City of Sacramento
City Council - 2PM Report
915 I Street Sacramento, CA 95814
www.cityofsacramento.org
File ID: 2026-00693 3/24/2026
City of Sacramento Youth Commission 2025 Annual Report and 2026 Workplan File ID: 2026-00693
Location: Citywide
Recommendation: Receive and file.
Contact: Sjon Swanson, Recreation Manager, (916) 808-6049, [email protected], Department of Youth, Parks, and Community Enrichment
Presenter: Kris Wimberly, Recreation Superintendent, (916) 808-6172, [email protected]; Domynique Herndon, Program Coordinator, (916) 808-1989, [email protected]; Department of Youth, Parks, and Community Enrichment Attachments:
1-Description/Analysis
2-City of Sacramento Youth Commission 2025 Annual Report and 2026 Workplan Description/Analysis
Issue Detail: Advisory bodies of the City are required to provide an annual report and workplan for review by the Personnel and Public Employees (P&PE) Committee as outlined in the City Council Rules of Procedure, Chapter 17. The P&PE Committee shall review advisory body annual reports and give staff direction on those reports’ stated projects, priorities, and recommendations. Before forwarding the report to the City Council, the Committee may request supplemental information from staff or the advisory body.
The P&PE Committee has reviewed the attached Sacramento Youth Commission Annual Report and Workplan and passed a motion forwarding it to the City Council.
Policy Considerations: Chapter 17 of the Council Rules of Procedure outlines the Advisory Body reporting process.
Economic Impacts: Not applicable.
Environmental Considerations:
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA): This action is not a project that is subject to CEQA because it is an organizational or administrative activity that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment. (CEQA Guidelines §15378(b)(5)).
Sustainability: Not applicable.
File ID: 2026-00693 3/24/2026
Commission/Committee Action: On December 2, 2025, the Sacramento Youth Commission passed a motion forwarding their Annual Report and Workplan to the P&PE Committee for consideration. On February 24, 2026, the P&PE Committee reviewed the Annual Report and Workplan and passed a motion forwarding it to the City Council.
Rationale for Recommendation: Annual Reports by city advisory bodies ensures they effectively incorporate their important role, voice, and work and provide thoughtful community recommendations to the City Council on a consistent basis.
Financial Considerations: Not applicable.
Local Business Enterprise (LBE): Not applicable.
915 I Street, Sacramento, CA 95814 • [email protected] • (916) 808-7200
Sacramento Y outh Commission
2025 Annual Report
2026 Workplan
Reporting Period January 2025 through December 2025
SYC 2025 Annual Report & 2026 Workplan Page 2 of 10
Table of Contents
Introduction: Establishment, Commissioners, and Staff .......................................................................... 3 Purpose, Powers and Duties of Sacramento Youth Commission ........................................................ 4 Message from the Sacramento Youth Commission Chair and Vice Chair ......................................... 5 Key Accomplishments .................................................................................................................................... 6 A. Sacramento Youth Voice Survey ................................................................................................. 6 B. Aggie Square Youth Listening Sessions ...................................................................................... 6 C. Youth Mental Health Resource Guide ....................................................................................... 6 D. Sacramento Youth Commission Youth Symposium ... Error! Bookmark not defined.
E. Sacramento Children’s Fund ......................................................................................................... 6 Commission Resources Expended ............................................................................................................... 7 Workplan for 2026 .......................................................................................................................................... 7
SYC 2025 Annual Report & 2026 Workplan Page 3 of 10
Introduction: Establishment, Commissioners, and Staff
The Sacramento Youth Commission was established in 1993 as an advisory body to the Council Committee on Neighborhood and Public Safety. In 1997, the Youth Commission became an advisory body to the full Sacramento City Council and Mayor. On April 15, 2019, Sacramento City Council voted to add ordinance chapter 2.162. On June 1, 2019, ordinance 2019-0010 codified the establishment of Sacramento Youth Commission in Sacramento City Code Section 2.126.
The commission consists of 19 members. Each City Council Member appoints two youth and the Mayor appoints three youth.
