About the Young Center
Our Mission
The Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights protects and advances the rights and best interests of immigrant children according to the Convention on the Rights of the Child and state and federal law.
Our Values
Child-Centered
We amplify the voices of the children and youth we serve and seek to uphold their right to self-determination. We center their wishes and well-being, along with their own vision for their family and future. We demand decision-makers see each child and youth for the unique individual they are and work to identify opportunities for them to assert their voice in decisions impacting their lives.
Courage
We dare to fight for a just and humane immigration system through innovative advocacy grounded in interdisciplinary practice. As an organization, we demand accountability from systems and people in positions of power for the decisions they make and the harm they inflict on the children and families we serve. As individuals, we strive to face hard truths, learn from our mistakes, and commit to growth.
Accompaniment
We partner with others with compassion and strive to dismantle power dynamics inherent in our relationships. Our collaboration is grounded in mutual trust, connection, and respect. As we accompany children and families, we seek to de-center ourselves. As we accompany one another, we share in both the joys and the sorrows of the work advancing our mission.
Community
We empower others to show up and participate as their authentic selves, and in doing so, cultivate a sense of community grounded in belonging. We derive strength from the uniqueness of our staff, our volunteers, our supporters, and especially, the children and families whom we fight alongside. We respond to the needs of our community and the communities we serve.
Equality and Justice
We honor the diverse array of experiences, perspectives, and identities every person holds—especially the children for whom we advocate. We stand in defense of the fundamental humanity of immigrant children and join in the fight for the rights, liberation, and dignity of all communities—especially those that have been historically harmed and marginalized. Along with our allies, we strive for a world where all children are valued and treated as children, and are never subjected to the harms of detention, deportation, or separation from their loved ones.