The Invest in Youth Long Beach Coalition

Problem, strategy, and findings Broader power imbalances across race, class, age hamper anti-racism in planning. Here, we show how the youth of color–led Invest Youth Coalition Long Beach (CA; IIY-LB) pushed city to implement co-production co-governance budget planning, strategic program development. We drew from participant observation, semistructured interviews, secondary sources highlight organizing (YO) strategies, including leadership development, political education, electoral organizing, storytelling. leaders redefined budgetary agendas through participatory research other strategies that highlighted disinvestment in, criminalization of, communities color. They successfully won attention resources for positive Building on partnerships cultivated with city, IIY-LB also secured more equitable representation decision-making low-income queer color planning processes. The coalition amassed flexed systemically disenfranchized communities, winning a local ballot measure secure fund an Office Development. Finally, has collaborated enact office’s implementation. This case study advances engagement literatures by illuminating specific YO achieve elusive models authentic community collaboration co-governance.Takeaway practice shows planners can concretely share color, especially groups, at all stages Funders divert directly whether via multiyear, unrestricted grants or resourcing groups lead capacity building. Planners should build longer, flexible timelines collaborative spaces support substantive decision making. Planning educators promote service learning internships develop planners’ understanding organizing.