about the until they get to sophomore or senior year. like i am about to graduate, and i have to start thinking about college. that is why i think the younger ones are the ones playing with guns. they are not educated enough about how important their life really is. >> [inaudible] folks who have not said anything yet to speak up. [inaudible] how we create some solutions, so what is another challenge? what i will throw out, i think a lot of people mentioned the budget, right? we do not have resources. i think our challenge is the way that our tax system is set up because more low-income people pay a higher percentage of tax than the wealthiest in the country. so i am a firm supporter of

progressive taxation. i think that is one of our challenges in order to create this revenue, right? to fund these programs and services. any other challenges? >> [inaudible] while resources are out there, they might not necessarily have a connection to them. they need to be a lot more work done by schools to make sure students are connected to resources. kind of like a preventative service. a lot of times, action is only taken after something has happened. a lot of what needs to be done to prevent that -- a lot of work needs to be done to prevent that. >> [inaudible] have the perspective of the demographics of the student that is reading literature show they

make more -- make them more interested. lack of financial planning. there needs to be more training in financial planning. also training and educating about the effects of fast food, the effects of how you spend your money and where. >> [inaudible] something that i noticed, too, like, history class is only talk a certain way, the book way, and other people want to learn. in native american and filipino, so i want to learn about that. i do not want to just know about christopher columbus. the one that i was originally going to say was school funding. people keep saying we're going to put more funding into schools, but the funding we are putting into schools is not being proportionate properly. they say we're going to put it into books or give it to this, but it is not really going to that.

classes are getting bigger, teachers are getting less. where's the money going? we need to make funding for schools more proportionate of where it needs to go or have someone in charge of it or something like that. >> [inaudible] >> i just want to say there should be more variety in services. there are a lot of big programs, big services that have sort of become a monopoly in the city. if there were more variety in services in the city, every single youth could be served, and every single youth from every walk of life should be served and paid attention to. i know a lot of people who had been turned away from programs or have not gotten adequate attention because there are just so many people. there should be more services, and again, more funding for them, and different services, too. like i said, variety, so

everybody can be served in an adequate way. >> [inaudible] >> [inaudible] what we're talking about is, like, racism, sexism, and those are all, like, a system of oppression that we see manifesting itself very solidly. we talked about why in history class [inaudible] a lot of times, i did not think people like to name it, and people like to say that racism does not exist anymore, but that is a symptom of the racist society that only one person's culture is being taught. i think, like, in dealing with racism, sexism, ablism and all

the different systems of oppression, i think the first set and addressing that is knowing yourself and knowing if you somehow, like, help for these things, i think we all are raised to do that in a certain way, so it really is where you are personally. >> any other ones? we do think about the root of a lot of these problems, and that is how we can brainstorm even better for the solution afterward, so it is great. >> [inaudible] gang violence. nowadays, you know, gang members are getting younger and younger. there's nothing nobody can do about it.

people do not really want to reach out to them just because they are gang members, i think people should -- i do not know how to say it, but, like teach people that there is a lot more in life and in the world than just gangs and the hood and drugs and what not. so, yeah. >> what i wanted to add on is related to that. one real barrier, too, is that our country is invested in so much war. our country, our government is leading the way i modeling violent behavior, right? truly because that is what we're doing. we are killing people as we speak right now, right? how can you say someone should not be violent when you are currently recruiting people to go kill right now, right? definitely, i think that is one real thing. our investment in war is a huge challenge.

