The 23 members of Santa Cruz County’s new Youth Advisory Task Force held their first meeting this week. They are charged with exploring issues facing local youth and issuing findings and recommendations related to youth engagement in local government.
The task force is the result of the “A Santa Cruz County Like Me” initiative, which aims to diversify the age, class, racial/ethnic, gender, geographic representation, educational attainment and other demographic profiles of the approximately 35 county commissions and committees to better reflect the community.
In all, the county received 75 applications for the youth task force, “far exceeding expectations,” according to a release.
Task force members range in age from 14 to 24 and were selected from neighborhoods and schools throughout the county. The group will meet monthly through October 2025.
The task force members are:
- Natalie Allen, Aptos
- Lucas Brown, Live Oak
- Melanie Camacho-Estevez, Prunedale
- Carlos Daniel Carrillo, Live Oak
- Elsy Fabian, Live Oak
- Najia Fayez, Santa Cruz
- Daniel Fernandez, Watsonville
- Juliana Heritage, Santa Cruz
- Maximiliano Barraza Hernández, Watsonville
- Dustin Lopez, Scotts Valley
- Mark Mendoza Luengas, Watsonville
- Audrey Martinez, Watsonville
- Andrea Ornelas-Perez, Watsonville
- Layla Pasquini, Santa Cruz
- Juliet Ray, Live Oak
- Gabriel Melesio Romero, Santa Cruz
- Jack Smith, Aptos
- Jade Soto, Capitola
- Toryn Thompson, Felton
- Ana Torres, Freedom
- Dylan Turzak, Scotts Valley
- Aedan Wall, Corralitos
- Benjamin Williams, Santa Cruz
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