In 2020, Latino Health Access launched Jóvenes Unidos in Santa Ana to help youth go from mentees to mentors, giving them a chance to be the city’s next generation of change makers.

Jóvenes Unidos is located at Latino Health Access; it’s a group for teenagers to hang out, interact with one another, listen, share their emotions and make a change in their community.

Rosario Galeas and her team run Jóvenes Unidos, meeting on Thursdays and Fridays. The group includes—on average—around 200 teens who have completed 20–25 different grants the past six years since starting the program. Because of this work, they are able to come together to pass laws and address issues around our community.

Long serving youth, families and Santa Ana since 1997, they took a major step in 2020 by launching the Children and Youth Engagement (CYE). It is a division focused entirely on helping youth thrive. Through hands-on activities, CYE promotes mental health, leadership and community involvement. Youth participate in creative projects like Spreading Kindness and Color Your Emotions, while also leading campaigns for violence prevention, substance awareness, safety and education. By giving teens the tools to connect, CYE is shaping a healthier, more empowered future for Santa Ana families.

A program built on a community

Galeas emphasized that the youth program extends beyond the youth leaders themselves.

“I think the faces are the youth and the youth leads,” Galeas said. “But behind them, there’s an entire organization, evaluation, accounting, HR, facilities. It takes all of us to support the youth.”

Galeas highlights the opportunity and empowerment from the organization.

“We want to provide a place where you feel like you’re shining, connecting and exploring. A place where you can be whatever you want to be,” Galeas said.

Support for youth

There are five key areas: leadership, academics, emotional wellness, active living and parent engagement—each designed to address a different aspect of a young person’s development. Rather than concentrating on a single skill or outcome, the program takes a comprehensive approach to support participants as a whole.

“We can’t support youth just in one area,” Galeas said. “Youth have multiple needs so we support them holistically.”

As the program grows Galeas hopes the youth will continue to take values and what they have learned to future spaces.

“You are the future professionals,” Galeas said. “We hope the knowledge and consciousness you gain here goes with you into your families, your careers, your communities.”

Youth leaders’ perspectives

Youth lead promotora Brianna Ortiz has worked in the program for four years. She believes there are not enough safe spaces where youth can feel comfortable being themselves.

“There aren’t enough spaces for the youth,” Ortiz said.

Ortiz was inspired to work with kids after college. She says the program is important especially for children in Santa Ana.

“We get kids from very different backgrounds, including youth who only speak Spanish. We help them navigate school and life. Our program not only benefits youth but their families too,” Ortiz said.

Ortiz says that watching youth grow is her favorite part of the program, especially when she sees their confidence develop over time.

“We’ve seen kids who couldn’t open up at home become confident enough to talk about their feelings,” Ortiz said.

One of the program’s biggest achievements has been its ability to retain participants, even after the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“During COVID, it was hard to keep kids engaged. Now we have about 40 kids per meeting. Watching the group grow has been amazing,” Ortiz said.

Promotora Marhaly Ramirez, who joined the staff in 2024, says her own childhood experiences with mentors inspired her to give that same support to others. She understands how powerful it can be for young people to have someone who believes in them.

“The youth learn things school doesn’t teach,” Ramirez said.

Youth gain real-world skills as they grow through the program, which helps prepare them for active roles in their communities. The program equips participants with knowledge that extends beyond the classroom and fosters a deeper understanding of societal issues.

“We teach them about civic policy, law, social determinants of health and things that impact their community every day,” Ramirez said.

Over time, Ramirez has noticed that youth have become more confident and engaged. She considers the program’s greatest achievement is reach.

“Some kids came only because their parents made them. Now they come by choice. They’ve become more social, more confident, more aware,” Ramirez said. “We’ve engaged thousands of youth. Teaching mental health at this scale is powerful.”

Program Coordinator Nallely Enriquez has spent seven years at LHA and five with the youth. She finds value within participating in the program.

“This is where youth find their voice. It’s a place where youth can be youth and use it as their safe place,” Enriquez said.

In 2022, the youth program was able to take 40 youth to Disneyland and provide various scholarships for the students to thrive.

With over 11 years at LHA, Sandra ‘Sandy’ Estrada leads the Emotion Wellness efforts for the youth program. Lacking support growing up, Estrada aims to become a support system that she once lacked. Estrada’s mom became a big inspiration for her, reminding her that people can make a difference.

“My mom always said, ‘We can make a difference,’” Estrada said.

A big thing for the program is its focus on mental health and community connection. Estrada discusses the growth.

“Youth become more confident, more open, more aware of their emotions. Even small actions, like sharing resources with family, make a big impact,” Estrada said.

Some challenges the youth program often face revolve keeping youth motivated, especially when circumstances at home change.

“Keeping youth motivated when life at home is hard,” Estrada said. “I listen, stay flexible and remind them they can still change.”

The most meaningful kind of success when working in these organizations is watching youth grow and change. Jóvenes Unidos gives teens a safe place to connect with others, make friends and express themselves. Since 2020, the program has supported youth through leadership activities, emotional wellness support and hands-on community projects. Teens gain real skills that help them become more confident and step into leadership roles that make a difference in Santa Ana.

By helping youth trust themselves and their abilities, Jóvenes Unidos are shaping the next generation of leaders in the city. They grow into leaders, organize events, speak up and help others—an approach that lies at the heart of the organization’s work.