2024
January 2024
Under the Shadow of the Extreme Case
Over and over again, they come down on some people harder than others: 45 percent of people serving a life sentence in California under the Three Strikes law are Black, as Gascón’s enhancements directive noted. Maria Gonzalez, the legal clinic coordinator at Los Angeles’ Youth Justice Coalition, has a loved one doing 100 years on an enhancement case. “That life is done. It’s gone,” she told me flatly.
LAist Los Padrinos Probation Staff on leave
2023
L.A. County Board of Supervisors meeting is temporarily shut down by protest
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors meeting was temporarily halted Tuesday as protesters called for officials to shut down the newly reopened Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall.
“Free our youth and shut it down,” a cluster of protesters yelled in the board room as the meeting was beginning around 9:45 a.m.
“Shut down Los Padrinos,” chanted another group, sitting a few rows away.
Tauheedah Shakur, organizing director with the Youth Justice Coalition, said she was tired of coming to board meetings every week to demand the county shut down its juvenile halls while conditions continued to deteriorate inside.
December 2023
DYD Video-Jacob, Gloria & LAYUP partners reflect on the growth of the DYD!
November 2023
Spectrum News Story & Video on Street Cred
October 2023
Palabra NAHJ Feature Story about Jade Green, Ms. Klaudette, Dave Dodson, Gloria González
Makeen Charles Drew University
September 2023
LA Commons & LA City Dept of Cultural Affairs-Chuco’s Listed as South Central Treasure
August 2023
LA Times Probation Chaotic First Month & Riots in Los Padrinos
Youth Today Jacob Jackson, CAYCJ & CURYJ about disrupting the school to jail track!
Prism Reports-DJJ Closure Jahzara talks about YJC BOS Action from July
LA Public Press mentions YJC re: Probation reporting back to BOS about Los Padrinos safety
Jade Green on KPFK: Morning Mix: Radio Insurrection w/Hamid Khan Thurs August 3rd.
July 2023
LA Public Press on 7/25 BOS Action
A Year To Life Independent Film Website Features YJC as a community resource
KPFK Soul Rebel Radio 90.7 FM Friday, (July 28th) 7:40pm Jacob Jackson talks YJC & YJR
LA Times, We Shut Down LA County BOS Meeting Twice
Slauson Girl, YJC BOS Shut Down Action
Black LA Voice, YJC BOS Shut Down Action
LAist KPCC DA Charges Probation with assault, gun found in LP
Knock LA Investigative Journalism on Compton Sheriff Violence
June 2023
Davis Vanguard-LA County Budget Rally Press Release
LA Times Plants and Trees Story Rebel Garden
May 2023
LAist KPCC 300 Youth Being Moved from Juvenile Halls
Associated Press Article on Juvenile Halls Closing
Telemundo 52 Lupita Interview Juvenile Halls Close
Associated Press BSCC Ruling YJC LAYUP Statement
FOX News Story-Juvenile Halls Closing
LA PUBLIC Press 5/15 BOS LAYUP BUDGET & Sheriffs public comment
Hamilton High School Newspaper, Emilio quoted about inspiration for justice work
February 2023
Stop LAPD Spying Action DTLA LA Public Press
LA Young Uprising works to reform county’s juvenile justice system
2022
How The LA Riots Changed The Lives Of These 6 People
The acquittal of the officers who beat Rodney King had an impact around the country. What followed were nights of civil unrest, frustration, and turmoil. Some had to live through this as kids.
May 2022
The juvenile justice system is plagued by striking racial disparities — but health is a big one
April 2022
30 Years Ago, The LA Riots Changed The Lives Of These 6 People
Cambodian Man’s Rare Journey To Freedom Held Up As Goal For Other Immigrants In Prison
March 2022
Gang leader-turned-peacemaker faces life sentence if convicted in federal racketeering trial
February 2022
How a single case challenged the LA prosecutor’s reform agenda: ‘Nobody is happy’
In LA Jail, Health Workers Say Deputies Discourage Vaccinations And Deface COVID-19 Signs
‘Imposter’ Gets Into LA Juvenile Hall
January 2022
2021
25 Under 25: Women of Color to Watch
Growing up, Lupita Carballo got used to hearing police sirens and helicopters and seeing the police wait outside her school to hand out truancy tickets to kids running late. When her sister died of cancer, she fell behind in school and the school district failed to take any time to support her through the crisis. Then she joined the Youth Justice Coalition’s FREE LA High School and realized the power of organizing. She saw their team successfully push to decriminalize fare evasion at the county and then the state level.
