Axel Pecero on Fatherhood, Advocacy, and Building Community

About JBAY and the GuestsWhat JBAY does as an advocacy organization (not direct service)JBAY's work on state policy and budget investments for youth homelessnessHow both Simone and Brandon started in direct service before moving to advocacyWhat is HHAP?Flexible local aid administered by California Department of Housing and Community DevelopmentFunding goes to 58 counties, 14 largest cities, and 44 homeless Continuums of Care (CoCs)The "secret sauce": 10% youth set-aside policy requiring minimum funding for youth servicesWhy young people don't get served without designated funding requirementsThe Major Success: 24% Reduction in Youth HomelessnessYouth homelessness dropped from 13,000 to 9,900 (2019-2024)Unsheltered youth homelessness dropped even more sharply by 42%Over 50,000 young people served by HHAP to dateThis happened while overall CA homelessness increased 24% and national youth homelessness increased 11%How Different Communities Used HHAPLA invested heavily in rapid rehousing (one-third of statewide spending)Santa Clara County adjusted allocations year-to-year based on community needs27% of grantees invested MORE than the required 10% in youth servicesRural communities built youth homelessness infrastructure from nothingImportance of COCs, cities, and counties coordinating servicesThe Current Funding CrisisHHAP absent from 2025-26 state budget for first time since 20192026-27 budget promises $500 million (half of previous $1 billion)Youth funding would drop from $80 million to $40 million annuallyFederal cuts compound the problem (HUD capping permanent housing at 30%, YHDP renewals now competitive)Unknown priorities of next California governorWhy Young People Are VulnerableCoordinated entry systems prioritize chronic homelessness and comorbid conditionsYouth who bounce between housing situations don't get prioritizedYouth homelessness is less visible than adult homelessnessWithout set-aside policies, youth generally won't be served when funding is tightPath to Functional ZeroWhat functional zero means: homelessness is rare, brief, and non-recurringCalifornia is trending toward functional zero for youthNeed sustained funding to maintain progressRisk of reversing the 24% reduction without HHAPData and ChallengesPoint-in-Time (PIT) counts are undercounts but useful for year-to-year comparisonsCOVID-era data limited because PIT count wasn't requiredNeed more sophisticated tracking of recidivism and long-term outcomesCommunities should track whether people maintain stable housingLocal and Philanthropic OptionsLA's Measure A could supplement HHAP if it includes youth set-asideCommunities should advocate for youth-specified funding locallyPhilanthropy can help during rough patches but isn't sustainable long-termGovernment's role to sustain homelessness response systemHow to Take ActionJoin JBAY's advocacy coalition for sustained HHAP investmentWrite letters and meet with state senators and assembly membersAttend Sacramento hearings and provide public commentAdvocate on social media and talk to mediaContact federal representatives about cutsAdvocate for youth set-aside policies in local investmentsEnsure advocacy comes from across California, not just major citiesKey statistics24% reduction in youth homelessness in California (2019-2024)42% reduction in unsheltered youth homelessnessOver 50,000 youth served by HHAP to date27% of grantees exceeded the 10% youth funding requirementYouth funding at risk of dropping from $80 million to $40 million annuallyWebsite: jbay.org Report: "Investing in Impact: How State Investment Reduced Youth Homelessness in California"

