WHY SEMILLAS YOUTH MATTERS
Because young people are not the future —
they are the present.
They are artists, thinkers, healers, protectors, and organizers in the making.
They carry the stories of the barrio and the courage of their ancestors.
When youth are nurtured, protected, and given the tools to lead, the whole community rises.
Semillas Youth ensures that:
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Youth do not face the world alone
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They inherit pride, not shame
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They become experts of their own lives
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They learn both resistance and creation
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Their voices shape the direction of the movement
This is how we plant seeds for a liberated future — one young leader at a time.
PROGRAM VALUES
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Youth are leaders now
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Creativity is power
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Healing is necessary
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Identity is strength
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The barrio is a classroom
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We rise together
JOIN SEMILLAS YOUTH
Young people ages 11-18 can join Semillas Youth by attending the Semillas General Assembly every Friday, where they are welcomed into the program and connected to upcoming opportunities and sessions.
WHAT WE DO
Semillas Youth creates powerful, transformative spaces for young people through:
• Popular Education for Youth
Workshops on identity, power, justice, and the histories our schools leave out.
• Art, Culture & Creative Resistance
Muralism, printmaking, poetry, storytelling, music, photography, sewing, and movement arts that teach youth to use creativity as a tool for organizing.
• Mental Health & Healing Circles
Safe spaces for youth to express, reflect, breathe, and learn emotional tools grounded in community, culture, and collective care.
• Youth Leadership Development
Training young people to facilitate, organize events, speak publicly, and lead with confidence and barrio consciousness.
• Youth Organizing Projects
Campaigns and actions created and led by youth — from community art projects to school-based organizing to justice initiatives.
• Culture & Identity Workshops
Indigenous teachings, ancestral knowledge, storytelling, and cultural education that strengthen pride and connection.
• Collective Protection & Community Safety Values
Teaching youth non-punitive approaches to conflict, boundaries, accountability, and caring for one another.
• Skill-Building & Creative Pathways
Hands-on training in digital media, podcasting, design, public speaking, writing, and more — preparing youth for their futures and the movement’s future.
Semillas Youth
Leadership · Art · Healing · Barrio Futures
“The Chimalli of the Future.”
OVERVIEW
Semillas Youth is where the next generation of leaders, artists, protectors, and thinkers of the barrio rise.
We create a space where young people can explore who they are, learn where they come from, and shape the world they want to live in.
Semillas Youth is not a club — it is a movement home.
A place where history meets imagination, where art meets organizing, and where young people learn that their voice is not only valuable — it is powerful.
We nurture youth who remember their roots, love their community, and step into leadership with courage, creativity, and corazón.
VISION:
Youth rooted in history, proud of their barrio, and ready to dream, organize, and lead with love and rebellion.
We envision a generation that:
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Knows their ancestors and honors their stories
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Understands the systems that shape their lives
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Leads with compassion and collective responsibility
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Transforms pain into power and art into strategy
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Builds community instead of seeking permission
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Fights for justice with creativity, discipline, and joy
This is the future our youth deserve — and the future they are building now.
MISSION:
To build a generation of leaders, artists, and defenders of the people through:
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Political education
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Art and creative resistance
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Mental health + healing spaces
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Cultural identity and pride
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Collective accountability
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Community defense values
Semillas Youth transforms barrio energy into organized, creative power.
We teach young people not only how to resist harm — but how to build the world that comes after.
We are the flowers growing through the concrete —
born of the earth, reaching for the sun.
