This month, CLP-CYLC joins its community partners in celebrating the graduation of 19 CYLC-LATTC students who received their Certificate in Community Planning. This milestone  highlights the collective dedication and perseverance of CYLC students, faculty, and staff. The growth in CYLC-LATTC’s graduating class is a testament to our unwavering commitment to building a workforce of credentialed, knowledgeable, and skilled leaders to lead and organize for change in their local communities. 

CYLC-LATTC’s graduates are recipients of our Certificate of Achievement and Associate’s of Arts Degree in Community Planning and Economic Development Programs. By earning this certificate and/or degree, they enhanced their knowledge by completing coursework that included topics such as: Community Organizing, Affordable Housing Development, Managing Nonprofit & Public Organizations, Comprehensive Community Violence Prevention, and much more. 

CLP-CYLC-LATTC-CD Tech Center graduates have also helped to build the capacity of local community-based organizations. While they have been enrolled in school, they have also engaged in work-based learning at some of our partner community based organizations in Los Angeles County. These include: Artivist United, A Place Called Home, AFREECA, SOLA Community Peace Center and CDTech Center to name a few. Across all of our community-based organizations, fellows practiced their planning and organizing skills by engaging in community issues like youth development, affordable housing, arts & culture, community-based research and more.

CLP-CYLC-LATTC-CD Tech Center certifications are a result of years of hard work, dedication, and perseverance. The diversity of talents and passions within CYLC-LATTC’s graduating classes symbolizes the importance of uplifting historically underrepresented and marginalized students to be actively engaged in determining the conditions that shape and affect their lives – and the structures, policies, and practices that support those conditions.

“This graduating class represents our collective efforts to prepare, educate, and empower the next generation of community organizers, change agents, and leaders in South Los Angeles. We are pleased that CYLC-LATTC students have gained critical skills in organizing, advocacy and community planning which they can apply in leadership roles and in their personal lives for the foreseeable future,” said Shelia Balque, CYLC Senior Program Director. 

“I join all of our partners in congratulating the class of 2024! We are happy to celebrate this significant milestone alongside your family and friends. We are proud of you all and know that you will embark on continuing to create positive change in your local communities

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Community Learning Partnership (CLP) is a national non-profit organization committed to building a workforce of credentialed, knowledgeable, and skilled leaders to organize for community change in their local communities. California Youth Leadership Corps (CYLC) was established under CLP to empower  historically marginalized youth and ensure that they are civically engaged. CLP/CYLC community change career pathways offer certificates and degrees in community leadership, development and organizing along with community work experience.