LOS ANGELES (January 27, 2022) — The Olivia Mitchell Youth Council (LA City Youth Council) application process opens January 28, 2022. The youth council is an opportunity for young Angelenos to participate in their local government. During the year-long paid program, participants will have an opportunity to learn the inner workings of the City of Los Angeles, work alongside city department staff, and provide recommendations to city officials on solutions to solve issues within their communities.
Applications are open to young people between the ages of 16 – 25 who reside in the City of Los Angeles. Applications will be accepted from January 28 through February 28, 2022 and can be found on the Youth Development Department’s website at youthcouncil.lacity.org.
“Creating the Olivia Mitchell Youth Council was my way of ensuring we keep the door open for young people to learn and participate in their local government. Olivia Mitchell established the original Youth Council in the office of Mayor Tom Bradley, so it was important to me that we honor that legacy that laid the groundwork for so many of us to be civically engaged,” said Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez. “Availing this opportunity as a paid position demonstrates our genuine interest and value in having diverse participation from every part of our city.”
“By engaging the young people of our City, we will ensure that they have a seat at the table and that decisions most impacting their lives and communities are driven by them,” said Lisa Salazar, Executive Director of the Youth Development Department. “The Youth Council is a special partnership between our young Angelenos and their local government.”
“The hard work and determination of our youth both past and present, has allowed us to create a new citywide youth council for the first time in decades and will give our young people a broader opportunity to lead and set a standard for impactful youth civic engagement,” said Olivia Mitchell.
In May of 2021 the Los Angeles City Council approved Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez’s legislation to create the Olivia Mitchell Youth Council. The council will include two youth representatives from each council district and will educate and invite their participation in their city government.
The Olivia Mitchell Youth Council was modeled after the Youth Advisory Council established by Mayor Tom Bradly in 1974, and will guide the next generation of leaders, teaching them how local government can work for them, and how to use their voice in Los Angeles City Hall. As a member of Mayor Bradley’s Administration, Olivia Mitchell was charged with leading and nurturing the Youth Advisory Council. The impact of her dedication to empowering youth in Los Angeles can still be felt today. For more than 50 years, Olivia’s passion for mentoring young Angelenos and her love of the City of Los Angeles has inspired leaders including alumni of the program former Councilmembers Tom LaBonge and Wendy Greuel along with current Councilmembers Monica Rodriguez and Paul Koretz.
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Los Angeles City Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez serves as the City’s Chair of Public Safety and represents the 7th Council District in the Northeast San Fernando Valley which include the neighborhoods of Sylmar, Mission Hills, Pacoima, Lake View Terrace, Sunland, Tujunga, North Hills, Shadow Hills, and La Tuna Canyon.