About

Founded in 2020, the Youth Led Leadership Alliance is a network of six topically focused groups that work to build bridges across communities, backgrounds, and identities through a shared passion to explore issues, create projects, and engage in grassroots advocacy while fostering civic engagement and critical thinking skills.

The model of the alliance is designed to empower students to create and lead projects, initiatives and collective action on issues that matter most to them. Through a process of community building, democratic decision making, and skill building YLLA prepares youth to step into leadership roles of all kinds.

Each group is geared toward elevating youth voice, action planning, building collaborative relationships with community partners, and connecting students with decision makers at the campus, district and county levels. 

Our six groups are:  

• Youth for Environmental Action

• Youth Artists Taking Action

• County Wide Black Student Union

• Queer and Trans Youth Council

• Youth for Mental Health

• Multilingual Youth Taking Action

For more information about the Youth Led Leadership Alliance or how to join, please contact Student Leadership & Engagement Coordinator, Andres Ortiz, who can be reached by phone at (831) 466-5713 or via email at anortiz@santacruzcoe.org. You can also apply by clicking the button below.