MYTE - Engaging Our Youth
“It changes people,” says Maria Hernandez, an active MYTE member. Luis Benitez echoes her thoughts by saying that “people are free to express themselves here.” They go on to tell me that they see the positive transformations in themselves and their peers who remain active in the youth program. Mentoring Youth Through Empowerment advocates for the growth of its members by engaging our youth in group activities involving shared leadership training; life skills workshops, such as cooking and communication skills; health workshops, including meditation exercises and Q&A workshops on safer sex. Our recent recreational venture was through the generous invitation of the US Sailing Center in which our youth sailed on the ocean with teams headed by staff, MYTE volunteers, and a MYTE parent. It truly does take a village!

Speaking of parents, the youth program also began its first Parent and Guardian Support Group meeting in February and continues to hold meetings at the last Friday of each month. It is an intimate table where parents and guardians are encouraging and laughing with one another and seeing that they are not alone in the process of acceptance. Created not only as a venue for supporting our parents, this group also assists in the youth program by volunteering to chaperone during recreational events, increasing parent involvement.

Upcoming events for the youth program: community service through working in the Wild Oats garden, more sailing, documentary project with Q Team. Please email Rikka Racelis at rikkar@centerlb.org or call her at 562-434-4455, ext. 245 for more information.