November 2021
YJC listed top 10 advocacy orgs in CA
The Impact and Cost of Incarceration
Annenberg USC: BLM Donations & Media Coverage since 2020
October 2021
Newsom signed the CRISES Act AB 2054
August 2021
Sustaining The Fight-Activist Burnout
July 2021
LA Taco Chuco’s Justice Center featured in 2 Live and Die in LA Photo Exhibition
May 2021
LAYUP YJC Fund Youth Justice Reimagined
Free phone calls & commissary Jared quote LA County motion
VIDEO: YJC Youth Development YJR LA TIMES Video via Spectrum News
April 2021
Environmental Justice, incarceration and toxic hazards
March 2021
Lupita Carballo, 25 under 25 Women of Color to Watch, Ms. Magazine
LA Sentinel SB2 Police Decertification
January 2021
2020
L.A. youth group demands defunding police, other reforms
A youth-led group of hundreds of protesters rallied Friday afternoon outside Los Angeles City Hall as demonstrations continue amid a widening national debate about police brutality and racial injustice in the wake of the death of George Floyd.
The demonstration, sponsored by the Youth Justice Coalition, was billed as a march, rally and open mic for families and youth “impacted by state violence,” according to a flier.
In a social media post advertising the event, the coalition called for taking hundreds of millions of dollars from the budgets of city and county law enforcement and prosecutorial and probation agencies and redirecting them to fund youth centers, jobs and the establishment of comprehensive youth development departments.
December, 2020
LA Times on YJC ACLU Gang Injunctions Lawsuit vs LA City
Witness LA on Gang Injunctions Lawsuit YJC UPI ACLU vs LA City
LA Times My Cause My Cleats L.A. Chargers Fundraiser for YJC
September, 2020
L.A. Progressive on YJC & MILPA on victory to close CA Youth Prisons
The Guardian quoted YJC data and Organizer on police violence over the summer
Mercury News on SB731 failure, featuring YJC Twitter post
August, 2020
Respect Magazine on “Reimagine LA” Ballot measure passage through L.A. County Board
Liberty Hill Foundation on YJC & partners work to end Cal Gang Databases
July, 2020
LAist: Remove Police from Mental Health Crisis Calls, featuring Ellie with YJC
Bloomberg: Growing movement to eliminate court fees in CA, featuring Anthony with YJC.
Video: FREE America Story on Francisco Martines of the YJC
ABC 7 News Clip: YJC Building Community Alternatives to Police
The Guardian citing YJC Police Use of Force Data
June, 2020
L.A. Times on YJC June 12 Action to Defund The Police & Invest In Youth
L.A Daily News on YJC June 12 Action with short video clips
YJC on hazardous conditions in county jails during COVID-19.
Witness LA on L.A. County Use Of Force Policies
YJC about George Floyd uprisings, police terror in L.A., criminalization by white media
ABC News quote from BLM co-founder shouting out YJC’s organizing to end police terror.
The Davis Vanguard highlights AB 2054, the CA C.R.I.S.E.S Act
The Sundial mentions YJC as supporting organization with Northridge BLM protests in the valley.
Video from #FREELA Action July 12th
May, 2020
L.A. Times coverage of YJC demanding LAPD abolish all racist gang databases.
April 2020
Mr. Velton Johnson tragedy, family offers reward, YJC instagram post, Long Beach Post
February 2020
2019
LA County Public Defender’s Office Wins National Award for Outreach
The Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office has won an Achievement Award from the National Association of Counties for its Proposition 47 outreach and community reentry services. The award honors innovative, effective county government programs that strengthen services for residents.
Passed by voters on Nov. 4, 2014, Prop 47 is a California law allowing people convicted of certain non-serious, nonviolent crimes to have their felony conviction(s) reduced to a misdemeanor.
A felony conviction is a barrier to obtain employment, housing and access to federal healthcare programs, serve in the armed forces, and ultimately become a productive member of society.
After the LA County Public Defender’s Office identified more than 500,000 countywide clients who may be eligible for Prop 47 relief, it launched its Proposition 47 Outreach and Community Reentry Services Plan.
“The LA County Public Defender’s Office goes beyond the courtroom in assisting clients,” LA County Public Defender Ricardo García said. “We strongly believe that post-conviction relief gives our clients opportunities they may not have otherwise. I’m so proud of my team for delivering such high-quality holistic advocacy that uplifts our clients and our community.”
This multifaceted plan has included more than 100 Prop 47 legal clinics, where thousands of clients have received assistance. The plan also has included resource events, a multimedia awareness campaign and connections to holistic services to help individuals move away from the criminal justice system.
May 2019
Chuco’s featured in photo with Public Defender’s Office, SCV News
2018
LA County Finds New Home for Youth Justice Coalition
Los Angeles County officials agreed Tuesday to lease a former juvenile court building to a community justice organization set to be booted from its home in Inglewood.
The Youth Justice Coalition will sign a 10-year lease at $75,000 per year for the David V. Kenyon Juvenile Justice Facility on South Central Avenue in the unincorporated neighborhood of Florence.
Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas recommended the move in response to a decision by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to take back the building where the nonprofit organization has operated for the last six years. Metro decided that it needed the property for construction related to the Fairview Heights station on the Crenshaw/LAX Line.
The Florence juvenile courthouse was shut down in 2013 and since then has been the target of vandals and thieves, Ridley-Thomas said.