In Stockton, there are very few community owned spaces where our kids, teens, and young adults feel safe and accepted. The Pride center is wonderful, yes. But we need more. We need a designated inter sectional space for the youth of Stockton to rest, commune with each other, be heard, and know that they are protected.
I propose we revamp the Stockton Teen Center into a fully accessible city funded rec center in North Stockton. Desired amenities would include:
A daycare center for the young moms of Stockton to place their kids while they attend classes or work, with a vetted staff paid by the city to nurture and care for the kids.
An arcade/hangout zone with wifi for kids and teens, including cabinets, and several TVs with gaming consoles and donated games.
A study hall area for teens to use for tabletop RPS, study groups, or club meetings.
An indoor pool for year round use to encourage exorcise and healthy living among our youth.
A food court operated in-house by vetted employees, providing an affordable food source for kids from low income families.
This space will be racially inclusive, queer inclusive, and fuly accessible for disabled youth in Stockton. A space built for the kids and young adults of this city to love themselves and one another, free of judgement. All employees would be managed and paid by the city directly, at a thriving wage negotiated by union representatives from the IWW.
At present the Teen Impact Center's official website is down, and funding was cut in 2010. This has left the center stagnant, and the youth of North Stockton have basically been forgotten.
This, we cannot abuse.