>> another big challenge is trying to get a job when you do not have a diploma or a ged. that is why a lot of youth fall to the streets. them, what else are they going to do? next thing you know, they did not go to school, they cannot get even the simplest jobs because they do not have a diploma. the only thing they are left with is to sell, and a think there should be more jobs to where they will give you a job even if you do not have your diploma or your ged because they still need, like, that resourced and that kind of job skills in order to still go on the right path because if they do not have it, they are just left with nothing. >> any others? we're coming close to our time. >> [inaudible] i think a lot of our programs have been cut.

i do not see a lot of different focus on creative arts and funding for that. >> i think commercials. i know they are, like, a marketing tool, but seeing that kind of impact influence the youth appeared off of that notice through growing up, the mail that i received was from the navy, the marines, the army, but i never received any mail from uc-berkeley, which is closer to me. that tells me in my mind that obviously -- i am a strong individual, but, i mean, if they are indirectly influencing you, what route you go through. also, music losses. creating more halfies and therapy. maybe he could help fight gain

problems and stuff like that. >> [inaudible] whether it be, like, sports, after school programs, or something like that, something for youth to do. every kid wants something to be passionate about, something to be involved in. they do not have that, they could ultimately go on to do lots of other things, possibly detrimental things with their free time. it is important that kids be engaged with something productive that they feel they are good at, that they can contribute to. >> [inaudible] >> definitely needs to be more resources, and kids need to know that they are available out there for them.

>> mind kind of relates to the advertisement. i believe it barrier is kind of like rap music nowadays. has lost its hold meeting. it is always talking about everything that the fans do not have, talking about violence, getting into the wrong things. talking about lives that they tt cannot live them are trying to fantasize about, living in. it does not really lead them anywhere. there is no soul in it really any more. i think that it is a big problem because it really attract a lot of the youth of today, and it is just a bad message. >> i would go even further and add more that rap, it is our pop culture, right? promotes these ideals as positive things, and to be honest, even the name of this come to be completely honest, called winning the future is kind of promoting that

competitive. any others? >> i think financial accessibility. the government providing more funds for youth and for generation people to go to college is one thing that should be approached. a lot of times, people do not have funds to go to university, and they get scared and pushed away because they know that one day, if they do not provide the funds needed, they will have to go into debt, getting all these loans and what not, so i feel like if there was more financial aid or scholarships available, a lot of people would push forward for more education so they could be more productive. >> right on. thank you all very very much. the next part is going to be even more challenging because

they will be talking about how we can brainstorm to have some solutions for these problems, right? so, thank you. >> you guys did a phenomenal job. [inaudible] discussion about solutions. we wanted to give everyone an opportunity to speak. sir denys is going to explain our next activity. >> [inaudible] what you're going to do is write down one solution and one thing you can do. any questions? >> [inaudible]

if anyone needs a sticky, just let me know. look at the very as you have already shouted out, they want, and a solution, or if there is something that did not get of here that you really think is a barrier, a challenge, write that down, an idea or solution or how to go about making that change.

>> [inaudible]

>> [inaudible]

>> [inaudible]

>> [inaudible] government and stuff to support the idea of a family structure. there are a lot of services for youth, children, adults, and stuff, but none centered around just a family, like keeping the family together, and also having the family support their youth, so the children would be able to come to their parents, so parents can tell them to focus on their education and all this stuff. a lot of the challenges just come from parents not being involved in the children's lives. lastly, promoting fatherhood. there is a lot of single moms out there. even just making sure so they know that if they have a kid, that they need to step up and be a parent to their child.

>> [inaudible] start using it on education. i feel like most of the money goes to the military and officers and all that. that is where most of the cuts are happening, and, like,'"8 health and all that -- those essential stuff that people need. also, have a big pool of money where every time somebody wants to create an organization or something to help youth, they will have the ability to create it. >> my main point was to mobilize the youth vote. even though i know many of you guys cannot vote, those ages have one of the lowest turnout rates for voting. compared to older people and

especially those over 60, it really makes a difference because for example, politicians never talk about cutting social security or medicare because they know it would alienate one of the biggest voting platforms, which is older people. if more youth spoke up, they would not cut from education and stuff like that. >> more focus on education, also diversified education for youth. transitional services,

restorative justice, and no tax cuts for the wealthy, so more funding for the less wealthy. >> also, one i have is just to be prioritizing, like someone else said earlier, like pulling out our troops from war and putting money that we would save from divesting in war into our education system to repair it. another is to change the definition of a corporation. right now, they are currently defined as people or individuals, which is pretty crazy, and that allows them to put their resources into campaigns, into props, into candidates and overpowers the voice of the real people. obviously, their voice is louder

