Where can we get a copy of the demographics you are citing in this listening session? Thank you:)

Some of the data comes from National Equity Atlas: https://nationalequityatlas.org/ (you can search for Long Beach data)

And other data come from the Equity Profile for Long Beach: https://www.policylink.org/resources-tools/long-beach-equity-profile

https://forms.gle/EyiAP9oC7jqo7hvp8

Please complete this survey! If you have already submitted your response, then no worries. You don’t have to take it again.

I agree:)

agree

agreed

agree

Community Agreements:- Amplify Black experiences-Keep your phone or device muted if you’re not talking-If you’re able, please turn your camera on-Step up, step back-One mic, one voice-Not a debate - we’re here to share and listen

(1) What inequities are you most concerned about as it relates to education or services for Black youth?(2) While the City doesn’t operate the school district, many City departments serve youth and their families (Health, Parks & Rec, Libraries, and Economic Development). What services and programs could be offered for youth in our City that will help eliminate racism and racial inequities?(3) How can the City collaborate with LBUSD, LBCC, CSULB, and other partners in education to reduce the inequities among Black youth and other youth of color, including youth with disabilities, trans and non-binary youth, and youth in foster care?(4) Picture a Long Beach 10 years from now where Black youth and other youth of color are thriving. What does it look like and how did we get here? What are your ideas or recommendations for making this a reality?

I can talk but don’t want to take the space

Jacqui-I will have you as the next speaker.

The LBPL is providing amazing examples of collaboration with the community, e.g., Dramatic Results, MOLA, etc. to provide innovative programs for youth in the community.

One of the inequities we’ve seen, is with the Long Beach College promise. Unfortunately it hasn’t been helping as many students as it should be because of the racial disparity in the completion of A-G courses. These courses are required to be eligible to go to a UC or state school. There needs to be more support for students of color, especially those whose families are low income, to take and successfully complete these courses.

I believe the halt to test scores in our schools provide a wonderful opportunity to have students learn how to create Portfolios to show what they KNOW and can DO.

#3.). The city can do a better job to partner with LBUSD and the LBCC and CSULB to take advantage of the State funding that is available for higher education. Chafee Grant for Foster Youth. DACA and CADA. Every child/student that qualifies for CalFresh, should be able to qualify for Financial Aid.

The parents we are working with are complaining a LOT that they are NOT getting their questions answered by the district. They are looking for connections to help guide their decisions for their children’s education.

Universal wifi access is a must. Agreed that libraries should be open every day of the week and for longer hours. There should be more city sponsored after school programs AND there should be city provided or sponsored free or reduced cost childcare. Often it’s older children who are burdened with the responsibility to care for their younger siblings while parents work, negatively impacting their own education.

Some of our students have complained that LBUSD has demanded the return of their loaned computers back over the summer, leaving our students with no computer access during the summer months.

Ohhh... that's great info to know about the vendors who teach the classes. I didn't know. It would be great to review those requirements and the City of Long Beach start promoting opportunities to teach in the park programs. Maybe create a sponsorship program for vendors who cannot pay the fees.

I like that idea Sontue

Can the City help non-profits with services for youth connect to families via city of Long Beach e-mails/texts/mailings? If yes, how?

I echo so much what Elisa is saying. College counseling is very much lacking. And career training is so important.

Can Measure “H” funds be re-distributed to support our youth and education services?

Again, with higher education being equalizer, they need to be prepared for higher education. So, more partnership to better prepare must happen at the K-12 level. So, more partners with Adobe and Khan Academy to utilize their program for the Math and Science classes that are offered online for free.

Can the City make STEM/STEAM labs as ubiquitous in community centers as sports?

Yes Christi!

We also need to support parents so they can be present for their children and understand the different issues facing children and youth of different ages and stages of development.

Not just parents but caretakers.

I’d love to know what the City is planning to help get parents back to work by providing childcare.

Partnership to offer those programs during the summer and making those programs free to the families.

