#youth-leadership

#youth-leadership

In Oakland, the work of building stronger communities happens everywhere-in City Hall chambers, in classrooms, and just as often across a café table in our neighborhoods. This past September, I was reminded of the power of connection as I had the privilege of convening conversations that brought government, schools, and neighbors together around a shared purpose: shaping a brighter future for our city.

Sometimes the most powerful changes in the food and beverage industry come from the simplest questions. When 17-year-old Lexi Mondary asked her boss at Ashland GattiTown if they could donate leftover pizzas to help people in need, she had no idea that her curiosity would transform her workplace into a community champion, earning the restaurant recognition as a 2024 "Hunger Hero" by Facing Hunger Food Bank.

"I saw the physical signs of stress. There was a lot of insomnia, just a lot of worrying, constantly talking about what are we going to do next?" Like many first generation immigrants in their community, her parents had limited fluency in English. They struggled to figure out how to apply for funds for rebuilding. So, Pham and other youth in the community, who were fluent in English and computer savvy, stepped up to help the older generation.

Young people aren't just the leaders of tomorrow-they're leading right now. They're influencing culture, driving social movements, and embracing technology faster than most of us can keep up. They may not have a seat in the boardroom, but their influence is already being felt in every corner of society-including your bottom line. As a mother of three and a leader at UNICEF USA, I've seen firsthand how this generation is stepping up.

"As I was getting older specifically around when I was 13 years old I noticed that more and more girls were dropping out of the swim team that I was part of because they were receiving sexist comments. Emphasizing female inferiority in sports and after receiving such comments myself I was pushed to found Girls4Sports," said Maegha Ramanathan, founder of Girls4Sports.

Seeing how loved and impactful Taylor was in his community, Buckley found some inspiration.

Maya Merhige thrives on physically challenging swims, pushing herself to the edge for pediatric cancer awareness—four of seven Oceans swims completed by just 17 years old.