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< Back Aashika Srinivas, Policy Analyst, presents redistricting reform research to SD City Council Wednesday, April 20, 2022 Leana Cortez, Director of Advocacy If one were to describe the 2020-2021 San Diego Redistricting process, “equitable” would scarcely be used. The current structure of the process enforces the power of wealthy, single-family homeowners while leaving San Diego’s youth and BIPOC communities vastly underrepresented. As youth ourselves, OTTA United endeavored to disrupt this structure and begin our research for reform. These measures included: Changing the appointing authority. Partial district detachment. Implementation of a two-part selection process. These proposed changes would simply bring San Diego’s City redistricting process up to par with our neighboring cities and the state. Aashika Srinivas, policy analyst at OTTA United, brought these reform suggestions to the San Diego City Council Rules Committee on April 20th, 2022. She did a wonderful job presenting during non-agenda public comment and caught the attention of two councilmembers. Councilmember Chris Cate commented that he was "encouraged by some of [Aashika's] ideas." Council President Sean Elo-Rivera was "intrigued by the presentation," "appreciate[d] the level of civic engagement of the youth who presented," and thanked us for "having engaged in the redistricting process." With this encouragement, OTTA United will continue to meet with councilmembers to figure out the further development and implementation of such reforms to ensure just representation occurs for the diverse city of San Diego. Next Previous

Application Thank you for your interest in joining our team. We are excited to review your application! If you have questions, please reach out to the point of contact below. Point of Contact Ken Fesler, Associate Executive Director ken.fesler@ottaunited.org Social Media First Name Last Name Email Phone Number Which position are you applying for? Basic Information Education Level Preferred Work Medium Upload Resume/CV Select File Portfolio Link (optional) Application Questions Tell us why you are passionate about our mission. Answer the prompt here (150 words max). Describe how you fit the role you are applying to. Answer the prompt here (150 words max). Discuss goals you have for yourself and the position. Answer the prompt here (150 words max). Submit Application Is there anything you would like to add to your application? (Include any questions you may have) Your Signature Clear By signing, you affirm the accuracy of all information within this application to the best of your knowledge and authorize Our Time to Act United to use your information to contact you. SUBMIT An error occurred. Please try again Your application has been submitted!

Ray brings more than 20 years of leadership experience in Finance, Operations, and HR. He possesses a broad business background having worked for startups, Fortune 500 companies, as well as non-profits. Mr. Lin is currently a sr. executive at an early-stage AI startup leading strategic and operational efforts. He is passionate about serving, mentoring, and empowering youth through Our Time To Act. < Back Ray Lin Board Director Ray brings more than 20 years of leadership experience in Finance, Operations, and HR. He possesses a broad business background having worked for startups, Fortune 500 companies, as well as non-profits. Mr. Lin is currently a sr. executive at an early-stage AI startup leading strategic and operational efforts. He is passionate about serving, mentoring, and empowering youth through Our Time To Act. ray.lin@ourtimetoact.org