Current 2025 Sacramento Youth Commissioners
Niyati Sista – District 1
Tanuja Balasa – District 1
Samaya Juliana Caraveo – District 2
Shaddai Roland – District 2
Reyes Jesus Rios – District 3
Evana Bernardo – District 3
Elian Emmanuel Perez-Maghanoy – District 4
Wade Arden Lee Corless – District 4
Melody Chan – District 5
Hugo Sebastian de Leon – District 6
Mallory Rose Turk – District 6
Santiago Avila – District 7
Grace Charity Longmire – District 8
Jaidev Rooprai – Mayor
Julian Gounder – Mayor
Amrit Kaur Sahota - Mayor
2025 Sacramento Youth Commissioners
The following youth served on the commission in 2025 but are not current commissioners.
Ziqi Lin – District 4
Alex Liu – District 5
Bryce Merrill – District 7
Miriya Yeung – District 8
Sacramento Youth Commission Staff
Domynique Herndon, Program Coordinator: [email protected] Sarah Musser, Park Maintenance Superintendent: [email protected]
City of Sacramento – Youth Parks and Community Enrichment 915 I Street – Sacramento, CA 95814 – [email protected]
SYC 2025 Annual Report & 2026 Workplan Page 4 of 10
Purpose, Powers and Duties of Sacramento Youth Commission
Purpose of the Sacramento Youth Commission
The purpose of the commission is to is to provide advice and recommendations to the city council on matters relating to youth, which are defined as individuals between the ages of 14 and 24.
Powers and Duties of the Sacramento Youth Commission
A. To provide recommendations and advice to the city council on policies, projects, programs, and other matters pertaining to youth. The matters upon which the commission provides recommendations and advice may be referred to the commission by the city council, the youth development policy manager, or the director of the Youth, Parks, and Community Enrichment Department.
B. To assist the Youth, Parks, and Community Enrichment Department in promoting city services and functions relating to youth.
C. To assist youth in understanding the workings of city government and to encourage youth to actively participate in community affairs and city programs.
D. To conduct an annual workshop to review the city’s annual operating budget and capital improvement plan relating to youth programs and projects.
E. To conduct studies and investigations and coordinate with other youth groups and organizations regarding youth issues and needs.
F. To review complaints and other matters pertaining to youth issues as requested by the youth development policy manager, the director of the Youth, Parks, and Community Enrichment Department, or the city council.
G. To annually report and make recommendations to the mayor and council regarding the status of youth matters in the city and the activities of the commission.
SYC 2025 Annual Report & 2026 Workplan Page 5 of 10
Message from the Sacramento Youth Commission Chair and Vice Chair Dear Sacramento Youth Commission Constituents,
Our names are Reyes Rios and Grace Longmire, and we proudly serve as Chair and Vice Chair of the Sacramento Youth Commission. Since its beginnings, the main priority of the commission is to uplift the voices of youth in Sacramento, and we have continued to do so. This past year, through our three focus areas, the Aggie Square Project, Youth Mental Health, and Youth Voice, we have made immense progress.
In the Aggie Square Project, the Sacramento Youth Commission has continued to empower the voices of Sacramento youth through the co-creation of future events and programs offered at recently opened Aggie Square Campus. Within this initiative, there is a passionate focus on ensuring youth have a meaningful space in the community aspect of STEM research. Meanwhile, in the Youth Mental Health focus area, we updated the Youth Mental Health Resource Guide to best reflect the most recent resources and hotlines crafted to provide further support for youth struggling with their mental health.
Additionally, in the Youth Voice and Outreach focus group, surveys have continued to be used to holistically pinpoint issues within certain communities or districts in Sacramento along with creative efforts to strengthen the commission’s social media presence.
This upcoming year, we will continue to build meaningful community connections with the youth in Sacramento, partnering with them to collaborate in discussions and civic engagement. As we grow the passion of civic engagement within Sacramento youth, we will create a stronger future for our city and democracy. In addition to this, we plan on increasing community presence to foster a sense of community between the Sacramento Youth Commission and youth of Sacramento. We are not only the leaders of tomorrow but the leaders of today; and we remain everlastingly committed to ensuring youth in all eight districts of Sacramento have an empowering voice they can trust.
Yours Sincerely,
Reyes Rios and Grace Longmire
SYC 2025 Annual Report & 2026 Workplan Page 6 of 10
Key Accomplishments
A. Sacramento Youth Voice Survey
To better understand the needs and perspectives of youth across the city, the Commission developed a Youth Survey to give Sacramento youth an opportunity to share their views on their community. The survey data serves as a valuable tool for the Commission when advising City Council and shaping recommendations. The Youth Survey is accessible on the Sacramento Youth Commission’s landing pages on the City website.
