New San Francisco DA initiative offers beacon of hope for struggling youth

SAN FRANCISCO — Helping San Francisco youth before they set off on the wrong path is the aim of a new initiative being launched by the district attorney’s office.

Bianca Vasquez, a 22-year-old intern at the Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts, is among the many young individuals benefiting from youth programs in San Francisco.

“It’s great because it’s giving youth, especially starting at the age of 16, a chance to avoid gangs and stay off the streets,” Vasquez said. “A lot of teens start to rebel at that age. These programs help them avoid that path.”

Bianca’s journey wasn’t easy. Personal issues forced her to drop out of college, but she found guidance and support through these programs.

“It’s about getting out of that cycle of drugs, violence, and gangs,” she explained. “I think of my own family members who took the hard way out, and my friends who are now running the streets. I’m like, ‘You’re my age, what are you doing?”

Martina Ayala, the executive director of the Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts, emphasizes the importance of partnerships like the one with Bay Area Community Resources, which helped Bianca.

“For us to be able to have paid interns through programs that have been funded to provide youth with opportunities, it’s a wonderful thing,” Ayala said.

Bianca’s story is not unique. Many young people in the Bay Area need similar help. This need is why San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins announced a significant initiative on Wednesday.

“We’ve called it the Access to Hope Initiative because many people end up in the criminal justice system because they are hopeless,” Jenkins said. “The goal is to create opportunities for engagement and career exploration for our youth and young adults so that they can feel that they have a chance to ascend above their current circumstances.”

The Access to Hope Initiative is now accepting applications. Young people between the ages of 14 and 24 can visit the initiative’s website to take advantage of opportunities like shadow days at the DA’s office and fellowships, which are particularly appreciated by Bianca.

The initiative comes at a critical time, as the number of victims of crime under the age of 18 served by the Victim Services Division has significantly increased in the past year.

“We’ve seen more and more young victims,” Jenkins noted. “With the drug crisis and other challenges, they’ve been exposed to situations that could negatively influence their lives, like drug use and having incarcerated or deceased parents.”

As part of the initiative, the DA’s office partnered with the Sojourn Project, taking a group of San Francisco youth to the Deep South to learn about the Civil Rights Movement from those who lived it. Another trip is planned for the near future.

Bianca believes these programs offer a beacon of hope, demonstrating that young lives can be redirected with the right support.

“To know that it is available until the age of 24, that’s a big opportunity,” she said. “Why would you miss that?”