Fresno kids, mentors to attend conference with former President Obama in Oakland
FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- When a boy falls on the Roosevelt High School soccer field, he won't stay down for long.
He's right on to the next play with support from his teammates and the Fresno State women's soccer team.
Fresno's Building Healthy Communities and Fresno Boys and Men of Color put together this clinic and their years of work have earned them entry to an exclusive conference in Oakland.
President Obama's foundation invited them to My Brother's Keeper's Rising.
"I think it's reflective of the work that our young people have been doing here in conjunction like today with Fresno's Building Healthy Communities where we're advocating for more recreational activities, more parks," said Sher Moua.
President Obama started the conference five years ago in the wake of Trayvon Martin's shooting death, and he'll be there himself this time, along with speakers like Warriors star Steph Curry, musician John Legend, and Black Panther director Ryan Coogler.
"There are going to be a lot of people there, a lot of good energy, exchanging ideas, seeing what other people are doing across the country to uplift young boys and men of color," Moua said.
Sher Moua is heading up Fresno's group of six -- including youth leaders like Kieshaun White, the teenager who tested air quality around Fresno schools, found it was worse around poorer schools in south Fresno, and convinced Fresno Unified to set up real-time air monitors on every high school campus.
"It's huge for us to talk about the work we're doing here in Fresno and how it's changing lives. How it's changed the lives of our young people. We've had young people we've connected with who have started out with internships and who are now managers of organizations, right," Moua said.
Sharing Fresno's story is one thing. Defining its future is another.
The goal this week will be to find strategies and programs they can bring back and put into action to keep lifting up their home community.
