The Center for Young Women’s DevelopmentThe Center, founded in 1993, is a unique organization run entirely by and for young women leaving the juvenile justice system. The organization works both to inspire and empower young women to make positive change in their own lives, and to make change in the world of juvenile justice. Marlene Sanchez, the Executive Director, is herself a personification of the change that the organization can bring. Marlene came to the Center at age 15, looking for a way out of the juvenile justice system. She had spent much of her young life behind bars, and on the streets. The Center hired her as a community health outreach worker. Over the past 10 years, Marlene rose through the ranks of the organization, becoming first a program director and then, at age 25, as Executive Director. Through her leadership, and her unwavering focus on empowering the other young women at the Center to become leaders, the Center has become a tremendous force in juvenile justice advocacy. The Center has had far-reaching impact on juvenile justice systems at the local, state and national levels. They have forced policymakers to confront the unique needs and challenges of young women in the system. They do so from a position of knowledge: using the information they gained through a life in the streets and in the juvenile hall, the young women at the center have developed and spearheaded policy initiatives that have a real impact on the lives of other young women like them. Below are highlights from just 3 of our gender-specific policy initiatives: Incarcerated Young Mothers Bill of Rights – San Francisco Juvenile Hall has accepted and agreed to implement the Center’s ten-point “Young Mother’s Bill of Rights,” which sets forth the rights of pregnant and parenting young woman who are locked in juvenile hall. California State Assembly Bill 2070 – reunifies families separated by incarceration. It modifies existing laws regarding parental reunification with children in foster care. Social workers will now be allowed to take into account the barriers incarcerated or institutionalized parents face in meeting reunification requirements. The Know Justice Handbook – the Center published a bilingual handbook written in language youth can understand that gives incarcerated youth the tools they need to navigate the juvenile and criminal justice systems in California. Each year, the Center distributes the handbook to more than 4,000 young people in 32 counties across California. Beyond their policy work, for the last 16 years the Center has done what most service organizations, even youth empowerment organizations, haven’t been able to do--adequately provide poor young women with the intellectual, economic, and power sharing opportunities that they deserve.
Honored by Adrienne Hirt |
