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Meet the people that make our mission into our reality—from our dedicated staff to our volunteer board of directors. Our Team Our Staff Directors The people leading the everyday operations of Our Time To Act. Nicole Lillie Executive Director Howard Truei Chief of Staff Masaki Mendoza Housing Justice Director Aarohan Hariharan Housing Justice Director Our Staff The people handling the everyday operations of Our Time To Act. Noah Gonzalez Housing Justice Organizer Jordan Koster Housing Justice Organizer Evan Hamadeh Housing Justice Organizer Ethan Leem Housing Justice Organizer Alondra Herrera Housing Justice Organizer Selena-Marie Espinoza CYAN Lead Organizer Board of Directors The governing body responsible for Our Time To Act's mission, priorities, long-term development, and finances. Aidan Lin-Tostado President Ken Fesler Secretary Holly Harwood Board Director Rachel Choy Vice President, Internal Affairs Oliver Lin Treasurer Marina Tostado Board Director Abbey Reuter Vice President, External Affairs Anna Pierce Board Director Ray Lin Board Director Gabrielle Darisme Vice President, Governance Janice Park Board Director Learn More About Us Explore our mission, strategy, and values. Our story is one of purpose, passion, and a collective commitment to making a difference. ABOUT US OUR WORK

Manu Agni (he/him) is a transit advocate, transportation planning student at UC San Diego, and a Board member at youth empowerment nonprofit Our Time to Act. At UC San Diego, he has served as Student Body President, helping manage the U-PASS transit program and advocacy for thousands of students. In these roles, he has worked to help develop extension transportation choices for students and young people in San Diego, including walking, bicycling, and easy transit access. He has also worked in consulting for transit projects, and serves on MTS’ Community Advisory, and Passenger Safety & Security boards. < Back Manu Agni Board Director Manu Agni (he/him) is a transit advocate, transportation planning student at UC San Diego, and a Board member at youth empowerment nonprofit Our Time to Act. At UC San Diego, he has served as Student Body President, helping manage the U-PASS transit program and advocacy for thousands of students. In these roles, he has worked to help develop extension transportation choices for students and young people in San Diego, including walking, bicycling, and easy transit access. He has also worked in consulting for transit projects, and serves on MTS’ Community Advisory, and Passenger Safety & Security boards. manu.agni@ourtimetoact.org

< Back to Open Positions Assistant Director of Policy and Action Volunteer San Diego and/or Remote APPLY Rolling application. Priority given to applications submitted before September 30th. ABOUT THE ROLE The Assistant Director of Policy and Action works within the advocacy branch, with a focus on current legislative activity. They are responsible for coordination between Youth Advocates, Policy Analysts, and the Director of Advocacy, ensuring efficient analysis and action on legislation that affects youth. REQUIREMENTS Prior relevant experience preferred. Demonstrates ability to identify and pursue potential policy areas for action. Exemplifies strong leadership qualities. High school student or beyond. 8-10 hours, 2-3 meetings a week. Our scheduling is highly flexible. Values cooperation, creativity, growth-mindset. Exhibits organization, diligence, and dedication. Passion for youth empowerment. ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION While pursuing our mission of youth empowerment, Our Time to Act United understands the importance of fostering a safe, welcoming, and positive environment for all. As such, the actions we take align with our values as an organization and as individuals. We value meaningful impact. We always seek to genuinely support those that we serve and the people within our organization. We are committed to being an inclusive and diverse group of people. These values are reflected in our hiring practices, decision-making, and programs. Our team and organization is growth-minded and development-focused. We always have room to improve! Our organization promotes honesty, communication, and integrity. These values allow for us to be a cooperative, productive, and effective team. We praise creativity and ingenuity. Nothing is more exciting than thinking outside of the box or challenging the status quo. Applications are a two-way street. We make our values as an organization clear to you in order to make sure our team is the right fit—and we hope we are! Do not hesitate to reach out to us if you have any questions regarding our organization, values, workplace environment, or the application process. APPLY

