About
Youth Advocates for Change is a Los Angeles–based education and youth empowerment organization committed to cultivating agency, confidence, and leadership in young people.
Founded as a grassroots, youth-led creative activism collective, YAFC has grown into a multi-program organization working alongside schools, school districts, and community partners to support young people and educators navigating complex social, emotional, and systemic challenges.
Our evolution reflects a simple truth: lasting change requires both youth voice and institutional transformation.
Today, our work includes trauma-informed leadership programs for young people, professional development for educators, and curriculum designed to help individuals and institutions move from reactive systems to empowered, reflective practice.
Our Approach
Trauma-informed. Youth-centered. Action-oriented.
At YAFC, we create what we call brave spaces—environments that prioritize emotional safety while encouraging honest dialogue, critical consciousness, and bold leadership.
Our programs are built on the belief that:
- Young people deserve agency, not control
- Educators need support, not burnout
- Healing and leadership are deeply connected
By centering reflection, creativity, and lived experience, we help participants turn pain into purpose—and purpose into action.
Our Evolution
Youth Advocates for Change has grown alongside the communities we serve.
What began as a collective of high school students using art and storytelling to respond to injustice in 2020 has expanded into an intergenerational organization supporting youth, educators, and institutions committed to equity and well-being.
This evolution reflects our commitment to sustainability, credibility, and long-term impact—ensuring that youth empowerment is not a moment, but a movement embedded within systems.