(Woodland, CA) – November 25, 2020 – The Yolo County District Attorney Office Multi-Cultural Community Council recently held the 4th Annual Youth Leadership Academy virtually via Zoom on November 14 & 15, 2020. The mission of the Multi-Cultural Community Council is to use this Youth Leadership Academy to promote and educate their values to seek fair and equal justice in our community, facilitate understanding, ensure open communication, and promote community participation, education and diversity within the criminal justice system.
At the Youth Leadership Academy students had the opportunity to learn about the different areas in the criminal justice system, and learn the importance of community involvement. Over the course of the weekend students were able to participate in discussion with leaders in local government, non-profit organizations, members of law enforcement, the judicial system, victims of crime, and even a person who was convicted of a crime, who recently completed their prison sentence. Students also received community service hours to meet school credits.
The goal of the academy this year was to promote the importance of relationships, acceptance and peace within Yolo County communities. The Yolo County District Attorney Office Multi-Cultural Community Council brought in a variety of community members and organizations to discuss these topics. Presenters encouraged the students to engage and become involved in their communities. The students and facilitators then discussed the importance of taking pride in community and learned how to understand one’s self. Students also learned about all sides of the criminal justice system.
Many students who attended the academy have shared their thoughts on the positive experience they had. One student stated, “Personally, the community leaders panel and the mock trial were my favorite parts about the academy. I want to be a prosecutor, so seeing a live trial and talking to the DA and DDAs were really interesting to me.”
Another reported that “this leadership academy has really helped me and it has given me the chance to see many opportunities that are in the criminal law field…this academy is helping me to think of what I really want to do with my life….”
A third student commented, “Hearing the victim’s story and understanding what these people went through, really put things into perspective for me.”
District Attorney Jeff Reisig discussed the importance of this event. “We all want to make a difference in our community which starts with our youth,” said Reisig. “Our office and the MCCC are committed to providing healthy opportunities for youth to explore leadership in the context of public service.”
The plan moving forward is to make each year’s Academy even better than the next and promote fair and equal justice, communication, and community for Yolo County youth. For more information, please contact Victim Services Program Coordinator and MCCC Co-Chair Laura Valdes at (530) 666-8187 or Laura.Valdes@yolocounty.org.
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