Youth leadership in action: Estuary Youth Council returns for year three

The San Francisco Estuary Partnership officially launched its third cohort of the Estuary Youth Council (EYC) this week.   

This boundary-pushing initiative is designed to empower and support youth from marginalized communities across the San Francisco Estuary region. Through the program, participants gain insight into the region’s environmental challenges and collaborate with local community organizations to make meaningful impacts on the San Francisco Estuary and in their communities.  

This year's program kicked off at Indian Basin Waterfront Park in Bayview-Hunters Point. Youth participants, Estuary Partnership staff, and representatives from Mycelium Youth Network and Nuestra Casa – members of the  community-based organization (CBO) advisory committee – came together for the first time. The day featured icebreakers, community-building activities, and leadership development exercises that helped set the tone for the months ahead.   

The cohort quickly immersed themselves in hands-on learning through a stewardship during this orientation event, led by the Literacy for Environmental Justice (LEJ), an organization that promotes ecological health, environmental stewardship, and community development in Southeast San Francisco. LEJ guided participants on a tour of the Heron’s Head Park Shoreline Resilience Project, a living levee funded by the San Francisco Bay Restoration Authority and designed to support coastal resilience, followed by a planting activity of the federally endangered Suaeda californica (California sea-blite). 

In the afternoon, the cohort heard from guest speaker Arieann Harrison of the Marie Harrison Community Foundation. Harrison shared her deep experience in environmental justice advocacy and community leadership in Bayview–Hunters Point, offering powerful insights into the intersection of environmental health and social equity. Her talk encouraged participants to reflect on the importance of community-driven solutions and inspired them to see their own potential as change-makers within the San Francisco Estuary region.   

Over the next six months, the 2026 Estuary Youth Council cohort will gain valuable, hands-on experience working in the environmental field. The program includes field trips, small-group mentorship, professional development opportunities, and the design and implementation of an original capstone project addressing a critical environmental challenge in the San Francisco Estuary.  

To stay connected and learn more about the Estuary Youth Council, follow San Francisco Estuary Partnership on social media: LinkedIn, Facebook , and Instagram, or sign up for the Estuary Youth Council Newsletter.   

The San Francisco Estuary Partnership is a regional governmental organization with a federal mandate to protect and restore the nationally significant San Francisco Estuary. It is part of the National Estuary Program, a non-regulatory initiative of the U.S. EPA established under the Clean Water Act. It is situated within the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission.