Brighter Futures: The Bold Vision Youth Thriving Survey
We believe every young person in L.A. County should thrive and feel fully supported in every part of their life. To make this a reality, we believe the voices and perspectives of young people must have a place in our public decision-making and local leaders must act in ways that truly prioritize the needs of BIPOC and other vulnerable youth. Brighter Futures: The Bold Vision Youth Thriving Survey is the first of its kind to center the voices of BIPOC young people in Los Angeles and provide a path forward, grounded in data and youth voices, for leaders to understand what drives youth thriving in L.A. County.
BIPOC youth thriving is the cornerstone of the Bold Vision framework, and the survey findings underscore the importance of centering BIPOC youth in all efforts to change systems. This data is critical not only because it provides a more accurate picture of how BIPOC youth are actually doing, but because it shows us what comprises youth thriving, the pressure points to improve it, and where action is most needed.
By centering youth perspectives and elevating their lived experiences, we provide a powerful tool for advocates, policymakers, and community leaders committed to building a more equitable Los Angeles. Too often youth don't get to describe what they and their generation need to thrive. We call on decision-makers and county leaders to center BIPOC youth voices in policy change efforts and fully understand the intersectional needs and identities that foster thriving youth.
Despite previous research focused on the performance of BIPOC youth, what has remained missing is a more nuanced understanding of how youth perceive their own well-being. This first-in-the-county survey does just that by centering the voices of youth to better understand the factors influencing their lives.
These key findings provide a starting point for decision-makers to address the needs and strengths of our young people today:
- Young people in the county face high levels of psychological distress, even as they express remarkable hope for the future. More than 2 in 5 (43%) report feeling worthless at least a little of the time, while nearly 3 in 4 (72%) report often or always feeling hopeful about their future. Young people in the county face high level of psychological distress, even as they express remarkable hope for the future
- When youth have caring relationships, a special spark, or a strong cultural identity, their psychological distress decreases and self-efficacy and hope for the future increases. We call on leaders to prioritize investments that reduce psychological distress, build caring relationships, and nurture sparks and cultural identity as protective factors. They must also take an intersectional approach that addresses the great barriers faced by LGBTQIA+, immigrant, unhoused, and systems-impacted youth.
- Microaggressions have the largest effect on psychological distress. Feelings of worthlessness nearly double among young people who hear hurtful or offensive jokes about their race all of the time, compared to youth who never experience these microaggressions. Taken together, we believe these recommendations provide a roadmap for ensuring that every young person in L.A. County has the resources, opportunities, and community support needed to thrive.
- LGBTQIA+, unhoused, immigrant and systems-impacted youth experience more psychological distress than other youth and find their basic emotional, social, and safety needs are unmet
We call on leaders to prioritize investments that reduce psychological distress, build caring relationships, and nurture sparks and cultural identity as protective factors. They must also take an intersectional approach that addresses the disproportionate barriers faced by LGBTQIA+, immigrant, unhoused, and systems-impacted youth.
Taken together, we believe these recommendations provide a roadmap for ensuring that every young person in L.A. County has the resources, opportunities, and community support needed to thrive.
We would like to thank the Bold Vision Youth Council, Community Council, and Steering Committee for their input and feedback during the development of the survey and its recommendations. We would also like to thank the Bold Vision Survey Advisory Group for their work in helping to develop the survey and in providing feedback on early versions of the report. We also thank Imoyase Community Support Services and the Community Health Equity Group for their contributions to designing and implementing this survey.
For more information about the survey and methodology, please visit: