U.S. Rep. Karen Bass (photo courtesy of U.S. Rep. Karen Bass‘ office)

YouthBuild USA has named U.S. Rep. Karen Bass (D-Los Angeles) a YouthBuild Champion, working to amplify the voices of students and alumni in Congress.

The YouthBuild Champion designation is awarded to congressional leaders who advocate for funding and policies that benefit opportunities for youth and their communities. Every year, the elected officials author and lead the signing campaigns of “Dear Colleague” letters that signal Congress’s strong bipartisan, bicameral support for the U.S. Department of Labor’s YouthBuild program.

The program helps young adults ages 16-24 who are neither in school nor employed pursue their education, prepare for future careers and grow into community leaders.

“It is an honor to follow in Congressman John Lewis’s footsteps to champion funding for YouthBuild in the House of Representatives along with Congressman Scott Perry,” Bass said. “YouthBuild provides hundreds of young people in South Los Angeles, and thousands throughout the country, with the skills needed to be successful in our communities, with the mission of creating a more equitable society. You cannot help young folks thrive by forcing them into a mold – you need to invest in them and help them grow so that they can reach their full potential. That’s what YouthBuild does. I’m so proud to join this effort.”

“Representative Karen Bass knows how much potential and power young people hold as they transform themselves and their communities for the better,” said John Valverde, president and CEO of YouthBuild USA. “We are honored to have her leadership as she and her fellow champions help us support opportunity youth in finding pathways to a healthy, productive future.”

YouthBuild USA is the nonprofit support center for a global network of 290 local programs. For information, visit youthbuild.org and bass.house.gov.