< Back to Open Positions Board Director Volunteer California | Remote APPLY Rolling Application ABOUT THE ROLE Working within the Board of Directors and reporting directly to the President of the Board, board members perform more than administrative tasks; they are the governing body of the organization that establishes and oversees our mission, priorities, business operations, long-term development, and finance goals. REQUIREMENTS Familiarity with OTTA United’s mission, vision, values, and goals Excellent written and verbal communication skills Organization and interpersonal skills Strong information analysis skills Goal and future-oriented decision-making skills Ability to understand and analyze financial reports Ability to evaluate executive performances Ability to participate in the execution of strategic plans Ability to fulfill fiduciary responsibilities ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION As a 501(c)(3) youth empowerment nonprofit, OTTA United is dedicated to building youth power (aged 15-24) in areas predominantly occupied by adults to benefit the community as a whole. We play the role of coalition builders and mentors within our communities, sharing knowledge, resources, credit, and impact. And as a justice-oriented, impact-driven, and people-centered organization, our perspective grounds us with who we serve and the work we do while advancing our mission. APPLY

Join us in organizing youth towards fighting for Housing Justice in San Diego! Our efforts to eliminate exclusionary zoning, enact social housing, and end youth homelessness will create a more inclusive, equitable and sustainable future for us all! SAN DIEGO IS PRO-HOUSING PAST EVENTS UPCOMING EVENTS SHARE YOUR STORY CYAN INTEREST FORM OUR SOLUTIONS THE PROBLEM HOUSING RESOURCES SCHEDULE A MEETING #HOPESD THE PROBLEM 12% of the unsheltered population of San Diego County are youth. That number represents more than 1,500 youth . source: sdyouthservices.org San Diego , like many cities across California and the country, is facing a major housing crisis . While in recent years leaders have begun trying to address this human rights crisis, we've simply been fighting the symptoms. To take steps in tackling the housing crisis, we must address and target the root causes. Some of the root causes of the housing crisis we seek to address through our projects are as follows: Lack of commitment to smart development and policies, that will begin to address the systemic issues we face from decades of inaction on housing and transportation planning and development. Failure to plan for our city's growth in the past and present. The stigmatization of and misinformation around increased density, multi-family homes, and public housing. History of exclusion in land planning and housing and transportation policy decisions, especially of youth and other marginalized communities WHAT WILL IT TAKE? 108,036 is the number of housing units the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) determined San Diego would need to build by 2029 in order to adequately serve our rapidly growing city. However, since the report was released in 2021, San Diego's built less than 20,000 new units to reach that goal. This crisis is so much more than the numbers though. To achieve housing justice in San Diego we need to tackle the systemic and harmful policies of our past as we reimagine our lived environments for the future. Using our lived experiences and youthful creativity, we must collaboratively create the solutions we want to see. What is the solution to such an overwhelming and long-term problem? We need to tackle the systemic and harmful policies of our past as we reimagine our lived environments for the future. We play our part in advancing this solution by organizing youth in San Diego, stakeholders that have been historically excluded. Youth are overwhelmingly pro-housing, but our voices and perspectives are often left out of the decision-making process due to intentional and circumstantial barriers to entry. Our strategy is to increase the capacity, confidence, and ability of impacted groups, predominately youth, to be a part of the solution. Together we will: Host educational community events Foster a supportive pro-housing community by organizing Connect youth stakeholders to the broader pro-housing community Bolster passionate young leaders in the pro-housing movement Find ways to maximize the benefits of current investments in infrastructure as our city continues to grow and develop Inspire