Take Your Place in The Shift: Engage, Support, Participate (Vol. 1, No. 3)

Leaders Up
Dec 19
3 min read

By John “JR” Roberson

The Shift | Vol. 1, No. 3 – Liberating Radical Imagination

Liberating Radical Imagination: Building a Future-Proof Economy Together

Thank you to every youth leader, partner, and supporter who brings vision and courage to our movement. Your creativity powers an alliance that’s reimagining Los Angeles as a place where every young adult can truly thrive.

This fall, the Los Angeles Economic Empowerment Alliance (LAEEA) launched as a youth-driven roadmap for a future-proof regional economy. Through our Policy Roundtable Series and our recent LAEEA launch event, BIPOC youth have not only informed but shaped the agenda for systems change. Their radical imagination will steer tangible solutions that move us from bold ideas to collective action.

What Radical Imagination Looks Like in Action

Guided by the lived experiences and bold vision of our Equity Unleashed Fellows, the following priorities were put forth in the LAEEA Policy Agenda. These recommendations are more than ideas—they’re a blueprint for systems change, rooted in the voices and leadership of young people reimagining what’s to come for Los Angeles. Here’s how radical imagination takes shape, directly from those leading the charge:

Stability as the Starting Point: Financial security underpins the accumulation of generational wealth. LAEEA’s priorities include paid internships, guaranteed income pilots, and clear advancement pathways, allowing young adults to focus on growth and connection—not survival.
One Door, Many Pathways: We’re designing Regional Opportunity Hubs and unified digital navigation platforms to ensure that every young adult has access to education, workforce, and social supports through one intake and real-time guidance. Warm handoffs, trusted navigators, and wraparound support models will break down silos for holistic care.
Social Capital as Infrastructure: Every young person deserves guidance and champions. LAEEA prioritizes mentorship, near-peer support, and employer-led sponsorships to foster networks that unlock opportunities and foster a sense of belonging.
Shared Power and Leadership: Participants demanded an institutionalized youth voice. Initiatives such as participatory budgeting, youth-led evaluation, and dedicated leadership councils ensure that young adults are at the decision-making table, driving the design of equitable policies and programs.
Learning that Leads to Livelihoods: We’re scaling paid work-based learning and aligning curricula with local industry. Hence, education directly leads to living-wage careers – closing persistent gaps between classroom and workplace success.

Real Barriers, Real Solutions

During the LAEEA launch event, I had the privilege of leading the breakout session for our One Door, Many Pathways pillar, where attendees dug deep into the barriers facing young adults in Los Angeles. Through honest discussion and collaborative problem-solving, our group surfaced the very real costs of fragmented systems and bureaucratic hurdles that make it difficult for youth to access vital opportunities and remain in their communities. Like the other breakout groups, we didn’t stop at naming challenges; we co-created forward-looking solutions—centered on stronger communication, unified access, transparent regional data, and direct family support—all powered by the vision and leadership of young people themselves.

Our breakout notes reveal the real costs of fragmented systems and bureaucracy for young people trying to access resources, pursue opportunity, and stay in their communities. The practical solutions we developed prioritized more transparent communication, unified points of access, greater regional data transparency, and direct support for young adults’ families—each driven by the vision and leadership of the youth.

Your Role in the Movement

The future we envision demands bold partners and courageous voices—like yours. If you’re ready to be part of this movement, don’t wait. Reach out to our Stakeholder Engagement team or complete our brief form to request a discovery meeting or join an upcoming Dream Session. Let’s imagine, build, and lead the next chapter of Los Angeles’ economic future together.

Connect with the LAEEA and access more resources at https://www.leadersup.org/laeea. Your action today will help unlock new possibilities for our region’s young leaders!

John “JR” Roberson is the Vice President of Stakeholder Engagement at LeadersUp, driving transformative partnerships and systemic workforce equity through cross-sector collaboration and policy influence.