The following essay is by Youth Council member Denley. He will be a junior at El Cajon Valley High School in the fall and has been part of Mid-City CAN's Youth Council and their advocacy to revitalize Officer Jeremy Henwood Memorial Park in City Heights since March 2024. 

I immigrated to the United States right before my ninth birthday from Taiwan. I carried a dream that America was what its biggest supporters said it was and I hoped it was a land of opportunity.

I've always dreamed of being part of something greater than myself. I joined Mid-City CAN with the hope of helping to drive meaningful change and becoming part of a new generation of better leaders.

Click here to read Denley's essay.