creative collective action to call for smart future-oriented solutions Counter-overrepresented anti-housing voices currently dominating the narrative We have recently split this work into three focus areas. Eliminating Exclusionary Zoning Eliminating decades old policies denying justice to many San Diegans seeking a home in our region. Enacting Social Housing Creating opportunities for mixed-income communities free from rent burden. Ending Youth Homelessness Addressing the very present crisis impacting youth across the region by connecting youth with resources and providing lived-experience-informed feedback to service providers. Problem Solution Consider applying to an open position on one of our Housing Justice teams and join the fight for housing justice in San Diego! APPLY TO A HOUSING TEAM Apply now on our Open Positions page! This crisis is more than statistics and bullet points; housing is a human right and storytelling is part of the solution. TELL YOUR HOUSING STORY Make your voice heard and share your perspective. TIME FOR SOME HOPE ... San Diego is Pro-Housing! No, literally... At the end of 2022, San Diego was one of 6 cities to earn the State Pro-Housing Designation. However, the fight is far from over. We must continue to push for pro-housing policies and ensure the progress we've already made to earn such a designation is not lost. Join us in this effort. At Our Time to Act, we have HOPE for the future of housing and transportation in San Diego. We believe that more housing options for our fellow residents mean preventing exclusion in this beautiful place we call home. If you also believe that there is HOPE for our future, we would love for you to join us in the fight. There are plenty of ways to get involved. If you want to learn more about our work and how to get involved in housing justice, please check out one of our past info-videos. Keep an eye out for new videos related to our current work coming soon. Please consider joining our newsletter to keep up to date on ways to support the cause, or meet with one of our Housing Justice Directors if you have any questions! Applications to join one of our housing justice teams are open, if you are passionate about creating more housing opportunities to prevent exclusion in San Diego, consider joining our team! OPEN POSITIONS Apply to join one of our Housing Justice teams working to end the housing crisis. PAST #HOPESD INFO & VIDEOS Want to learn more about the housing crisis and policies in San Diego? We have you covered. SCHEDULE A ONE-ON-ONE Schedule a one-on-one with our Executive Director JOIN THE NEWSLETTER Keep updated with our progress and other projects. YOUTH ARE PRO-HOUSING! Find more videos on our Youtube Channel ! HOPESD HOUSING RESOURCES We understand that much of the work we do in housing justice is pushing for long-term solutions to lasting and systemic problems. Due to the nature of housing and land-use policy and development, the housing crisis is impossible to solve overnight. While this can be discouraging, we cannot let this get in the way of our fight for a better future. If we don't start now, we will never achieve a more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable housing and transportation future for San Diego. That being said, we are also aware that many of the problems we intend to solve are everyday realities for many San Diegans, especially youth. Below are some resources that seek to address the housing crisis in the short-term and provide some relief to the issue of housing insecurity and the challenges that can arise as a result of it. TRANSITIONAL AGED YOUTH SERVICES THE CENTER HOUSING SERVICES UCSD BASIC NEEDS ASSISTANCE FORM SD YOUTH SERVICES RESOURCES CAL FRESH (GROCERIES) SDSU ECONOMIC CRISIS RESPONSE TEAM GROSSMONT COLLEGE BASIC NEEDS CALWORKS (CASH AID AND SERVICES) SDCCD BASIC NEEDS RESOURCES SD MESA COLLEGE BASIC NEEDS Resources PHOTOS FROM PAST EVENTS Past Events MEET THE TEAM! MASAKI MENDOZA he/him/his Director of Housing Justice Eliminating Exclusionary Zoning masaki.mendoza@ourtimetoact.org AAROHAN HARIHARAN he/him/his Director of Housing Justice Enacting Social Housing aarohan.hariharan@ourtimetoact.org ALONDRA HERRERA she/her/hers Housing Justice Organizer Ending Youth Homelessness alondra.herrera@ourtimetoact.org NOAH GONZALEZ he/him/his Housing Justice Organizer Eliminating Exclusionary Zoning noah.gonzalez@ourtimetoact.org LOUIS AVALOS he/him/his Director of Housing Justice Ending Youth Homelessness louis.avalos@ourtimetoact.org