B. Aggie Square Youth Listening Sessions
The partnership between UC Davis Aggie Square, Wexford Science & Technology, and the Sacramento Youth Commission began in 2022 with the establishment of the Aggie Square Ad Hoc Committee. In 2024, the Youth Commission hosted two youth listening sessions, e ngaging nearly 150 participants.
Commissioners facilitated peer -led discussions focused on identifying the programs, resources, and supports that would best serve young people at the UC Davis Aggie Square Innovation Hub. In 2025, Commissioners met with UC Davis Aggie Square and Wexford Science representatives to review and analyze the data collected through these sessions, helping inform future youth-centered planning efforts.
C. Youth Mental Health Resource Guide
Since the COVID -19 pandemic in 2020, concerns surrounding youth mental health have grown significantly. Young people across the city —and nationally —have been increasingly vocal about the challenges they face in their mental health journeys. In response, th e Commission developed and distributed a Youth Mental Health Guide in 2024 to support young people, parents, caregivers, and the broader community. In 2025, the Commission advanced this work by creating a strategic outreach plan designed to expand the guide’s reach and ensure citywide access to critical mental health resources.
D. Sacramento Children’s Fund
In December 2023, the Children’s Fund and Oversight Commission was formally established and seated.
The Commission is charged with developing a Strategic Investment Plan, in partnership with the Sacramento Youth Commission, to guide the allocation of funding for youth programs and services across the city. Throughout 2024, both commissions convened joint meetings to refine the plan’s priorities, ensuring that youth voice and youth needs remained central to the framework. In 2025, commissioners received upda tes on the rollout of funding, and three commissioners served on the review panel responsible for evaluating applicant proposals.
E. Youth Outreach
Commissioners actively engaged in a variety of outreach efforts throughout the year. Highlights included serving as featured panelists for emerging youth leaders, hosting information tables at employment fairs, and delivering presentations at citywide programs such as Summer @ City Hall and Semester @ City Hall.
Commissioners also conducted outreach at community centers, participated in lunchtime tabling events, and contributed to numerous other engagement activities that strengthened connections with youth across the city.
SYC 2025 Annual Report & 2026 Workplan Page 7 of 10
Commission Resources Expended
Sacramento Youth Commission Business Meetings & Capacity Building Trainings
The estimated cost to support the Sacramento Youth Commission in 2024 was $124,900
In 2025 the Sacramento Youth Commission held eight (8) business meetings. The meeting durations vary but are typically 1.5 hours. In 2025, this total to approximately eleven (11) hours of business meeting time.
Commissioners receive a $50 dollar stipend for each Business Meeting
In 202 5, staff conducted ten (10) 2 -hour monthly Capacity Building Trainings for Sacramento Youth Commissioners for a total of 20 hours of training time.
The city provided supplies and services to support the Sacramento Youth Commission during meetings and trainings for a total of $7,500 dollars in 2025.
Action Meeting Hours/month Rate Total
Pre-meeting Facilitation: scheduling & staff
assignments, commission coordination and
correspondence, agenda reviews, report creation,
report review, agenda creation
8 76 Varies $45,000
Business Meetings: presentation preparation,
staff attendance, building security
8 29 Varies $53,000
Post Meeting: Meeting documentation and
processing, stipend processing, debrief and
follow-up log updates
8 9 Varies $2,300
Business Meeting Stipends (19) 8 NA $50 $7,600
Capacity Building Stipends (19) 10 NA $50 $9,500
Services & Supplies NA NA NA $7,500
2025 Approximate Cost to Support SYC $124,900
Workplan for 2026
In addition to required work assigned by the City Council, responsibilities surrounding the partnership with the Sacramento Children Fund and Oversight Commission, staff recommend the Sacramento Youth
SYC 2025 Annual Report & 2026 Workplan Page 8 of 10
Commission adopt a commitment to take up a maximum of three (3) areas of focus for the 2026 Workplan. Below are the recommended focus areas.
1. Youth Mental Health
Youth across Sacramento and nationwide continue to elevate the importance of mental health and the daily challenges they face in navigating school, home, and community environments. Recognizing the urgency of these needs, the Sacramento Youth Commission (S YC) will continue its efforts to promote mental wellness and increase access to supportive resources for young people. Building on the progress made in 2025, SYC will develop and implement a strategic outreach plan to expand the reach of the Youth Mental Health Guide and ensure it is widely shared with youth citywide.