Just like we talked about uplifting Black owned businesses, uplift nonprofit orgs providing great services.

Knowing that we are facing 6-18 months of additional pandemic, how can the City demonstrate their leadership and “connective” tissue to connect families to community resources already available and FREE to families?

I think food security is also a huge issue for many kids. If we could provide after school snacks it would help so many.

Agree!

Good point on the snacks!

Our agency is having our underserved gifted students create an app (in collaboration with LB Fresh and the LBPL) to connect neighborhoods in LB with food, using the Design Thinking Process and Coding.

Yes! More funding for parks, libraries, and early education! Take that egregious police funding and invest it in our youth!

How is the City looking at increasing “outdoor learning” opportunities for students while providing safety guidance to encourage students to learn about our amazing world via our parks and beaches?

The library receives about 2.4% of general fund, and generous grant funding from the Library Foundation. Meanwhile libraries are the most forward facing open, accessible municipal service in the entire city, along with Parks and Rec.

Every penny spent on the Library is well spent!!!

Could the City “profile” success stories of families of color who are thriving by using the resources in our community? Many of our non-profits have amazing success stories to share. Maybe these features would encourage other marginalized families to step forward and engage with these resources?

Food security issues, trauma of many varieties and ongoing cultural instability are impacting the ability to learn or access education. The ramifications of the ongoing pandemic are having an untold impact.

And trauma

Education on food is important. It's one thing to say "eat healthy" but we have to figure out ways to make it fun. I was pleased to see the community garden at the Michelle Obama library. Things like that allow us to have conversations with our kids and possibly start our own gardens. When we witness something, we get to talk about it and build on it.

Our community gardens are a wonderland of diverse foods and community members raising food — it’s provided an amazing education for my son around sustainable food/eating.

Sontue I attended a workshop recently with so many great ideas for the garden and learning from our landscape. But we need funding as someone else said.

Very true, Savannah

I would like to see the City provide parent programming made available year-round at Libraries/Parks, with child-care available, to provide information on City resources, contacts, LBUSD/Early childhood education etc...supporting parents to advocate for their families.

The issue is access and poverty. all of the “opportunities” in the world are meaningless if they can’t be accessed.

—Questions—

Would love to see the city extend information about their services to public places like laundromats, corner stores and even coordinate with street venders who sell fruits/veggies to ensure we reach as many families as possible.

—Questions— (1) What inequities are you most concerned about as it relates to education or services for Black youth?(2) While the City doesn’t operate the school district, many City departments serve youth and their families (Health, Parks & Rec, Libraries, and Economic Development). What services and programs could be offered for youth in our City that will help eliminate racism and racial inequities?(3) How can the City collaborate with LBUSD, LBCC, CSULB, and other partners in education to reduce the inequities among Black youth and other youth of color, including youth with disabilities, trans and non-binary youth, and youth in foster care?(4) Picture a Long Beach 10 years from now where Black youth and other youth of color are thriving. What does it look like and how did we get here? What are your ideas or recommendations for making this a reality?

Part of the problem with getting these programs out there is nonprofits and city services like the library have little or no funding for “advertising” and so often residents are unaware of the services offered.

Jacqui- that sounds great! Are these workshops available for all to participate? Funding... sigh. We have to find some great funders who love the topic and will support. Is fundraising allowed? Fundraising is hard but may fill-in some gaps. Yearly events that raise money. Cabrillo Aquarium and the LA Zoo have a lot of fundraisers

Defund LBPD and invest in the cities youth. If you give nearly 50% of our budget to the police, that shows where the city's priorities are.

Christopher thank you so much for sharing your experience. You sound like a very thoughtful and wise person. I think many students are in the same situation.

Just as a reminder, can you please post the contact e-mail for the city staff? Thanks,

Housing is also a big issue among minority students, whether they are POC, LGBTQ+, or belong to one or more other minority group. Creating more affordable housing is paramount for young students to be able to succeed. Create or dedicate student housing for undergraduates near LBCC and CSULB

equityLB@longbeach.gov

I’ve read that evictions are likely to increase significantly — impacting many families and children. What is the City doing to mitigate this trend?