< Back to Open Positions Press Intern Intern (Volunteer) California and/or Remote APPLY Rolling application. Priority given to applications submitted before May 31st. ABOUT THE ROLE We seek a driven and enthusiastic Press Intern to join our Communications team. In this role, you will be responsible for crafting compelling and engaging content across various digital platforms. You will play a crucial role in effectively communicating our brand's message to our target audience. This is an excellent opportunity for students or recent graduates to gain hands-on experience and mentorship. Position responsibilities: Produce high-quality written content for email campaigns pages, ensuring accurate and error-free content Develop engaging and informative blog posts that cover relevant topics, industry trends, and company news Write compelling content for various website pages, including landing pages and project descriptions Conduct thorough research on assigned topics, gather information from reliable sources, and conduct interviews to enhance the quality and depth of content Review and edit content for clarity, grammar, style, and consistency, ensuring a high standard of quality before publication Collaborate with the Communications Department to align content strategies and support promotional campaigns effectively Further duties as assigned REQUIREMENTS Requirements: Excellent Writing Skills - Proficient in crafting clear, concise, and engaging content with impeccable grammar, punctuation, and style Research Skills - Ability to conduct thorough research and gather information from credible sources, ensuring accuracy and relevance in content creation Attention to Detail - Meticulous approach to proofreading and editing, with a sharp eye for identifying errors and inconsistencies Time Management - Strong organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, meet deadlines, and prioritize tasks effectively Collaboration and Communication - Excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability to work collaboratively within a team, communicate ideas clearly, and accept constructive feedback Preferred Requirements: Enrolled in a Journalism, Communications, English, or related field of study What We Offer: The Press Intern’s main focus will be learning and applying the trade in a professional setting. Learn or gain experience on Mail Chimp Learn about the ins and outs of SEO and optimize high open and click-through rates for webpages and blogs Write strong content pieces to add to your portfolio Attend professional development workshops Gain experience working in nonprofit organization that works hard and laughs hard Hourly Commitment: 4-8 hours per week, with flexible start and end times to fit your schedule If you are passionate about writing and have a desire to learn and grow, we encourage you to apply! ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION OTTA United is a youth-founded, youth-led 501(c)(3) nonprofit with the mission to organize powerful youth for an inclusive, equitable, and sustainable future. OTTA United values authenticity and passion. 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. Applications are a two-way street. We make our values as an organization clear to you to make sure our team is the right fit—and we hope we are! Here are some things to keep in mind: Our team values flexibility and taking initiative over structure and top-down delegation. This philosophy is not a good fit for all, so we want to be clear upfront. If you thrive in dynamic, open environments, this is the place for you. We value meaningful impact and support. We seek to authentically serve both our audience and our team members alike. 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 are growth-minded and development-focused. We always have room to improve, at all levels of our organization! Our organization promotes honesty, communication, and integrity. These values allow us to be an effective team. We praise creativity and ingenuity. Nothing is more exciting than thinking outside of the box or challenging the status quo. We prefer personability over professionalism, at least in internal settings. APPLY

Pashe crisp (she/her) is a high school student currently serving as OTTA’s co-director of Engagement. Aside from being a student, Pashe is involved in various youth and community-oriented organizations in the belief that youth own the future and hold the power to shape it, (?) presiding as the co-lead of Team Enough, co-chair of SDUSD’s Environmental Literacy Task Force, holding seat at the La Jolla Playhouse Teen Council, and of course Our Time To Act in the engagement team. Having ample experience in communications, social media management, organization, and outreach Pashe joined OTTA’s youth-centered mission in May 2024 and strives to engage and enrich communities alongside the engagement team. < Back Pashe Crisp Director of Engagement Pashe crisp (she/her) is a high school student currently serving as OTTA’s co-director of Engagement. Aside from being a student, Pashe is involved in various youth and community-oriented organizations in the belief that youth own the future and hold the power to shape it, (?) presiding as the co-lead of Team Enough, co-chair of SDUSD’s Environmental Literacy Task Force, holding seat at the La Jolla Playhouse Teen Council, and of course Our Time To Act in the engagement team. Having ample experience in communications, social media management, organization, and outreach Pashe joined OTTA’s youth-centered mission in May 2024 and strives to engage and enrich communities alongside the engagement team. pashe.crisp@ourtimetoact.org

Redistricting 2021 Background Redistricting is a process that takes place every 10 years to redraw districts and determine who votes for who. The process typically goes one of two ways: it either lifts up underrepresented communities or it continues to suppress their say in government. GOALS BOOST AAPI numbers in District 6, the city's AAPI empowerment seat. Establish STUDENTS as STAKEHOLDERS in the redistricting process. IMPACT We partnered with over 40 community-based organizations to create the San Diego Communities Collaboration Map , the most diverse map on the table. We worked with the Associated Students of UC San Diego’s Office of Local Affairs to mobilize over 120 students during the redistricting process–––totaling 50% of all vocal public comments related to La Jolla/University City and 10% of all comments. We earned recognition for students as major stakeholders in the process, first acknowledged by the press on September 9th, 2021, and by the Redistricting Commission on November 4th, 2021. We successfully lobbied the commission to increase AAPI representation in District 6 to above 40%. The previous district was 35% AAPI, a difference of about eight thousand people. "There was significant testimony from students attending the University of California – San Diego (UCSD) and other community members seeking to move UCSD and University City to this district." "The Commission determined that the portion of University City east of Interstate 5 should move to District 6 based on the students’ requests and to achieve a 40% Asian population in this district." SAN DIEGO REDISTRICTING COMMISSION 2021 Final Redistricting Plan

