Hundred of young people attended a youth summit at the Beehive in South Los Angeles Nov. 14. The summit was staged by the county Department of Youth development and featured interactive workshops, entertainment and discussions on a multitude of subjects.
Courtesy photo
Wave Staff Report
SOUTH LOS ANGELES — The county Department of Youth Development hosted its annual Youth Summit Nov. 14 at the Beehive, bringing together hundreds of young people, families and community partners for a day of empowerment, creativity and connection.
“Rooted In Us” was the theme for this year’s summit.
“It captures the foundation of our work, signifying that everything we do is centered on youth voices and built directly on their experiences and needs,” said David J. Carroll, director of the Department of Youth Development. “We know that placing young people at the center of strong networks and meaningful services leads to better outcomes in social-emotional health, education and overall well-being, and ultimately, safer, more resilient communities for all of us.”
The free event featured music, art making, performances, and interactive workshops co-led by youth and community-based organizations. Session topics included Know Your Rights, Financial Literacy 101, Making Music, Street Racing Kills, Care First Mural Painting, and Rooted in Connection — a storytelling workshop designed to help young people find and share their voice on justice, identity, safety, and self-expression.
The summit builds on the Department of Youth Development’s successful summer series, where young people and families engaged with local organizations and advocates to access essential support, including resources, employment training and opportunities for development and community connection. Those interactions continue to inform the department’s vision that youth development is public safety — a framework that replaces punishment with prevention and healing, and isolation with opportunity.
Since its founding, the Department of Youth Development has partnered with more than 100 community-based organizations and reached tens of thousands of youth through prevention, diversion, and reentry programs designed to keep young people connected to family, education, and opportunity. Department programs have helped young people stay in school, avoid justice system involvement and access counseling, job training and mentorship — all essential tools for long-term stability and success.
The department’s three-year impact report highlights the scale of its work, including more than 35,000 youth engagements through community-based programs, more than 1,500 youth diverted from the legal system, and a 95% success rate of participants moving forward after completing diversion programs.
The department’s Heart of Youth Justice Reimagined initiative has engaged more than 800 youth leaders in building community and shaping policy. Collectively, those collaborations demonstrate how the department’s care-first approach — rooted in prevention, mentorship, healthy development and healing — has become a model for strengthening youth well-being across Los Angeles County.