if they have millions of dollars to throw at a campaign or someone's publicity. another is to restructure the justice system. obviously, the united states sends our people to jail like crazy. in california, we are, like, the 48 in education and the first in terms of prison spending, which is just crazy. it does not set the example that i know we talk about here, and we all agree we want our students to be educated and be the future leaders, but we are not setting the example by our actions at the state level and the federal level as well. focusing more on a sort of justice rather than just sending them to jail where they do not get truly rehabilitated. like research shows that a lot

of students, when they start skipping school, a lot around eighth grade, and the transition from eighth to ninth is hard to make. there's indicated that you are skipping a certain amount of class is around these times, that you will not graduate on time or just not graduate. we need to take an act that -- an active stance, and i think ethnic studies is a big part of that. folks were here saying earlier that if you are learning from that eurocentric perspective, talking about how your people have been colonized and been killed and enslaved and not focusing on the beauty of our cultures that will come from, and the power that we do have in our traditions and cultures that i think will empower us and give us the price to care more about ourselves to maybe not join a gang and care more about trying to be a leader in our community

because our past societies have done an amazing things. another thing is the progressive taxation. the wealthy pay a lower percentage, and i think that needs a change in order for us to get the resources that dcyf needs to distribute in the community, that this will destroy needs to execute the plan -- that the school district needs to execute the plan that never happened because those resources are not there. those are just a few of those things. >> i think, like, a training facility or proposition like workshops, like all the propositions that are going to be on the ballot. they should be warned of the effects and what could happen with that. also, the high school

requirements -- i think they should be requirements for universities, so, like, you guarantee that you fulfill all your necessary requirements in order to apply for university. scholarships, siphons, or financial aid for middle school and high-school students. and last, a detailed budget exposed to the community because i know we have an overview of this much millions going here and also a detailed budget of where that is going. maybe people could take the initiative to say no. >> - more general. basically, reaching out to youth and letting them know that they do matter. -- mind is more general. letting them know that they are the future. basically reach out to youth and let them know that they don't got to resort to streets or gains or any of that. that there is alternatives to a better life.

>> mind is basically just, like, the barriers, like with the younger youth. some say they probably have counselors for them, who, like, you can see going in the wrong direction. as far as with schools, you can ask them what they are passionate about and tried to incorporate that or have youth- led project or something like that. we need to have a group of people really focused on the youth and with the other -- underground street economy. that means the main youth that i think need help, and they are not going to ask for it. they are locked up here they are not going to come to you and say they need help. they are not going to want to change. we need someone to push them to want to change and want to get help and understand that there is a better place they could be

at. i feel like we need to start -- on the news, mostly everything you see is negative. we need to start covering positive events. have more positive things and take over the media with this image as a our imposing upon us. if we start showing positive things going on in the communities instead of all the negative things happening on the news, i think it would have a ripple effect and start something positive. >> like how a doctor prescribes medical regimens for each individual patient, i think each person each with their own needs that have to be met for them to be successful.

i wish to agree a program that will meet the needs of each individual student. to do this, we need to do to get things. history for the role of the counselor -- we need to strengthen the role of the counselor. students might not have a supportive home environment. it is important that i have one mentor or later they can look up to. that person could potentially make a great difference in their lives. which leads to my second point. we need to streamline youth services between schools and community organizations. a lot of times, resources are out there and students do not know how to get them, and they do not get them until it is too light -- too late. there is a strong mentor or leader in their life like a counselor who can be there to recommend to the services, that could make a great difference in a lot of students lives. >> my solution is increasing

communication among youth, and maybe parents, the community, because i think -- for example, mentors are really good for youth. i came to this country almost two years ago. i know a lot of youth get on the wrong path. the reason i am not like them is because my parents told me how hard it was for my family to come here. they really encouraged me to become a good person. and to give me these opportunities. i think that if we had more mentors to set up a good positive role model, that would be good. and also,