Having those services being available: Access as well and making those services available to the communities that need them the most.

The suspension rates of BIPOC students are much higher than that of white students. To echo what others have been saying, plugging into orgs like CCEJ which brings Restorative Justice practices into schools plays a crucial role in averting the school to prison pipeline

Housing insecurity is a pending issue with rental moratoriums set to expire prior to employment needs being met. The ramifications of large scale evictions to our youth will create generational inequalities. Either promoting mortgage moratoriums or feasible rent repayment plans with assistance from the city would be steps in the right direction.

We need the city to help us outreach to hard to reach families. The community has resources, but needs to connect with the families who need us the most. This is the one thing the LBPL asks for help from our non-profits.

Can the city provide access to computers (for home use) for families whose computers have been taken by by LBUSD?

Sontue this is a link to the free workshop I took through the Public Library Exchange: https://www.notion.so/Urban-Ecology-bc2490c7429b4fe8850c6e9efc78574f

How many “community” members of color are in today’s conversation?

By access I am including cultural literacy, hesitance to be on the radar screen due to immigration status, also cultural taboos and as Christopher hilighted, pathologizing of behaviors through a largely Eurocentric lens

We would love to find out!

https://forms.gle/fLQgA6MydKW8HDzZA

Please complete this form so we can get some demographic feedback from all of our participants.

So much is going virtual now including medical visits and education that access to free or very low cost WiFi and computers is essential to decrease the inequities

Jacqui- thanks for the information! I will check-out the website.

There are so many nonprofits that are a great support for our youth. I think one of the biggest issues is getting the word out there so that parents and the community are aware. I think bigger collaboration with the city and LBUSD etc would be amazing. YMCA of Long Beach has a youth development program, Boys and Girls Club, CCEJ has a building bridges youth program and Assistance League of Long Beach, CAMEO Auxiliary has a mentoring program for high school children and college re-entry women. I'm sure there are tons of other non-profits as well. I wish we had more people getting the word out there and also people that would love to volunteer. Some of these nonprofits are completely volunteer driven

Thanks Chris. This is a great conversation.

And training too for families

on computers and all the new programs like ZOOM

A suggestion for the changes to the budget and covid-19 relief funding. A downhill or community discussion as to how that affects the local community. If you are NOT following those updates, then you will not really know what programs are available to you.

Sorry, townhall or community discussion!

I don’t need to speak, just want to say that transportation and suitable access need to be paramount.

equitable

I'd love to see support for mentorship programs for our black youth, foster kids and underserved high schoolers.

Does the City and LBUSD have a website of youth/educational resources? During the pandemic, there have been such websites supported by the City of LA and LB with services offered to support small businesses. This would great for parents and children. A website we can go to for recreation, education, technology, contests (drawing, singing, science, etc) to get kids excited about sharing their ideas, community events... everything for parents and kids. I'd be interested in supporting and participating in something like that.

I agree Mariela

I know firsthand the importance of mentorship and the role it plays for our youth and upward mobility.

So true about transportation! Create an environment where parents become friends and we can carpool. People feel more comfortable with people they know

Parents — particularly — at Washington do not feel safe to let their children go out due to gangs. What is the City doing about that issue?

Transportation is a big barrier...it has gotten very expensive

LBUSD has a new staff person whose focus is connecting students to internships with businesses.

I think re-allocating a significant portion of police funds (including Measure “H” funds!) to the community would go a long way of restoring trust of the City government.

Agree 100%

Christi, do you mean prop H funds? Measure H is to fund homeless services and prevention, Prop H funds go to police and fire

Will you be addressing the disparity in property taxes in LB - the “Black Tax” in another session?

Thank you to all participants for a productive conversation. I hope these ideas come to fruition.

great conversation

Thank you all!

Thank you everyone!!!