Governor Signs California Youth Leadership Project Into Law!

September 20, 2012

(Sacramento, CA) Wednesday Governor Brown signed a bill (SB 803 DeSaulnier) into law, which will create the California Youth Leadership Project (CYLP) for the purpose of supporting and promoting youth civic engagement. The CYLP will award scholarships to youth from 14 to 18 years of age for youth and civic engagement programs that will improve the quality of life for California's disconnected and disadvantaged youth.

Youth Organizing! Disabled & Proud members and YLF alumni testified at the capitol several times about the importance
of youth leadership development.  Shout Outs to Nellie DeMeerleer, Kevin Coffman, Cynthia Cadet and Liz Pope for educating the legislature!  

Scholarship award winners will be given opportunities to make meaningful recommendations regarding legislation and policies that impact their own lives and the lives of the thousands of other youth in California whose voices often go unheard.

The bill will give California Tax Payers the option to make a donation to a California Youth Leadership Fund when filing their taxes.

Programs that might benefit from CYLP include the Youth Leadership Forum for Students with Disabilities, the Chicano Latino Youth Leadership Project, the California African-American Youth Leadership Program, the Asian Pacific Youth Leadership Program, the California Youth Connection, and the GSA Advocacy & Youth Leadership Academy (GAYLA), among others.

Please take a moment to call the Governor’s Office to say “thank you for signing SB 803 – the California Youth Leadership Project!” Office of the Governor: (916) 445-2841