Community Engagement and Leadership Groups
Select a Before & After School Program below to learn more
City Heights Youth in Action (CHYA)
City Heights Youth Advocates (CHYA) is a year-round, youth-led program that engages young leaders ages 12–16 in promoting community health, safety, and substance use prevention.
City Heights Youth in Action is partly funded by the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Name: Zahira Alatorre
Email: zahira.alatorre@saysandiego.org
Phone: 619-379-6221
North Central Youth Leadership Programs
The North Central youth leadership programs—Mission Bay Youth group at Mission Bay High School, Club ELEVATED at Canyon Hills High School, and Club ELEVATED at Clairemont High School—are part of the North City Prevention Coalition youth leadership initiative. Together, these programs empower students to lead, connect, and make a positive impact on their campuses and in their communities. While each club is school site-based, all share a unified mission and structure.
Focused on youth substance use prevention and peer-to-peer engagement, students take an active role in promoting healthy choices and fostering supportive school environments. Members lead campus campaigns, create public service announcements (PSAs), and participate in leadership development, public speaking training, school initiatives, and retreats. Students from all three schools also collaborate on regional projects, strengthening their impact across the community.
Students also earn community service hours, build real-world skills, and may receive letters of recommendation to support their future goals.
North Central youth leadership programs are partly funded by the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Name: Stacy Chiles
Email: schiles@saysandiego.org
Phone: 858-496-8342 ext 230
Instagram Profiles
Mission Bay: @mb_youthadvocatesclub
Canyon Hills: @club.elevated
Clairemont: @chs.elevated
What I Wish My Parents Knew
What I Wish My Parents Knew is a North Central San Diego safety, health, and wellness initiative that strengthens communication between youth and their families. Centered on youth voice, the program creates safe spaces for young people to share topics they find difficult to discuss with parents or caregivers. These insights directly shape community forums, ensuring conversations are relevant and meaningful.
Developed in partnership with local schools, each program is tailored to the unique needs of its school community. Forums feature panels of guest speakers and tabling with resources for families, alongside youth-guided workshops and leadership opportunities. Together, these efforts foster open dialogue, build trust, and support stronger connections between youth, families, and communities.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Name: Stacy Chiles
Email: schiles@saysandiego.org
The Collective
The Collective Coalition unites to safeguard the San Diego QT folx/QT communities from the harm of tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs. The mission is to empower individuals and instill resilience by creating supportive, sober-friendly spaces and comprehensive resources.
Services Included:
- Trainings and workshops with an overdose prevention lens, including Naloxone trainings
- Annual Sober Event
- Annual Zine Fest: ‘ Health and Abundance’
- Sober events and meetups, including silent discos, Sapphic Spaces, and crafting events
- Monthly educational content and zine library
- Tobacco policy advocacy in the City of San Diego, strengthening the Tobacco Retail Permit program
- Cessation support through monthly, virtual ‘Quit Nic’ workshops
- Community engagement and capacity building within the San Diego community
- Paid internship opportunities and college internship placements from local San Diego programs
The Collective Coalition is funded by the California Department of Public Health under contract #24-10095 and the County of San Diego, Health and Human Services Agency.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Name: Meesh Mori
Email: Meesh.Mori@saysandiego.org
Phone: (858) 276- 8186
Sign up to volunteer or get involved here.
Youth Unite
Youth Unite is a youth-led coalition committed to supporting at-risk and high-risk youth, centering youth voice and lived experience. Members collaboratively explore the root causes of youth substance use and mental health challenges while strengthening leadership skills.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Name: Riley Steinley
Email: Riley.Steinley@saysandiego.org
Phone: 858-394-4663
Instagram: @youthunitesd
City Heights Clean and Safe Coalition
A community coalition made up of Community Health Workers and youth members representing neighborhoods across City Heights, along with more than 30+ organizations and community partners from all sectors in the community.
The coalition is dedicated to promoting safety and cleanliness and to preventing and reducing youth use of alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis in the City Heights community.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Name: Eiliana Miramontes
Email: emiramontes@saysandiego.org
Phone: (858) 289-7766
Instagram: @cityheightscleansafecoalition