CYAN Conference: Youth Changemakers Summit Our Time To Act presents our CYAN Conference on September 28th and 29th! Join us to organize, empower, and unify youth and youth allies and offer an opportunity for the broader community to support youth-led work. CYAN members will engage in collaborative learning, foster community, and select leadership to maximize the long-term potential of youth organizing work in San Diego. Join the community, make friends, and create change! RSVP SCHEDULE LOCATION San Diego City College, Mathematics and Social Sciences Building, 16th St, San Diego, CA 92101, USA WORKSHOPS Youth and youth allies can engage in collaborative learning workshops held during workshop sessions. To play, press and hold the enter key. To stop, release the enter key. price PRESENTING PARTNERS COMMUNITY PARTNERS SPONSORS QUOTES FROM OUR BOARD “The gala in three words: inspiring, impressive, and community—there were so many great people we were able to connect with.” “If anyone has the ability to support, empower, or champion youth and have the passion for it, this is for them – it’s so meaningful to invest in the next generation” “I’m grateful to be a part of something bigger than myself, to be involved in youth empowerment and see the impact in communities” Anna Pierce Oliver Lin Gabrielle Darisme

How we go about pushing for change is just as important as why. Community organizing is one of the only ways to build enough power to challenge — and win — against the status quo. And we have a severe need for youth organizing in our local communities.

< Back to Open Positions Advisory Services Consultant Volunteer South Bay Area and/or Remote APPLY Rolling application. Priority given to applications submitted before September 30th. ABOUT THE ROLE Consultants for Advisory Services take our knowledge, experience, and lessons as youth leaders and apply them to other youth organizations. Consultants also draw upon real business strategies to create lasting, positive change for a specific partner organization. REQUIREMENTS Prior consulting/advising/leadership experience required. Must demonstrate strong observational and analytical skills. High school student or beyond. 6-8 hours, 1-2 meetings a week. Our scheduling is highly flexible. Values cooperation, creativity, growth-mindset. Exhibits organization, diligence, and dedication. Passion for youth empowerment. ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION While pursuing our mission of youth empowerment, Our Time to Act United understands the importance of fostering a safe, welcoming, and positive environment for all. As such, the actions we take align with our values as an organization and as individuals. We value meaningful impact. We always seek to genuinely support those that we serve and the people within our organization. We are committed to being an inclusive and diverse group of people. These values are reflected in our hiring practices, decision-making, and programs. Our team and organization is growth-minded and development-focused. We always have room to improve! Our organization promotes honesty, communication, and integrity. These values allow for us to be a cooperative, productive, and effective team. We praise creativity and ingenuity. Nothing is more exciting than thinking outside of the box or challenging the status quo. Applications are a two-way street. We make our values as an organization clear to you in order to make sure our team is the right fit—and we hope we are! Do not hesitate to reach out to us if you have any questions regarding our organization, values, workplace environment, or the application process. APPLY

Learn more about Our Time To Act's youth-led change-making work for housing justice in San Diego. OUR WORK Eliminating Exclusionary Zoning San Diego is still severely segregated. Our team is focused on identifying and eliminating the reasons why. Learn More Enacting Housing Solutions Many youth have little hope for stability in their housing futures. We must introduce holistic housing solutions to close the gaps. Learn More Ending Youth Homelessness Youth are experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity at unprecedented levels. Help us achieve a roof for every youth. Learn More Overview Our Time To Act utilizes our G.O.A.T. (grassroots organizing, advocacy, and trainings) changemaking model to engage and build youth power. We focus our work on the local level convening youth and our allies to shape a just present and future for San Diego. Our work is primarily centered around housing justice and youth-led transformative organizing. Housing is a human right and we pursue housing justice in three main areas. These areas are Eliminating Exclusionary Zoning, Enacting Housing Solutions, and Ending Youth Homelessness. The elimination of exclusionary zoning practices is absolutely essential to tackling lasting segregation and systemically racist housing practices in San Diego and beyond. Enacting housing solutions will allow for a future of affirmatively fair housing that creates more opportunity for youth of all backgrounds. While we strongly believe in the work of these two focus areas, we understand that change takes time. Youth are trying to survive the housing crisis now . That is why ending youth homelessness is an essential part of achieving housing justice. Finally, we focus on building the capacity and skill of youth in transformative grassroots organizing through our flagship program the Civic Youth Action Network (CYAN). To learn more about CYAN check out our page for more information.

