Commonwealth Club Of California Podcast

Across the Bay Area, young people—especially youth of color from historically underinvested communities—are coming of age in a moment defined by deep inequities, rapid economic change, and profound social challenges. While the region boasts immense wealth and innovation, it also holds some of the nation’s starkest disparities in housing, education, health and opportunity. Our young people are growing up in the shadow of systems that too often overlook their brilliance. Yet we know the truth: these young people are not problems to be solved, they are leaders waiting to be unleashed.  This conversation with Regina Jackson is not just about a book—it’s about a blueprint for closing that gap, for building a region where every young person can rise, lead, and thrive. And she says the urgency is real: The choices we make in this decade will shape our youths’ opportunities for a lifetime.Youth in communities like East Oakland, Bayview-Hunters Point, and Richmond often face: Displacement and loss of cultural anc