Long Beach: The city where young voices actually matter ...Middle East

If you’ve ever sat through a city council meeting or scrolled through government press releases, you might assume civic engagement is strictly an adult sport. But in Long Beach, California, young people aren’t being told to “wait their turn.” Instead, the city is pulling up a chair, handing them the mic — and in some cases, even the budget.

And what happens when young people are empowered to lead? A whole lot of good.

Long Beach is home to more than 120,000 youth between the ages of 5 and 24 — a huge portion of the city’s population. But what sets it apart isn’t just the numbers — it’s what the city is doing with them. From neighborhood arts programs to citywide policy councils, Long Beach is actively reshaping what youth engagement looks like, and in the process, building a community where leadership doesn’t depend on age — only on voice, effort, and passion.

There’s perhaps no clearer example of this than Youth Power PB, a participatory budgeting initiative that literally puts city funds in the hands of young residents. Over the past two years, Youth Power PB has allocated more than $700,000 to youth-driven projects — and that number is set to pass $1 million cumulatively, this year. Here’s how it works: young people across Long Beach get to propose ideas, campaign for funding, and vote on how a portion of the city’s budget should be spent. The result is more than just youth involvement — it’s ownership. And that ownership is leading to projects that reflect what young people actually want and need in their neighborhoods.

“Youth are the future of our community. We empower them by offering platforms to connect, advocate for their communities, and access the resources they need to thrive,” said Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson. And the city isn’t just talking — it’s investing.

That investment can be seen citywide through the Office of Youth Development, which launched as a way to make youth engagement more than a buzzword. Housed within the Department of Health and Human Services, the Office is responsible for carrying out the city’s Youth Strategic Plan, a five-year blueprint with 71 action items dedicated to supporting the mental, emotional, educational, and economic health of Long Beach youth. From community wellness to job placement to neighborhood safety, the plan touches every corner of the city — and young people helped build it.

Youth engagement also lives through the Youth Advisory Council, an 11-member group of high schoolers and college students representing every district in Long Beach. These aren’t symbolic roles. Council members actively shape city initiatives, provide direct input to elected leaders, and work with city departments to address issues like poverty, violence, and health inequity in under-resourced neighborhoods. Their focus isn’t limited to a single topic — it’s about shaping Long Beach into a place where every young person, no matter their background, has a seat at the table.

One of the most impactful programs to emerge from this youth-centered approach is S.T.R.O.N.G. Beach, which stands for Standing Together to Reach Our Next Generation. The name says it all. By uniting existing city programs and enhancing community partnerships through a collective impact approach, this initiative offered youth the chance to build leadership skills, gain mentorship, and connect with peers in a structured, empowering and engaging environment during the summer months, a critical time when youth may not receive or have access to these types of enriching activities. It’s not about lecturing kids or giving them one-time workshops — it’s about showing up consistently, building relationships, and giving youth the tools to influence change in their own communities. S.T.R.O.N.G. Beach isn’t flashy, but it’s foundational — and it’s making a quiet, steady difference in the lives of so many young Long Beach residents, so much so that the city is extending S.T.R.O.N.G. Beach into a two-year initiative.

But civic involvement isn’t the only thing getting a glow-up. Long Beach also recognizes that creativity is a vital tool for youth empowerment. Through a partnership with the Arts Council for Long Beach and the Long Beach Public Library, the city runs the Youth Poet Laureate program — an annual competition that highlights young literary voices and builds community through art and expression. Each year, a Youth Poet Laureate and four Poet Ambassadors are chosen to represent their peers and lead writing workshops, public readings, and poetry-based community outreach. The 2024 Laureate, 15-year-old Helena Donato-Sapp, speaks to the heart of the city’s mission with her powerful reminder: “Value what every age brings.”

In Long Beach, those words aren’t just poetic — they’re policy.

Empowering young people also means preparing them for the world beyond the classroom. Through a citywide push for workforce development, Long Beach has become a launchpad for the next generation of professionals. The city’s FutureLB youth employment center, operated by the Economic Development Department, has already connected more than 800 young people with internships, job training, and career planning resources. Whether it’s helping someone polish their resume, explore a career in public service, or build confidence for a first interview, FutureLB is helping bridge the gap between potential and opportunity.

For those looking to get hands-on experience, Long Beach also offers paid internships and fellowships through programs like the Public Service Corps — designed for college students interested in government, nonprofits, and civic engagement. Just last summer, the city invested over $850,000 in youth internship and fellowship wages, providing not just a paycheck, but a sense of pride and purpose for young residents balancing school, work, and family life.

And then there’s Space Beach Camp — a standout example of what happens when innovation meets education. In partnership with aerospace companies and local schools, Long Beach launched this immersive STEM experience to introduce youth to the booming aerospace industry right in their backyard. It’s interactive, high-energy, and eye-opening — the kind of opportunity that turns curiosity into career goals.

Of course, none of this would mean much without joy. And Long Beach makes room for that too.

Since 2022, the city has hosted an annual Youth Festival — a celebration of everything that makes Long Beach youth culture vibrant. It’s part block party, part empowerment summit, and 100% centered on youth voice, equity, and expression. Events like this show that youth leadership isn’t always about sitting in boardrooms or writing policy—it’s also about community, connection, and fun.

The city also runs year-round engagement programs like Be S.A.F.E., which turns 11 city sites into summer safe spaces for youth to gather, play, learn, and grow. It’s a small but powerful reminder that public safety isn’t just about policing—it’s about providing spaces that foster belonging and trust.

None of these programs stand alone. What makes Long Beach special is how they work together, forming a network of support, growth, and empowerment for the city’s young people. It’s civic engagement. It’s leadership. It’s expression. It’s opportunity. And it’s baked into the culture of the city itself.

So what happens when you give young people a platform, a budget, and a community that believes in them? In Long Beach, the answer is simple: they lead, they create, they advocate — and they thrive.

Because when you invest in youth, you’re not just shaping their future. You’re shaping the future of the city itself.

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