YWC Cultura Connect: After School Safe Spaces for Immigrant and Latine Youth

Immigrant and refugee support

East LA South LA San Gabriel Valley San Fernando Valley

Pilot or new project, program, or initiative (testing or implementing a new idea)

Latine and immigrant youth in the regions mentioned face systemic barriers to opportunity, cultural isolation, language access issues, and limited mentorship or enrichment. Over 53% of children in L.A. County live in immigrant families (U.S. Census, 2022), many facing educational barriers tied to language and representation. A report by the California Immigrant Policy Center found these students are more likely to attend under-resourced schools and are underrepresented in STEAM fields. In today’s climate of rising anti-immigrant sentiment, safe, culturally grounded spaces are more urgent than ever. Youth are navigating both personal identity and societal pressures. Cultura Connect addresses this need by offering cultural affirming clubs, mentorship, and creative programming that build confidence, community support, and pathways to academic, personal and leadership success.

The Yes We Can Cultura Connect program is an after-school initiative that empowers Latine and immigrant youth in the LA regions selected where students face systemic barriers like cultural isolation, language access challenges, and underrepresentation in STEAM. The program operates on school campuses with high Latine populations, providing weekly, student-led clubs rooted in cultural pride, identity exploration, and community connection.
Clubs offer a safe, consistent space for students to express themselves, celebrate their heritage, and engage in open dialogue on identity, belonging, and leadership. Through arts-based workshops and peer discussions, students process lived experiences and build confidence. They also plan school-wide and neighborhood events that celebrate Latine culture and amplify youth voices.
Students are paired with Latine mentors, especially in STEAM fields, who share real-life experiences and introduce career pathways where Latines remain underrepresented. This blend of storytelling, mentorship, and exposure creates tangible connections between identity, education, and opportunity.
Cultura Connect is the best solution because it addresses both the emotional and systemic barriers facing immigrant youth. It is culturally responsive, youth-led, and rooted in lived experience—building safe spaces where students feel seen, valued, and capable of success in a climate of growing anti-immigrant sentiment.

Cultura Connect will spark a cultural shift in LA, one where Latine youth no longer feel invisible or disconnected from their roots, but instead see themselves as builders of the city’s future. In the short term, the program will create 5 student-led clubs in 5 LA schools, where 250 youth will explore identity, share culture, and connect with mentors who reflect their lived experiences. Long term expansion, includes the launch of 15 additional clubs reaching 1,000 youth in LA regions, that create a countywide network. A movement of Latine youth reclaiming their heritage and shaping how their communities are seen and valued. In a region where Latines make up nearly half the population yet remain underrepresented in many fields, affirming youth identity is not symbolic, it’s structural. Youth who are confident and supported are more likely to lead, to speak out and to create change. Cultura Connect invests in that shift, one rooted in belonging, opportunity, and a future led from within.