SAN FRANCISCO – Helping San Francisco youth before they go down the wrong path is the goal of a new initiative being launched by the district attorney’s office.
Bianca Vasquez, a 22-year-old intern at the Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts, is one of many young people benefiting from youth programs in San Francisco.
“It’s great because it gives young people, especially 16 and up, an opportunity to avoid gangs and stay off the streets,” Vasquez said. “Many teens start to rebel at that age. These programs help them avoid that path.”
Bianca’s journey was not easy. Personal problems forced her to drop out of college, but she found guidance and support through these programs.
“It’s about breaking out of the cycle of drugs, violence and gangs,” she explained. “I think about my own family members who took the hard road, and my friends who are running through the streets right now. I think, ‘You’re my age, what are you doing?’
Martina Ayala, the executive director of the Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts, emphasizes the importance of partnerships like the one with Bay Area Community Resources, which helped Bianca.
“Being able to get interns through programs that are funded to provide opportunities for youth is a great thing,” Ayala said.
Bianca’s story is not unique. Many young people in the Bay Area need similar help. This need is why San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins announced a major initiative Wednesday.
“We called it the Access to Hope Initiative because a lot of people end up in the criminal justice system because they are hopeless,” Jenkins said. “The goal is to create opportunities for engagement and career exploration for our youth and young adults so they feel like they have an opportunity to rise above their current circumstances.”
The Access to Hope Initiative is now accepting applications. Young people between the ages of 14 and 24 can visit the initiative’s website to take advantage of opportunities such as shadowing days at the public prosecutor’s office and fellowships, which are especially appreciated by Bianca.
The initiative comes at a critical time, as the number of crime victims under the age of 18 served by the Victim Support Unit has increased significantly over the past year.
“We’ve been seeing more and more young victims,” Jenkins noted. “The drug crisis and other challenges have exposed them to situations that can negatively impact their lives, such as drug use and having incarcerated or deceased parents.”
As part of the initiative, the district attorney’s office partnered with the Sojourn Project, bringing a group of San Francisco youth to the Deep South to learn about the civil rights movement from those who lived there. Another trip is planned soon.
Bianca believes these programs provide a beacon of hope and demonstrate that young lives can be turned around with the right support.
“To know that it’s available until age 24, that’s a great opportunity,” she said. “Why would you miss that?”
