OUR MISSION
Stockton Urban Revitalization Fellowship uses a youth-driven, youth-led experiential learning approach to train the next generation of Stockton leaders.
OUR VISION
Stockton Urban Revitalization Fellowship is the bridge connecting aspiring change makers with Stockton's social impact community.
OUR VALUES
Stockton Urban Revitalization Fellowship’s values and ethos are rooted in cultivating education-driven, community-centered, ethical leaders and advocates in the community.
About the Project
Stockton is on the cusp of urban renaissance, poised for economic and industrial change. Educational and workforce barriers continue to limit the growing power of our city.
Within the last decade, Stockton has recovered from bankruptcy and now benefits from a unique combination of social and economic advantages. Situated near Silicon Valley and the intellectual economies of the Bay Area, the city has witnessed a rebirth of pride in its deep cultural history.
Stockton still experiences these challenges:
Large swaths of the city are food deserts, and evidence shows that communities of color suffer from environmental toxicity due to lead contamination, airborne pesticides and algal blooms in local waterways.
A legacy of redlining caused neighborhoods throughout the city to struggle to attract key businesses and investment. Positive steps have been taken to bring new life to Central and South Stockton, but an influx of capital risks displacing rooted communities.
Our public education system lacks the resources to be a driver of economic opportunity and growth. Little to no effort has been made to recruit and retain Stocktonians who have left to receive higher education to come back to the city. Those who do return experience many challenges in finding job opportunities in their field of interest.
With close to a third of Stockton’s population under the age of 18, its youth are its greatest asset. If nurtured, they have the potential to bring the city into the global age. For Stockton to reach its full potential, it is time to address the brain drain (outward migration of talented and educated community members) that affects the community.
The Stockton Urban Revitalization Fellowship looks to leverage the city’s greatest asset by empowering Stocktonians to return, invest and solve their hometown's most pressing problems.
How does it work?
Fellows are placed with a local nonprofit organization, private company or public agency aligned with their field of interest. Participants spend four days each week with the placement partner with a defined scope of work.
Fellows put their project management skills to task as they work with community-based and grassroots organizations on program development and/or analysis.
Members of SURF ‘18 created reports and programs for Stockton Schools Initiative, Stockton Younger Women’s Task Force and ICE Out of Stockton.
Community educators present engaging, relevant lectures and workshops to Fellows throughout the program. In addition, Fellows perform field work in the form of informational interviews with policymakers, community opinion leaders and more.
In 2018, SURF Fellows interviewed these leaders: Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs, Poet Laureate Tama Brisbane, Stockton Unified School District Trustee and Executive Director of Reinvent Stockton Foundation Lange Luntao, Policy Director of Stockton Mayor Max Vargas, Executive Assistant of Stockton Mayor Cameron Burns, CEO of Community Foundation of San Joaquin Moses Zapien.
In the final weeks of the program, Fellows work together to identify an issue to examine more deeply. They use the skills learned throughout SURF to design a research plan, conduct research, compile the data collected and present a final report in the format of their choosing.
Meet the Fellows
Class of 2018
Capstone Project: Articulating Our Stories
Class of 2019
Capstone Project: Coming Soon
“There are so many brilliant, talented young people who were raised in or have a heart for Stockton, and for our community to grow we need to figure out a way to attract them back to work in public service and social impact careers. SURF is a first step to making this happen.”