This week’s episode: Host Tonny St. James sits down with Axel Pecero, a young advocate and father hailing from San Pedro, CA.

Axel serves as a dedicated advocate for foster youth. Currently an advocate for organizations such as California Youth Connection (CYC) and National Foster Youth Institute (NFYI) and more! Axel is deeply committed to empowering and uplifting his community. He is pursuing his education at Los Angeles Trade Technical College, striving to expand his knowledge and skills.

Currently: Axel has been held at the Adelanto ICE Processing Center in San Bernardino County since his August arrest. The 25-year-old former foster youth and father, who was brought to the United States from Mexico as a small child, has been held for four months and faces possible deportation.

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"I think I would say something more around protection for black and brown communities, honestly, because I feel like we're being targeted... There's not a space created yet for black and brown communities to heal together, you know, and learn about each other, learn about our similarities, our differences and things like that, and come together."

- Axel on creating healing spaces for black and brown communities with their friend Mercedes Jackson

This episode was recorded a couple days before Axel got detained.

Diving deeper into this week’s episode

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"I would try to provide some sort of, or, like, create some sort of program that would allow for current people that are, like people homeless, homeless people, right? Or the unhoused, excuse me, to be able to reconnect with their family some way. So, like, because a lot of the times, a lot of the a lot of people, they don't have phones anymore. They don't, you know they lost and they don't, can't log in. They can, they go home, but they just don't know how to, it's too you know, you know what I mean. So if I could find some way to reconnect people to their support groups, support systems, that would, that would help a lot, you know, and and provide transportation to there, you know, that's a very big thing to be able to get them to where they need to go. I think it would increase a lot, like, it would dramatically help the situation, you know."

-Axel on how he'd fix youth homelessness

Also another quick S/O to Hot Pot - a queer dance party located in K-Town. 

On Saturday 12/6 Jordyn Sun, Founder of Hot Pot, and Fatine Ait Haddou, Director at YP2F, hosted an incredible night that benefited Axel. Sandy, from Smile Cult, donated stickers for the night and attendees were able to donate and get a sticker. In just one night, four hours, we raised nearly $800. Donations can still be made here - write AXEL as subject: https://venmo.com/u/Fatine-Ait-Haddou

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" -Fatine

Hot Pot Fundraising event this past weekend organized by Jordan ft. Fatine, scan QR code to donate to Axel's fund

Axel and his younger brother Isaac the day of podcast recording

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YP2F provides research and evaluation services, including program evaluation, needs assessments, and data management. We also offer event planning, new media strategies, and youth development services focused on mentorship and professional growth. Contact us today

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