On August 2nd, Keiko R. stepped off a plane and into the heart of Los Angeles. Just hours earlier, she’d been in Sacramento, spending several days alongside her assembly member, sitting in on meetings and speaking up for the kind of change she believes in: better access to education and literacy resources for all students.

She’s still in high school, but you'd never guess it from the way she talks about policy, equity, and the power of advocacy.

Five hours later, Keiko – along with nearly forty other remarkable young Angelenos, ages 14–24 – had found community and a renewed belief in their ability to shape the future at the inaugural LA2050 Youth Ambassador Celebration.

Hosted at Las Fotos Project, a former LA2050 grantee, the celebration offered a day of connection, creativity, and professional development. Youth Ambassadors explored career pathways with local leaders and engaged in hands-on activities designed to build skills and confidence.

Keiko is one of 28 emerging talents selected for LA2050’s Youth Ambassador Leadership Council – a new addition to the program this year. Now in its fourth year, the LA2050 Youth Ambassador Program engages young Angelenos in shaping the civic future of our region. Through hands-on outreach, leadership training, and service opportunities, Ambassadors learn about LA’s social impact landscape while using their voices to inform and inspire others.

This year, a record 330 Youth Ambassadors participated in the program, representing more than 145 communities across Los Angeles County – from Altadena to Agoura Hills, Echo Park to Sun Valley. Throughout the LA2050 Grants Challenge voting period, these young leaders helped spread the word about the power of civic participation, encouraging their peers, families, and neighbors to vote on the issues they care most about.

With the school year just around the corner, summer came to a close with a celebration worthy of their work. Laughter echoed through the courtyard at Las Fotos Project as LA2050 gathered its 2025 Youth Ambassadors – alongside alumni from the past four years – for a joyful celebration of leadership, community, and the shared dream of a better Los Angeles.

​​The morning began with a powerful panel discussion featuring local leaders working across sectors to create a more equitable, vibrant Los Angeles. Seated in the sun-drenched courtyard, Youth Ambassadors listened as panelists spoke from lived experience in fields ranging from refugee support and tech equity to environmental justice and arts access. Panelists included were Carmen Chang of the City of Los Angeles Department of Neighborhood Empowerment, Helen Alonzo Hurtado of Las Fotos Project, Isaac Kashaka of Bridge the Digital Divide, Joe Laskin formerly of North East Trees, Lucy Herrera of Legacy LA, and Meymuna Hussein-Cattan of The Tiyya Foundation and Flavors From Afar – all of whom are past winners of the LA2050 Grants Challenge.

Each panelist reflected on why they chose to dedicate their lives to public service and nonprofit leadership, highlighting the importance of staying rooted in community and taking initiative, even when the road ahead isn’t clearly marked. As Kashaka put it, change begins when “you see that need and choose to fill it.”

“We all have those moments in our lives where we see a gap,” he said. “And I think being willing to take the initiative to fill it is huge. It’s the first step of many.”

That spirit of recognizing need and choosing to act was echoed by fellow panelist Hussein-Cattan, who encouraged Youth Ambassadors to embrace their own stories as fuel for change. “Don’t be ashamed of what you went through,” she said. “Honor it and make it the launching pad of the work that you do.”

Building on that message, Lucy Herrera, executive director of Legacy LA, emphasized that meaningful change is often a long and patient journey. “Impact takes time sometimes,” she said. “It takes perseverance, it takes dedication, and it takes never giving up on our young people.”

Following the panel, Youth Ambassadors engaged in a series of interactive stations designed to deepen their professional skills and reflect on their own leadership journeys. In one station, Ambassadors received personalized résumé feedback during one-on-one coaching sessions with Youth Ambassador alum and Goldhirsh Foundation social impact and research fellow, Marion Noble.

Just steps away, participants crafted collages visualizing their hopes for the future of Los Angeles. Others posed with new friends in a photo booth hosted by Las Fotos Project, shared on video their visions for a better future for Los Angeles, and penned handwritten thank you notes to local nonprofits that have made a difference in their lives.

As the afternoon unfolded, so did moments of reflection. Abigail G. shared how powerful it was to witness the common thread between so many different life paths:

“I was hoping to see how interconnected and passionate everyone is for our city and the future of it,” she said. “I think hearing everyone’s stories and how they came from different backgrounds and pushed through all these hardships just to get to these places – and they still want to give back to their community – it’s so empowering. I hope to one day do the same.”

Applications for the 2026 LA2050 Youth Ambassador program will open next spring. We can’t wait to welcome the next generation of young Angelenos ready to lead.