youth rights to recreational opportunities. In addition to the resource fair, youth participated in interactive workshops. These workshops dealt with topics ranging from sexual health to youth legal rights. The workshops, which were presented by youth, offered a safe and confidential environment for youth to voice beliefs about specific youth issues and to share their personal experiences.

Youth who had thoughts about the San Francisco Unified School District attended the education hearing. This hearing was put together so that youth, as well as adults, could help the SFUSD not only recognize problems in the district, but also give suggestions on how to resolve them. The hearing was attended by Board of Education members Eddie Chin, Frank Chong and Jill Wynns and San Francisco Youth Commissioners. Over 35 youth spoke about their personal experiences and suggestions they had.

The day was a great success. We were able to empower youth with tons of information. With more conferences like this one, we will be able to intensify the power of youth in decision making.

We would like to give a heartfelt thank you to San Francisco's Promise and the Department of Children, Youth & Their Families for their dedication and unwavering support of youth empowerment.

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Questioning (LGBTQQ)
Youth Task Force

In September 1996, the Youth Commission and the Human Rights Commission held a hearing to examine the needs of LGBTQQ youth in San Francisco. With this input from youth, service providers and city departments, the HRC issued a report with recommendations to city departments that would improve the quality of life for LGBTQQ youth. On May 1998, the Board of Supervisors passed legislation creating the LGBTQQ Youth Task Force. The Task Force is comprised primarily of young people who have a strong interest in making positive change for LGBTQQ youth. Representatives from key city departments also participate as non-voting members.

This past year, the Task Force helped city departments implement recommendations from the hearing. The Task Force created working groups according to the categories in the report: 1. Youth and Schools, 2. Family, Housing, and Shelter, 3. Health and Mental Health, 4. Youth Services, and 5. Juvenile Justice. Key accomplishments during the Fall 1998-Summer 1999 term include:

• Spearheading the effort to establish a permanent queer youth specific shelter. Research and service provider data indicated that there is a strong demand for a shelter that is sensitive to LGBTQQ youth. This shelter will ensure that our youth are receiving services that would help them develop in a healthy supportive environment.
  
  
• Passing legislation to the Board of Supervisors which would require that certain city contractors and all city employees working with youth undergo sensitivity training. Training all service providers receiving a certain level of funds from the City will create a safe environment for LGBTQQ youth in non-LGBTQQ youth specific agencies so they may comfortably access services from any service provider.
  
  
• Establishing a temporary shelter at Eureka Valley Recreation Center. During Winter 1998/Spring 1999, the City contracted with Larkin Street Youth Center to open an emergency shelter for youth ages 18-24. This provided much needed shelter and services for our homeless youth.
  
  
• Passing legislation through the Board of Supervisors to change the definition of sexual orientation in the Administrative Code to include youth and individuals perceived to be LGBTQQ.
  
  
• Developing Memorandums of Understanding with various city departments to establish commitments and responsibilities so they may best serve LGBTQQ youth.

Task Force on the Sexual Assault of Girls and Young Women

Words from some Task Force members about why they thought the task force was important:

"I feel that young females need a voice in the community. I know that many don't speak out because of fear or intimidation and so I would like to help them out and speak out for them and also try to prevent abuse from happening."

"I find it important that young women have a voice on policies."

"Girls need to learn how to have a voice whether it's in the classroom or a relationship."

"I think it is important for myself to be on this Task Force because it is important for young women to talk to young women rather than someone who is older because it feels as if you are being lectured to."

Understanding that girls and young women should be an important part of planning and formulating recommendations to deal with sexual assault, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors passed a resolution urging the Commission on the Status of Women and the Youth Commission to create the Task Force in November 1996. The Task Force was an opportunity for young women and girls to have a voice in policies that affect their lives and to provide city government with their perspective on sexual assault. Task Force members not only improved services for girls and young women but also developed their leadership skills. Task Force members discussed services available for girls and young women of San Francisco as well as ways to prevent sexual assault.

This past year, the Task Force members focused on young people educating other young people about sexual assault. It is a difficult subject that is best discussed among peers. With the assistance of Jamie Lee Evans of SF Women Against Rape, the Task Force members designed and presented a workshop that educated young people about sexual assault. They presented at the California Children, Youth and Family Coalition Conference in Sacramento, Upward Bound, Precita Valley Community Center and the Youth Empowerment Conference to name a few.