By Luis Chacon, Coordinator of Youth Ministry

(Boyle Heights, California) – Three young women from the Salesian Family Youth Center’s Youth Ministry Program attended the 2026 Latina Public Service Academy Summer Reception on Aug. 25 at Vespaio Restaurant in downtown Los Angeles. The event brought together inspiring Latina leaders in public service, advocacy, and business while raising scholarship funds and supporting leadership programming for high school Latina students.

Experiences like this are part of the Salesian Family Youth Center’s commitment to empowering young women to become agents of social change today and tomorrow. Beginning in high school, the Youth Ministry Program intentionally exposes young women to experiences that take them beyond their comfort zones, challenge them to open new doors, and expand their vision for the future.

By encountering Latina role models and leaders, our young women discover new opportunities and recognize leadership potential they may not have known they possessed. These experiences help them see new possibilities for their education, careers, and future contributions to their communities.

The evening also provided an opportunity for our young women to build relationships and learn from women who are making a difference through public service, advocacy, and business. Such encounters can inspire young people to recognize their own gifts and consider how they, too, can use those gifts to serve others and contribute to positive change.

The Salesian Family Youth Center is grateful for opportunities like this that complement its youth ministry and help young people grow in confidence, leadership, and a sense of purpose.

To learn more about the Latina Public Service Academy and its leadership and scholarship programs, visit the Latina Public Service Academy.