{"id":20634,"date":"2025-04-29T18:45:00","date_gmt":"2025-04-30T01:45:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/salesianbulletin.org\/?p=20634"},"modified":"2025-05-06T14:30:57","modified_gmt":"2025-05-06T21:30:57","slug":"united-for-youth-a-historic-encounter-between-salesian-centers-in-port-chester-and-los-angeles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/salesianbulletin.org\/es\/2025\/04\/29\/united-for-youth-a-historic-encounter-between-salesian-centers-in-port-chester-and-los-angeles\/","title":{"rendered":"United for Youth: A Historic Encounter Between Salesian Centers in Port Chester and Los Angeles"},"content":{"rendered":"

Por JC Montenegro, PhD<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Los Angeles, California)<\/strong> – “I felt like I belonged to something bigger than myself,”<\/em> shared Angel, the program coordinator at the Salesian Family Youth Center in Los Angeles, his voice brimming with emotion through the screen. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

At that moment, even a virtual meeting felt like home, a true reflection of what happens when Salesian hearts unite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That spirit filled the air when members of the Red Am\u00e9rica Social Salesiana (RASS), along with teams from the Salesian Family Youth Center (Los Angeles) and the Don Bosco Community Center (Port Chester, New York), gathered for a historic virtual encounter<\/strong> on Thursday, April 25, 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their mission is to strengthen their service to children, adolescents, and families facing vulnerable situations in their local communities.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Building Bridges Across Thousands of Miles<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the heart of this gathering was a simple but powerful goal: to listen, share, and dream together<\/strong> about how to better accompany vulnerable youth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Participants opened their hearts through dynamic conversations and reflective activities, sharing challenges, hopes, and dreams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Key themes quickly emerged: the need to strengthen communication, master time management, develop conflict resolution strategies, and offer better support for mental health and children with special needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“When we walk together, challenges turn into opportunities.”<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

One Mission, Shared Challenges<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite the geographic distance and diverse realities, common challenges resonated deeply<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How do we strengthen bonds with families? How can we engage youth when life pulls them toward risk and uncertainty? How do we stay faithful to the Salesian spirit in a rapidly changing world?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The participants bravely named these realities and proposed clear steps forward, from forming alliances with mental health organizations to adopting trauma-informed educational practices that truly meet young people where they are. “Caring for the caregivers is caring for the future.”<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

From Local Roots to a Global Dream<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The encounter closed with a profound reflection on the power of networking, the beauty of intercultural exchange, and the urgency of building systems that support long-term impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Each center brings something unique to the table:<\/p>\n\n\n\n