Our Youth Voter Engagement Project (YVEP) supports the UCSD student community in registering to vote and participating in civic engagement. Learn more about our impact! YOUR GUIDE TO VOTING [RE-]REGISTER TO VOTE IN SAN DIEGO INFO ON CANDIDATES + SAMPLE BALLOT INFO ON CANDIDATES + ELECTION RESULTS SAVE THE DATES Above are quick links to guide your registering and voting process. Continue to scroll to read more about our Youth Voter Engagement Project! ENGAGE WITH OUR PROJECT LEARN MORE Learn about the problem and background of our project. SURVEY Fill out a 15 minute survey on voting registration at San Diego. BECOME AN AMBASSADOR Come join us as an ambassador and make an impact. Read more RSVP FOR THE DEBATE Come to our big event: the Political Candidate Debate. Read more ABOUT US Learn more about the people and passion behind the project. 60.6% of the undergraduate population at UCSD consists of students who are eligible to vote but are registered outside of San Diego or simply not registered at all . We spend nearly the entirety of our academic year in San Diego versus the three months possibly spent at home. As you attend UCSD you are going to be impacted by the initiatives on the ballot in local elections. It is essential we [re-]register to San Diego in order to ensure our voice, opinions, and needs are heard and represented by the political candidates that will govern us during our time in San Diego County. If we do not become voters we leave our fate in the hands of only La Jolla’s non-youth voters, out of touch with the needs of students and youth. If we choose not to become voters we lose the ability to influence decisions that disproportionately affect us. WHAT WILL IT TAKE? What will it take to create a culture of Civic Engagement at UCSD? What will it take for you to [re-]register in San Diego County and hit the polls this November? UCSD students are already civically engaged and politically active. YVEP does not believe the “politically apathetic” stereotype that has been pinned to our campus. On the contrary, we see the politically active and empathetic reputation UCSD students have created, whether it be through striking for better working conditions in the dining halls, or protesting for higher wages and affordable housing. We want to tap into that already existing culture of civic engagement and expand it to voting in order to ensure the concerns we voice are addressed by the people who are chosen to represent us. We want to not only make voting more accessible to students through our [re-]registration efforts but also through providing the resources necessary to become confident and informed voters at the polls this year, and in the future. To further encourage a lasting culture of civic engagement at UCSD, YVEP is also bringing the candidates to you! We will bring local San Diego candidates to campus to engage in town-hall style debate and attempt to win the student vote. This project has never been done before! UCSD students will lead us in our efforts to encourage overall youth engagement and participation at the polls. The student response we receive at UCSD will be extremely valuable to us when expanding our efforts to solve the issue into a national agenda in the future. HELP US SURVEY Help us by filling out a quick, 5 minute survey! This will help us understand how to best tailor our resources and engagement efforts to provide the most impactful support possible to the student body! THE ISSUE learnmore ambassador JOIN US BECOME AN AMBASSADOR We want to Unite with you! Join us in our efforts to increase San Diego registration and overall voter engagement on UCSD’s campus! What can Our Time To Act do for your organization and its members in order to assist you in creating a lasting culture of civic engagement at UCSD? Fill out this form if your organization has an interest in meeting with us to discuss becoming an ambassador for voter and civic engagement on the university’s campus! THE BIG EVENT Tritons' Choice @ Price To further encourage a lasting culture of civic engagement at UCSD, YVEP is also bringing the candidates to you! We will bring local San Diego candidates to campus to engage in town-hall style debate and attempt to win the student vote. WHEN WHERE October 24th 11:00 am - 3:00 pm The Forum @ Price WHO District 6 City Council candidates Kent Lee and Tommy Hough District 35 Superior Court candidates Rebecca Kanter and Mike Murphy RSVP FOR THE DEBATE debate about us NICOLE LILLIE YVE Project Director Nicole.lillie@ottaunited.org Nicole was born and raised in San Bernardino county, where she committed herself to civic engagement through peer-led voter registration drives, and a devotion to community service through Rotary International. Currently, she is studying Political Science with a focus on Public Law at the University of California San Diego and devoting herself to voter/civic engagement efforts in her new home of San Diego County. YVANIA RUBIO YVE Asst. Project Director Yvania.rubio@ottaunited.org Yvania is from City Heights San Diego however, she did study in South East Los Angeles, Tijuana, and Ensenada Mexico. She is now a part of the La Jolla Community as she pursues her Double Major in Political Science and Sociology for the next three years. ABOUT US Hi! We met in a Political Science class during our first year at UCSD and now we work together as youth leaders at Our Time To Act! We both care deeply about issues that disproportionately affect UCSD students, like affordable housing. We are dedicated to ensuring our peers needs are met and represented by San Diego County political candidates!

