​Riverside County Youth Summit Explores Big Topics

From Riverside County Board of Supervisors: More than 400 students will gather at Riverside County’s 19th Annual Youth Summit for presentations on forgiveness and acceptance of others, cyber safety, human trafficking and other topics important to young people today.

Keynote speaker Matthew Boger was featured in the Academy Award-nominated documentary “Facing Fear,” in which he and Timothy Zaal fight prejudice, racism, bullying and homophobia. While talking at an event in Los Angeles where they were presenters, the men realized that in their youths, Zaal was among the teen-aged Nazi-punks who attacked and beat Boger in an alley. At the time Boger was a gay, homeless 14-year-old. Today they share a story of forgiveness in their program, Unlikely Allies.

Boger’s goal for his presentation is to give people information “and hope they will realize that the power to change and forgive is within us all.” The trailer for the film can be viewed at http://www.facingfearmovie.com/trailer.html.

Hosted by the Board of Supervisors, the summit on March 10 is organized by the Riverside County Youth Commission. Supervisor Marion Ashley will be among the speakers.

The summit creates a unique venue where young people from across the county can discuss important issues that affect their lives and the lives of others, and help students develop skills to help create a positive change in the community. Other speakers include Micki Clowney from the Moreno Valley College; Opal Singleton, president and CEO of “Million Kids;” and a representative of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department’s Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force.

The Riverside County Youth Commission empowers young people and helps them focus on their vision and goals and implement strategies to help them reach those goals. The commission provides advice, assistance and recommendations on youth-related issues to the Board of Supervisors and county departments. The commission also works to anticipate young people’s educational, recreational and cultural needs, and help host meaningful events that benefit young people in the county. The commission works to ensure county resources are coordinated in order to improve the quality of life for young people countywide.

The summit is scheduled from 8:30 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. at the Moreno Valley Conference and Recreation Center, 10475 Frederick St. Reservations for the event no longer are available but members of the media are invited to attend. For further information, please contact Amber Smalley, board assistant to Supervisor Marion Ashley.

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