OUTCOMES
• Increased awareness of mental health resources, services, and supports available to young people across Sacramento.
• Reduced barriers to accessing information, guidance, and community-based support systems. • Strengthened youth capacity to seek help and advocate for their own well-being.
COMMUNITY BENEFIT
• Youth citywide will gain greater knowledge of mental health resources and how to access them. • Increased sense of belonging and reassurance for youth as they learn they are not alone in their mental health journeys.
• Enhanced community-wide understanding of youth mental health needs through strategic outreach and engagement.
METRICS OF EFFECTIVENESS
• Qualitative feedback from youth, parents, and community partners regarding the usefulness and accessibility of the Youth Mental Health Guide.
• Volume and reach of guide dissemination across schools, community organizations, digital platforms, and youth-serving spaces.
• Increased engagement in mental health outreach events, workshops, or partner -led initiatives supported by SYC.
TIMELINE FOR COMPLETION
Ongoing.
2. Community Partnerships
Strong community partnerships are essential for the Sacramento Youth Commission (SYC) to effectively advance its goals, amplify youth voices, and expand opportunities for young people citywide. To support this mission, SYC will prioritize building relation ships with youth -serving organizations, neighborhood associations, community centers, nonprofit partners, and City departments. These partnerships allow SYC
SYC 2025 Annual Report & 2026 Workplan Page 9 of 10
to collaborate on youth -led research, gather community feedback, co -design programs, and ensure that policies and initiatives reflect the needs and aspirations of Sacramento’s diverse youth population.
By strengthening existing relationships and cultivating new strategic partnerships, SYC can broaden its reach, increase its impact, and ensure that youth perspectives are embedded in initiatives across the city.
OUTCOMES
• Co-development of youth -centered initiatives, programs, and events in partnership with community-based organizations and City departments.
• Increased access for youth to leadership opportunities, civic engagement pathways, and community resources.
• Identification of gaps in youth services and collaboration with partners to address those gaps through collective impact strategies.
COMMUNITY BENEFIT
• Expansion of high-quality youth programming and safe, supportive spaces across Sacramento. • Stronger alignment between youth needs and community services, leading to improved well-being and engagement among Sacramento youth.
• Increased trust and collaboration between youth, the Commission, and community partners.
METRICS OF EFFECTIVENESS
• Number and diversity of formal partnerships established (MOUs, collaboration agreements, or recurring partnership activities).
• Completion of at least one co -designed initiative, program, event, or listening session with community partners.
• Collection and analysis of youth feedback that directly influences community partner programs or City initiatives.
• Increased youth participation in partner-hosted or co-hosted events and programs.
TIMELINE FOR COMPLETION
To be determined based on partner readiness, project priorities, and the Commission’s annual work plan.
3. Sac Youth Voice
Amplifying youth voice remains central to the mission of the Sacramento Youth Commission (SYC). By expanding its outreach efforts and strengthening its presence across the city, the Commission can ensure that young people have meaningful opportunities to share their experiences, ideas, and needs.
Building on the insights gathered through the Sacramento Youth Voice Survey, SYC will continue to identify barriers youth face in accessing programs, services, and opportunities. To enhance this work in 2026, the Commission will expand its direct outreach through community tabling, commissioner-led presentations, listening sessions, and increased social media engagement. Additionally, SYC will collaborate with youth-serving organizations and peer youth groups to deepen its understanding of citywide youth issues and co-develop youth-driven solutions.
SYC 2025 Annual Report & 2026 Workplan Page 10 of 10
OUTCOMES
• Broader reach and engagement with a diverse cross-section of Sacramento youth. • Clear identification of gaps in youth access to programs, services, and opportunities. • Strengthened partnerships with youth groups to collaboratively investigate youth needs.
COMMUNITY BENEFIT
• Youth citywide will have more opportunities to express their ideas, concerns, and recommendations in meaningful and accessible ways.
• Increased youth participation in programs, services, and civic engagement opportunities across Sacramento.
• Greater alignment between youth needs and City or community-based initiatives shaped by youth-generated feedback.
METRICS OF EFFECTIVENESS
• Increased participation in SYC business meetings, outreach events, and listening sessions. • Growth in youth engagement across multiple platforms including social media, email, surveys, newsletters, and direct feedback channels.
• Collection of clear, actionable data from youth to guide future recommendations and program development.
TIMELINE FOR COMPLETION
Ongoing.