This July, a delegation of 18 visitors from Europe came to Los Angeles for their IVLP program on the topic empowering underserved youth through education and civic participation. Sadly, children hindered by poverty and immigration status don't have the resources to excel in school and they become at-risk of falling behind, resorting to violence and even gang involvement. In Europe, these marginalized children are often second and third-generation immigrant children, or parts of minority communities such as Roma, LGBT, and children with disabilities. The visitors' first meeting was at Heart of Los Angeles (HOLA), which provides daytime and after-school programming ranging from arts, athletics, and STEM classes. The visitors witnessed how safe spaces such as these can be homes-away-from-homes for underprivileged youth. Promoting social inclusion to young children can be difficult, especially when the children themselves feel rejected. Engaging youth through civic participation can be particularly effective, which is what they learned while meeting with the coalition of college students and Hip-Hop artists called the GR818ERS. The GR818ERS foster the development and growth of youth leadership skills by producing workshops and performances as a means of teaching constructive self-expression and non-violence.

Come Saturday, the visitors got to witness the American spirit of volunteerism while participating in a community service activity at Trash 4 Teaching, an organization that rescues manufacturing overruns from landfills and recycles items for classroom use. They continued their discussion of the cultivation of youth leadership at the   Social Justice Learning Institute (SJLI). The SJLI strives to improve the lives of urban communities of color by helping people build their capacity to assess injustices and achieve health and educational equity. The visitors experienced another inspiring appointment at the It Gets Better Project, whose mission is to reassure LGBT youth that it does get better, and create the changes needed to make it better for them. The organization enhances advocacy for LGBT youth by providing legal service organizations with relevant content to help them both in the courtroom and the community.

After examining how grassroots advocacy groups engage youth, the delegation got a chance to see how local government promotes youth leadership. At the Mayor's HIRE LA's Youth, they were shown city-sponsored job and training programs for unemployed young adults, which train them in the skills needed to obtain entry-level employment, while engaging the private-sector to be part of the solution. At the Human Relations Commission of the City of Los Angeles, the visitors saw how individuals of diverse racial, religious, and ethnic backgrounds, sexual orientation and disability status are brought together. The Commission establishes projects to enhance tolerance and respect, improving intergroup relations and thus building diverse coalitions. The Commission advises the Mayor and the City Council about matters related to the status of community inter-group relationships.

While it is important to encourage youth outreach and participation, it is also imperative to mitigate potential community challenges that may make a young person susceptible to radical messaging. An appointment with USC's Safe Communities Institute (SCI) was arranged, where participants met with the Director of the Homegrown Violent Extremism Studies Program. The program brings together counterterrorism experts, academics, government officials, faith-based leaders, and former extremists who provide their expertise to identify potential community-driven strategies intended to reduce the risk of recruitment and radicalization.

All work and no play makes for a dull program, so the visitors were given the opportunity to enjoy either Universal Studios, Disneyland or even a Barbara Streisand concert. The visitors also got their wish to engage with Angelinos in a casual setting with several home hospitalities. Thank you to IVCLA members Farid Ben Amor, Carlos Collard, Andrea D'Orazio , Nora Elkoussy, Michael Harrison, Cynthia McDermott, Jerald and Ellen Medway, Linda and Ed Rice, Lindsay Sasaki, Danielle Valentino, Harlan and Jeane Ward, and Nick Zigic who all hosted the visitors for home hospitality!

Nick Zigic, Denis Agovic (Bosnia), Andrea D'Orazio, Katrin Anna Triebswetter (Austria), Amina Agovic (Bosnia), and Masha Zhdanova

 

Stepan Drahokoupil (Czech Republic), Viktoriya Donets (Ukraine), Cynthia McDermott and John Curtis

 

The British American Parliamentary Group Exchange Program is an annual initiative to promote friendly relations and mutual understanding between the United States and the United Kingdom. Through the U.S. Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program, this annual exchange coordinated by Meridian International Center welcomes British Members of Parliament (MPs) to the United States to explore U.S. politics and the legislative process at both federal and state levels.   

Board Member Jerry Silva and Judith Cummins, MP at LAX

 

IVCLA was proud to have L.A. area Congressman Tony Cárdenas, Representative for the 29th District, participate in the program. He was matched to Judith Cummins, MP, UK Parliament, Labour Party, who shadowed him for three days in D.C. and L.A. During this time, MP Cummins got a first-hand look at domestic and foreign policy issues that drive American politics. In his home district, Congressman Cárdenas provided MP Cummins with insight into US politics at a local level, but this exchange was as much cultural as it was professional. Congressman Cárdenas gave MP Cummins a holistic view of the City of Angels, taking her to hot-spot restaurants and sightseeing. On her final day in LA, IVCLA Board Member Jerry Silva was invited to join Congressman Cárdenas, his wife Norma, and Judith Cummins, MP in an intimate farewell breakfast. Their candid conversation covered a broad range of topics, including differences between U.S. and U.K. infrastructure projects such as roads, electricity and transportation. The U.S. legislative process and immigration challenges were also discussed. IVCLA gives a special thanks to Jerry Silva for accompanying MP Cummins to the airport!