MCRCC’s Prevention Education team has been hard at work finding ways to engage our youth and creating spaces for them to be seen and heard. Recently, with the help of a new grant from the California Department of Public Health and in partnership with The Epicenter, the team has found an ambitious new way to support the county’s proactive youth. We are excited to introduce the Monterey County Youth Coalition for Gender Equity (MCYCGE). This coalition will be composed of high school students from all over Monterey County working together to create safer spaces and dismantle harmful gender norms in our community. Their aim is to positively impact the community through long-term cultural and policy change. The group will meet once a month to discuss topics such as gender equity, non-conforming gender inclusivity, preventing sexual violence, and supporting survivors of gender-based violence. They will use feedback from members and peers to improve school policies, provide presentations to educate their peers, and organize community events to educate the broader community. The vision of MCYCGE is to foster a community free from gender discrimination and sexual violence, where students feel safe, supported, and believed.

MCYCGE is being facilitated by MCRCC's very own Prevention Education Educator, Giselle Lazaro. While working with different “Our Voice” club members, she identified the unjust targeting of students' expressions, specifically female-presenting and non-binary students, regarding the school's dress code as a pressing issue that needed a more dynamic solution. The MCYCGE coalition will aim to understand how policy can impact students directly and implement change within their school system. The future of MCYCGE relies on the students' needs and the ever-growing school landscape. Fellow Prevention Educator, Jessica Gasca-Ramirez, states that she is optimistic about the impact MCYCGE will have within the high schools and that it will inspire other students to come forward and create change within their schools, reflecting the ethos of gender equity and fostering deeper support within our county’s youth.

We are calling on sophomores, juniors, and seniors throughout Monterey County who are eager to embody equity, compassion, and understanding in their school’s environment. The application to be part of MCYCGE is open until Monday, July 15, 2024. Click the link below to apply:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdG2w0q3RAXUvASj1LkZ-00j8X8PEsd...