Ken (he/him/his) is an Economics and Political Science student at the University of California, Davis. He officially joined Our Time To Act in June 2020 and became Associate Executive Director in January 2021. As Associate Executive Director, Ken takes the lead on systems management and employee development, including interdepartmental policies, employee one-on-ones, and performance reviews. Prior to joining OTTA and while still in high school, Ken was a Shift Lead at a local tea shop, the most senior staff member on site trusted with running the store efficiently and without waste. Throughout this, he maintains his driven dedication to scholastic success - he was a high school valedictorian and is now a Regent Scholar and university honors student. After graduating, Ken seeks to find further employment close to his loving family in the San Francisco Bay Area. < Back Ken Fesler Secretary Ken (he/him/his) is an Economics and Political Science student at the University of California, Davis. He officially joined Our Time To Act in June 2020 and became Associate Executive Director in January 2021. As Associate Executive Director, Ken takes the lead on systems management and employee development, including interdepartmental policies, employee one-on-ones, and performance reviews. Prior to joining OTTA and while still in high school, Ken was a Shift Lead at a local tea shop, the most senior staff member on site trusted with running the store efficiently and without waste. Throughout this, he maintains his driven dedication to scholastic success - he was a high school valedictorian and is now a Regent Scholar and university honors student. After graduating, Ken seeks to find further employment close to his loving family in the San Francisco Bay Area. ken.fesler@ourtimetoact.org

REDISTRICTING REFORM "[The commission] simply [did] not reflect the diversity of San Diego , nor the experiences of most residents, and repeatedly proved themselves incapable of putting aside their own biases for the good of the city. No wonder the Commission has been incapable of handling the complex racial dynamics at the center of redistricting." AIDAN LIN Executive Director, OTTA United BACKGROUND Both API and youth suffer a lack of representation in the city politics of San Diego. Only three API city council members have been elected in the city's history: Tom Hom (elected 1963), Todd Gloria (elected 2008), and Chris Cate (elected 2014). Youth, on the other hand, face countless roadblocks to achieving legitimate stakeholder status in politics. GOALS REACH and ENGAGE API and youth citizens in University City. PROCESS From April to May , Our Time To Act will run a voter registration campaign in University City, targeting API and youth citizens. From May to June , and September to November , we will run two get-out-the-vote (GOTV) campaigns for the primary and general election, respectively. To contact voters, we will put boots on the ground with a trained team of approximately a dozen youth (age 18-24). This allows us to open new opportunities while building a team that best suits the University City community. In addition to door-knocking, Our Time To Act will plan a comprehensive community outreach campaign to complement our door-to-door efforts, including advertisements, community events, and business collaboration. TARGETS 15,871 Interactions with youth voters 9,384 Interactions with API voters 25,255 Interactions with target voters 29,951 Total visits to households $4.75 Cost of reaching one target voter