It's on Y.O.U. (You with One Understanding): Promoting Positive Futures for Oakland's Young People

This poster session will present the mission, goals, history and work of It's on Y.O.U. (Youth with One Understanding), and “lessons learned” thus far. We are a youth-led community group that aims to create neighborhood environments where young people have the support and resources needed to make healthy choices and to realize our full potential. In 2006, we came together as youth living in the Sobrante Park neighborhood with our adult supporters from the Alameda County Public Health Department, City of Oakland and community-based organizations to begin a youth grantmaking program. We started with organizing a community event to tackle childhood obesity and youth violence.

Over several months, our small youth group worked together with adult mentors to plan, coordinate and lead a very successful event on November 4, 2006 called “Keepin' it Real." This neighborhood event promoted healthy eating, physical fitness and violence prevention in a “fun and active way” through live performances by youth, hands-on workshops, concerts, free food and contests. We led all aspects of Keepin' It Real, including fundraising, marketing, fiscal management and program design. More than 200 youth and adults from Sobrante Park and surrounding neighborhoods came out for Keepin' It Real. After the event, we evaluated the process, identified what went well, what did not and what we could change for future programs. We decided to get together with more young adults to plan additional events in Sobrante Park. We are also documenting what we're doing so that other youth could follow our example.