Research

Youth ambassador/Scholar Program

The Youth Ambassador/Scholar (YAS) program is a year-long scholarship course for local high school students who have direct experience with overpoliced communities and who are invested in improving public safety for all neighborhoods. The program includes training in effective practices of police oversight, and provides resources for students to develop community-based outreach and other media projects. Students receive mentorship from undergraduate Social Impact Interns, community experts in restorative justice and youth organizing, and other Breathable Streets collective members.

The inaugural cohort of YASers was announced in January 2021, several months after the passage of Measure B, which converted the former Community Review Board (CRB) into a more powerful and fully independent Commission on Police Practices (CPP). The first year of the YAS program has focused on the Measure B transition process, and has provided the inaugural cohort with training that will prepare them to consider applying for membership on the new CPP.

In addition to a $2000 scholarship, the YAS program also provides students with college preparatory sessions, Know-Your-Rights workshops, and access to other public and community forums.

tracking measure b

As part of our collaborative, community-based research on public safety, we have been tracking the progression of the Measure B Implementation ordinance -- including documenting community roundtables and community demands for the new Commission on Police Practices. The tracking page can be found HERE.