About

Latine Youth for Change is a countywide leadership group committed to empowering students through leadership development, advocacy support, and by uniting students who are passionate about honoring their Latine heritage and multilingualism. Our mission is to cultivate inclusive, safe spaces where Latine youth can voice community concerns, advocate for equity, and build resilience in the face of systemic challenges. Together, we strive to inspire and prepare the next generation of Latine leaders to create lasting, transformative change.  

Our group meets once a week, after school to work on leadership development and building a community of support amongst each other. Envision yourself as a leader. Come join us!

Application

We are currently accepting students for the 2025-26 school year. To join, please click the button to fill out a short application. 

For more information, contact Litzy Mozqueda-Franyutti at lmozqueda-franyutti@santacruzcoe.org, or Andres Ortiz at anortiz@santacruzcoe.org or 831-466-5713.

Meetings

* Our orientation and first meeting of the 2025-26 school year will be on Saturday, October 4, 2025 from 11am-2pm at Seacliff State Beach (201 State Park Dr. Aptos, CA 95003). At this meeting we will do some team building activities, confirm weekly meeting times, and map out some goals for the school year. Lunch will be provided! 

Weekly Meetings - We meet weekly, on Tuesdays from 4:00-5:15pm in a hybrid format. We have two physical meeting spaces at Watsonville High (Rm. 607), and Santa Cruz High (Rm. 40). You can also join virtually via Zoom link. Please fill out the application or, reach out to Litzy or Andres for the Zoom link. 

In addition to meeting weekly, all of our YLLA groups will come together once a month in person to build leadership skills and work on individual group projects. Locations will alternate each month between North and South County. 

YLLA Monthly Meetings - Generally every 4-5 weeks from 11am-2pm. All YLLA groups included. In person only. 

• October 4th - Seacliff State Beach, 201 State Park Dr. Aptos, CA

• November 15th - Sequoia High Schools, 229 Green Valley  Freedom, CA

• December 13th - County Office of Education, 400 Encinal St.  Santa Cruz, CA

• January 17th - Sequoia High Schools, 229 Green Valley  Freedom, CA

• February 21st - County Office of Education, 400 Encinal St.  Santa Cruz, CA

• March 21st - Sequoia High Schools, 229 Green Valley  Freedom, CA

• April 18th - County Office of Education, 400 Encinal St.  Santa Cruz, CA

• May 16th - Sequoia High Schools, 229 Green Valley Freedom, CA

Projects and Events