Support our cause by making a charitable donation. Contributions of any size help us continue doing our work and advancing our mission. Help us organize the future in the present WHY GIVE? BECOME A MEMBER OTHER WAYS TO GIVE Looking for other ways to give? The best way to support our work is to become a member . But if that's not for you, we welcome and appreciate other ways to support our cause. Action hub for alternative giving: If you'd like to make a one-time donation, it's simple and easy. MAKE A ONE-TIME DONATION For other types of giving listed below, please reach out to Aidan Lin, Executive Director, at aidan.lin@ottaunited.org . Major Gifts In-Kind Donations Corporate Sponsorships Foundation Grants Donating your time If you are interested in giving your time through volunteering, the best way to let us know is to sign up for our newsletter and check the "volunteering" box as one of your interests. Share our cause with your network The easiest way to help us fundraise is to share our cause with your friends, family, and colleagues. Fundraisers that are shared on social networks raise up to 5 times more. Our youth organizing is depending on it!

< Back to Open Positions Grant Writer Volunteer South Bay Area, San Diego, and/or Remote APPLY Rolling application. Priority given to applications submitted before September 30th. ABOUT THE ROLE Our Grant Writers aim to fund our programs by writing compelling grants. They strive to condense our mission, goals, and achievements into an inspirational piece that organizations will resonate with and thus grant funding for. REQUIREMENTS No prior experience required. Must demonstrate the ability to write a compelling narrative. 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

< Back OTTA United & students play a major role in successful push for more housing in San Diego Wednesday, February 15, 2023 Our Time to Act United Yesterday, February 14th, 2023, Our Time to Act (OTTA) United and students successfully pushed San Diego City Council to adopt Sustainable Development Areas (SDAs). This new policy, replacing Transit Priority Areas, would open 5,224 acres of land to the potential for higher-density development programs. This change is essential to ensuring the future of housing, affordability, and sustainability for youth and students in San Diego. OTTA United tabled on UC San Diego’s campus, speaking to nearly 100 students and having meaningful conversations about how the housing crisis has impacted students’ lives. From these valuable conversations, OTTA United collected over a dozen personal testimonials and comments which were submitted to the City. At noon on February 14th, 2023, students met together at the UC San Diego Central Campus Station and embarked on the 30-minute trip via the Blue Line Trolley to deliver their thoughts to our City Council in person. In addition to written and in-person testimony, OTTA United was the only pro-housing group to deliver a planned presentation. Nicole Lillie, Housing Projects Director, and Aidan Lin, Executive Director, detailed specific student-related arguments in favor of SDAs and dismantled opposing arguments. The presentation concluded with slides highlighting some of the comments from students who could not share their concerns in person. OTTA United – Sustainable Development Areas (final) .pdf Download PDF • 17.16MB Before voting on the motion, students received special recognition from Councilmember Kent Lee (District 6): “I do want to take a moment to applaud the diverse young speakers for taking time out of their busy school and work schedules to help us understand why this might matter. These decisions will take many years to meaningfully change the city, and we need to plan and build for San Diego both for today, and for the generations of San Diegans to come. My fight has been and always will be to ensure that all San Diegans, now and into the future, have the opportunity to live, work, and play in San Diego.” Students were also highlighted by Council President Sean Elo-Rivera, “We are planning not for the city that we have today, or the city that we wish we had 20 years ago, but the city that we want—which is a city, as Councilmember Lee put it, where everyone has an opportunity to live here. Not just folks that live here today, but [also] the young people that are growing up here, the students who spoke so passionately today—we have to create housing opportunities for them. Those folks exist today, and they matter today, and we have to do something to ensure they will have an opportunity to live here and thrive here.” For OTTA United’s efforts, students were featured in local news coverage of the adoption of this policy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECQsNV_p0Tg This case shows how students and youth have the power to make a difference on issues that matter. It is absolutely necessary for students to get involved with the issue of housing—because of the long-term nature of solutions—and OTTA United looks forward to continuing to engage students as decision-makers to forge a brighter future. To take action or learn more, please contact Nicole Lillie, Housing Projects Director, at nicole.lillie@ottaunited.org . Next Previous

