The CA FWD Young Leaders Advisory Council is composed of Californians ages 17-24 from diverse backgrounds who are committed to intergenerational collaboration in engaging underrepresented communities with the policy-making process through personal narratives and data-based recommendations.

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CA FWD Young Leaders

Josh Lewis
 Co-Chair
Valerie Johnson
 Co-Chair
Christian Camaisa
Ignasio Castillo
Ani Chaglasian
Akunna Chilaka
Alexander Duarte Jr.
Navreet Hundal
Owen Knapper Jr.
Alvin Lee
Fiona Lu
Ruben Mendoza
Alex Niles
Grace Ochs
Ciara Thrower
Eric Yang

Watch the Council in action during recent virtual events and webinars

Watch Our Presentations

Council News

The 2024 Roadmap to Shared Prosperity is Here!
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Announcing the launch of the 2024 Roadmap to Shared Prosperity, which outlines the important work we and our partners are helping advance this year.

Young girl using a laptop to participate in class via Zoom
The Digital Divide’s Impact on Youth
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The importance of broadband is one of the foundational pieces of infrastructure for 21st century California—potential policy changes lay the groundwork for closing the digital divide for good.

Empowering Young Californians Takes Center Stage at 2023 Summit Event
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CA FWD’s Young Leaders Advisory Council (YLAC) kicked off gatherings around the 2023 California Economic Summit

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PolicyWise Podcast

PolicyWise S3 E17: Podcast Says Farewell to Founding Co-Host Michael Wiafe
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Departing co-host takes a look back at the podcast’s conversations aimed at getting young people involved

PolicyWise Podcast: Madera Youth Talk About Pandemic’s Impact on Community
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Six young people discuss their pandemic and quarantine experiences in the Central Valley

PolicyWise Podcast: Fresno Youth Share Their Vaccination Stories
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In this week’s episode, two Fresno youth share their experiences getting vaccinated while living in an anti-vaccination household

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The Young Leaders Advisory Council is a partnership between CA FWD and the Youth Leadership Institute