Leslie Montoya was scrolling through Instagram when she learned about Angeleno Corps, a 10-month program that would give her hands-on work experience in one of four areas: education and child care, health and environmental justice, tech and digital assistance, or immigration advocacy. The program was geared toward young Angelenos ages 18-24 in neighborhoods most impacted by COVID-19. “I'm a college student, so I was struggling financially. Coming through this pandemic and stuff, it was really nice to see a program from Mayor Garcetti, from my city. I just had to take advantage of it!” More than 1,000 students applied and Leslie, 22, was one of the 400 students chosen to be a part of the 2021-2022 cohort. Through this part-time work experience, participants receive $1,000 monthly stipends as well as a one-time $1,000 scholarship to assist with their educational needs. Leslie completed her Angeleno Corps internship at Lou Costello Recreation Center, located in her neighborhood of Boyle Heights. After finishing her classes for the day at Cal State LA, Leslie would go to her assigned worksite. For 10 hours a week, she helped parents sign-up their kids for sports and other classes, informed the community about events being held at the park, and even had the opportunity to teach dance classes and teach kids about the history of hip-hop. By engaging with park attendees, Montoya said those interactions helped her improve her communication and organizational skills- skills that are useful to have since she is interested in a career in the entertainment industry. The Angeleno Corps program is, in most cases, a youth’s first job experience. After going through the program herself, Leslie advises, “Take average of the program, of the monthly meetings. They are insightful because you learn how to navigate the workspace.” Leslie is grateful for the opportunity and for the support the City program provided her through her academic and career journey. “This is all going to set me up for my future, set me up for the woman I want to become, for myself and my community,” she said. To learn more, visit: hirelayouth.com