EmpowerLA is excited to announce that registration for the 2026 EmpowerLA Youth Conference is now open! On Saturday, June 6, 2026, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., EmpowerLA will host 100 young people between the ages of 14 and 17 from across Los Angeles at Los Angeles City Hall to participate in a one-day event focused on civic engagement, leadership development, and local government. Conference attendees will dive into the role the Neighborhood Council system plays in grassroots local democracy, attend learning sessions on ways to be civically engaged in the community, network with like-minded young leaders, engage with City leaders, and so much more!
This year’s conference attendees will be selected through a random lottery – registration does not guarantee admission. Registration closes on Friday, April 24, 2026.
We need your help to spread the word to young people in your community! This opportunity is great for current and prospective Neighborhood Council Youth Representatives, but the opportunity is open to any youth interested in civic engagement and local democracy. Participants are not required or expected to have prior government, leadership, or advocacy experience in their community.
We have developed an outreach toolkit to make it easy for you to share this opportunity on your Neighborhood Council’s social media, website, and/or newsletter. The toolkit will be continuously updated between now and the application deadline with new graphics and translated materials, so check back often!
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact Erica G. Doughty or Ava Marinelli, EmpowerLA Youth Conference Co-Chairs.