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Hundreds of public commenters and youth urge Council to preserve youth programs and fund geographic equity
Summary
Dozens of in‑person and online speakers — including youth from the Rise Listening Campaign 2.0 and supporters of the East Bay Center for the Performing Arts — urged the council to maintain and expand funding for youth services, safe spaces and youth employment pathways during an extended public‑comment period.
A sustained open‑forum segment at Richmond’s April 6 meeting gave dozens of residents and scores of young people time to present findings from a multi‑year youth listening campaign and to urge continued and expanded city support for youth programs.
Representatives of RISE and the Rise Listening Campaign 2.0 presented research and recommendations gathered from more than 150 young people ages 14–20; presenters asked the council to invest in "third spaces" — safe, youth‑focused community centers — consistent funding for internships and paid pathways, improved transportation, and more culturally responsive, trauma‑informed supports in schools.
Several speakers highlighted the East Bay Center for the Performing Arts, describing its diploma and scholarship programs and saying the center provides free or subsidized arts education that helps students stay in school and pursue higher education. Parents, educators and East Bay Center alumni recounted individual success stories, including college scholarships and professional advancement, and requested continued municipal investment.
Speakers also returned to public safety themes heard earlier in the meeting: representatives of the Richmond Police Officers Association and individual officers asked for competitive compensation and for the return of Detective Hodges to active duty, citing recruitment and retention concerns. Several residents urged better coordination of homelessness funds and proposed safe‑parking, tiny‑home solutions and simplified pathways to permanent housing.
Youth presenters offered six concise recommendations from the listening campaign, including (1) build relationships and trust with youth, (2) invest in stable third spaces, (3) align schools with healing and future pathways, (4) embed youth voice in governance and budgeting, (5) create care navigators to connect youth to services, and (6) shift decision‑making power to give youth meaningful authority.
Council members thanked the young presenters and encouraged them to apply to the oversight board for Kids First seats; several members said the presentations would factor into the city’s upcoming needs assessment for the Richmond Fund for Children and Youth.
