The growing number of young people in the Central Valley are full of ideas and promise, but they are often overlooked as adults make decisions. They also face unique obstacles: higher-than-average rates of drug and alcohol abuse, lower-than-average college readiness, etc. Yammilette G. Rodriguez, the daughter of immigrants and inspired by her mentors from her youth, recognized the need to invest in young people to inform policies that could affect their lives. At Youth Leadership Institute (YLI), Rodriguez empowers underrepresented youth to advocate for the needs of their community, equips them with tools to become civically engaged, and provides a platform for youth to engage directly with elected officials. The organization works collaboratively with more than 2,000 high school students statewide each year and has achieved more than 120 policy victories, including successfully advocating for Fresno Unified to become a Sanctuary School District.