Community Organizing

TODEC’s Youth Programs

Like the path of monarch butterflies, our youth and families’ migration to the United States is beautiful. Our young people are dedicated, passionate leaders who are rising up to spread their wings and fly. At TODEC, they find a safe space that believes in their power and provides the training and support they need to flex their leadership at every age. 

Through Monarcas Luchadoras, our youth leaders design and lead a variety of campaigns driven by the problems they see in the community and their vision for how to solve them. Young people participate in workshops where they learn how to organize, power mapping, how to design and implement a campaign, and how to use their voices for change. 

One of our youth’s current campaigns is #MyVoiceMyVoteMyPower– an effort to create a culture of voting and civic engagement in the Inland Empire and high desert. TODEC instills in all our youth the importance of using their voice, and connects them to experiences that expand their horizons and let them put their skills to use. For example, we bring youth leaders to Washington DC where they meet with legislators to advocate for our community. 

At TODEC, youth can also grow their confidence through our Cultural and Art programs including Ballet Folklorico- a performance group rooted in Latino culture. By learning about arts and history, young people gain a lifelong connection to the community and a strong sense of self to fuel their leadership.

Our Membership

Key to all of our success is our membership of people power. Building the leadership and organizing capacity of our members is central to our work because they are the people power behind each of our campaigns.  Our membership is intergenerational and rooted in the community.