June 2025 | eNewsletter

Dear Friends,

As we see the escalation in immigration crackdowns disrupt and harm communities, we’re continuously inspired by the people of Richmond and so many others around the state and country coming together for unity and inclusion. Their actions continue to inspire our own commitment to co-creating spaces of safety and belonging with our community members.

This commitment has guided us as summer kicked off with the graduation of all of our youth cohorts, including the inaugural class of our Wellness Club. Throughout this pilot season, the group of high-school-aged YES youth explored healthy coping skills to navigate transitions and life's challenges. They practiced their leadership by acting as mentors to younger youth who will be entering high school this coming year, sharing what they’ve learned about managing changes and offering ongoing support and friendship.

The past few weeks have also marked a handful of new beginnings. As YLP participants graduated, their Adult counterparts began new journeys. All three cohorts of the Adult Leadership Pathways have started anew with previous graduates advancing to the next step in the series and some community members getting to experience YES for their first time. As I type this message from my office, I can hear laughter and encouragement coming from the new cohort of TREES young adults playing team-building games outside my window.

Also beginning this month is our Summer Campfire Campaign, and we’re kicking it off with a MATCH DAY!

To help launch us toward our $45,000 goal–and to ensure that every young person has the chance to say “I can do anything”–a generous donor is matching all donations made today only, up to $5,000.  

2025’s first session of campers just returned Friday afternoon, and 145 more (and counting) are ready to follow their lead. Your gift today will support their journey.

We have more to share with you–like celebrating our high school grads, our recent trip to the state capitol, and upcoming wellness offerings–so I hope you’ll take a moment to catch up with us below and to save the date for our groundbreaking event on September 27th.

In community,

Eric Aaholm, Executive Director

Save the Date

Saturday, September 27

@ YES Office & Nicholl Park

3029 Macdonald Ave, Richmond, CA 

The time has nearly come for us to break ground on our new Base Camp! 

To mark the beginning of this exciting new chapter, we’re throwing a party that’s fit for such a special occasion: music, games, food, and the people who’ve grown YES into what we are today–that’s you! We’ll be in touch with more details in the coming weeks, but for now mark your calendars to join us and tell your friends and family to do the same.



Congrats, Grads!

This year 100% of high school seniors in YES’s programs are graduating from high school and pursuing higher education. At private schools, state schools, and community colleges across California, they’ll continue to lead, explore, and discover.

Adding to our pride are the five TREES young adults and program alumni who are continuing their education by transferring from junior college to four-year universities or beginning graduate school in the fall. 

All together, their accomplishments have us beaming.

Access for All

We're so grateful to everyone who joined us for our Access for All roundtable held on May 28th!

In a moment when equitable outdoor access is facing increased threats and challenges, the stories and insights from our inspiring and talented panelists brought us together for hope and community.

Watch the full discussion here.

Parks Now Capitol Day

A contingent of YES staff and young adult alumni joined fellow Parks Now Coalition members in Sacramento for last month’s Capitol Day. All day, they built relationships with lawmakers and raised their collective voice to advocate for continued, stable funding for outdoor access initiatives. The group shared ways that Prop 4 bonds could support solutions like urban greening and the Statewide Park Program, in addition to advocating for the continued funding of various grant programs through the state’s general fund.

Bridging the gap between the Bay Area and the Santa Cruz mountains, Castle Rock State Park is a touch further than our usual day-trip jaunts, but the extra minutes are always worth it.

As you start your journey away from the parking lot, it’s clear that you’re in a different place. Far from the lush grasses and winding streams of the East Bay hills and even farther from the sheer bluffs and ocean views of the North Bay coast, Castle Rock features a unique landscape of variegated walls of sandstone cradled in mixed evergreen forest. While the variety of trees and other flora attract an exciting blend of small wildlife and birds, it’s really the sandstone that brings YES to Castle Rock.

Over the years, dozens of YES youth have been introduced to outdoor rock climbing on Castle Rock’s forgiving and beginner-friendly routes–including a trip just for girls and gender expansive youth last month. The park’s unique tafoni patterns–a series of smooth, rounded caves created in the rock face by millenia of weather and erosion–are the ideal place for first-time climbers. So, whether you’re looking for a stroll through other-worldly sites, want to hang out at the crag and watch climbers defy gravity, or give it a go yourself, put a trip to Castle Rock on your summer calendar.

Women, Race & Class by Angela Y. Davis