Leana Cortez (she/her/hers) is a UC San Diego student studying Global Health and Sociocultural Anthropology. After beginning her activism journey in high school, Leana understands the need for youth power in the sociopolitical sphere. After spending years in the environmental advocacy realm, Leana joined Our Time To Act in October 2021 as Director of Advocacy. As Director, Leana has mobilized many youth for initiatives and projects relating to affordable housing, voting and civic engagement, and redistricting efforts. She has also worked alongside OTTA’s policy analyst, Aashika, to develop redistricting reform policy for the City of San Diego, which received high praise from city councilmembers. She now serves on OTTA's Board of Directors. Beyond her work in OTTA, Leana has aided in research relating to adolescent mental health with the Center for Global Mental Health, stem cell signaling with the Reya Lab at UCSD, and invasive plant species with a local nonprofit in San Diego. Leana hopes to pursue a PhD in Global Health and Medical Anthropology post-graduation. < Back Leana Cortez Board Director Leana Cortez (she/her/hers) is a UC San Diego student studying Global Health and Sociocultural Anthropology. After beginning her activism journey in high school, Leana understands the need for youth power in the sociopolitical sphere. After spending years in the environmental advocacy realm, Leana joined Our Time To Act in October 2021 as Director of Advocacy. As Director, Leana has mobilized many youth for initiatives and projects relating to affordable housing, voting and civic engagement, and redistricting efforts. She has also worked alongside OTTA’s policy analyst, Aashika, to develop redistricting reform policy for the City of San Diego, which received high praise from city councilmembers. She now serves on OTTA's Board of Directors. Beyond her work in OTTA, Leana has aided in research relating to adolescent mental health with the Center for Global Mental Health, stem cell signaling with the Reya Lab at UCSD, and invasive plant species with a local nonprofit in San Diego. Leana hopes to pursue a PhD in Global Health and Medical Anthropology post-graduation. leana.cortez@ourtimetoact.org

< 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

< Back OP-ED: Students are making waves in redistricting. San Diego should listen Tuesday, November 2, 2021 Aidan Lin, Executive Director Students are the future of San Diego. So why does redistricting overlook them? Everyone has heard of the phrase "youth are the future," and it is frequently accompanied by the sentiment that leaders should hold the interests of youth at heart when making decisions. But, as I write in my opinion piece with the San Diego Union-Tribune , when students began to get involved with the City of San Diego's 2020-21 redistricting process, students were not treated as such: At the recent redistricting hearing, Commissioner Fred Kosmo said , “I’m impressed with the college students and their enthusiasm, but a lot of people who have families and jobs — they came out, too. ... You can’t always get what you want, but you get what you need.” This tone-deaf statement implies that students are not employed or do not have families to support — and that affordable housing is not a basic need. Instead, the commission has demonstrated a preference for wealthy, single-family homeowners. Yet [student] voices have been drowned out at redistricting commission hearings. After dozens of students spoke out in special hearings for Districts 1 and 6, organized political insiders in La Jolla, including former council President Sherri Lightner, responded to our concerns by rallying to preserve the status quo exactly as it stands ... To date, the majority of commissioners have demonstrated far more concern for the feelings of these La Jollans than any other community. It is clear that students are not being treated as the stakeholders of the future––or even as community members––that they are often ascribed to be. San Diego Redistricting Commission, take note: students are far from done fighting. www.sandiegouniontribune.com Opinion: The redistricting process is ignoring the needs of UC San Diego students I have seen how my UC San Diego peers are ignored and viewed condescendingly. Next Previous