Episode NotesThis week on Young People at the Front, Tonny, Robin, and Fatine open with banter about meeting your younger self. Then, Tonny sits down with Cutter Palacios, an actor, intimacy coordinator, and mental health educator whose story rewrites what survival, resilience, and belonging can look like. Cutter moved to Los Angeles at 19 with $500, a dream, and nowhere to go. For two and a half years, they lived out of a compact SUV — sleeping beside a fire station in Burbank, brushing their teeth at Starbucks, and chasing auditions between shifts at Canter’s Deli. What started as survival became a study in self-sufficiency and courage — and ultimately, a search for community that would lead to an unexpected place: the kink and sex-positive world of Threshold.In this candid conversation, Cutter shares how that world became a lifeline — not just a place of sexual exploration, but one of trust, structure, empathy, and belonging. It’s where they met their first roommate, found affordable housing, and eventually helped lead and found new organizations like The Next Generation Los Angeles (TNG-LA), a free, sliding-scale community space for 18–35-year-olds exploring consent, identity, and connection.Tonny opens up too, reflecting on his own experience navigating youth homelessness and the quiet shame that can come with survival. Together, they dismantle stereotypes, redefine what “home” really means, and explore how unconventional spaces from dungeons to diners  can become sanctuaries for healing.It’s a vulnerable, funny, and radically compassionate episode about finding your people, claiming your story, and remembering that community real community is always a little inconvenient.Topics Discussed in This Episode“If you could meet yourself at any age…” — a banter that turns surprisingly therapeuticCutter’s move from Texas to Los Angeles at 19Living out of a Chevy Blazer, brushing teeth at Starbucks, and chasing auditionsThe invisible face of youth homelessness in LATonny shares his own experience surviving in his car while attending culinary schoolThe turning point: discovering the Threshold communityHow sex-positive and kink spaces became a lifeline for belonging and supportFounding The Next Generation Los Angeles (TNG-LA)Community as inconvenience — why showing up mattersBreaking stigma around “van life” and redefining homelessnessHow kink culture models consent, care, and mutual trustMental health, identity, and finding balance in the entertainment industryThe four pillars of human need: belonging, independence, generosity, and competencyFrom isolation to partnership — Cutter’s reflections on love, safety, and purposeWhat “home” really means when you build it yourselfConnect with Cutter Palacios@TNGLosAngeles — The Next Generation LA LinktreeMental Health Resources: Association of Mental Health Coordinators

Axel Pecero, Is a young advocate and father hailing from San Pedro, CA, serves as a dedicated advocate for foster youth. Currently an advocate by California Youth Connection (CYC). Axel is deeply committed to empowering and uplifting his community. He is pursuing his education at Los Angeles Trade Technical College, striving to expand his knowledge and skills. With a passion for entrepreneurship, Axel aspires to establish his own businesses in the future, aiming to create opportunities for himself and others.Currently: Axel has been held at the Adelanto ICE Processing Center in San Bernardino County since his August arrest.The 25-year-old former foster youth and father, who was brought to the United States from Mexico as a small child, is being held at the Adelanto ICE Processing Center in San Bernardino County and faces possible deportation. This episode was recorded a couple days before Axel got detainedEpisode Notes:Favorite Place in San Pedro: Axel shares his love for Palms (White Point Royal Palms), describing it as a beautiful ocean-facing spot where he spent significant time as a teenager. He contrasts San Pedro's sheltered culture with Los Angeles.Childhood Memories and Early Experiences: Axel recalls working for his uncle's business, Smoothies by the Yard, selling candy apples for $9 each. They bond over karaoke favorites and discuss local San Pedro rappers including Ramble, T Mac, Cash, and Miguel.Transition to Homelessness: Axel shares his journey from kinship care at 16 to homelessness after losing his job and savings. He describes living in various encampments including tents, RVs, and under bridges, emphasizing how community members supported each other.Finding Stability Through Education: Axel explains how enrolling in school and securing housing through LA Room and Housing helped him achieve stability and begin rebuilding his life.Advocacy Work Begins: Axel describes being hired as a Juvenile Justice Task Force liaison for California Youth Connection (CYC), marking the start of his advocacy career for foster youth rights and policy reform.Mental Health and Self-Care: Tonny and Axel discuss mental health management which involves painting, and rapping. Axel reveals his overprotective parenting style shaped by his own experiences and the importance of balancing advocacy with personal wellbeing.

On this weeks episode guest host Robin sits down for a conversation with Sofie, parker, and dwight to talk about the direct cash transfer pilot program in Oregon. For Context Oregon ranks third nationally in youth homelessness (1,315 youth) despite small population Nationwide youth homelessness increased 10% in 2024Program StructureOregon provided $1,000/month for 24 months plus a one-time $3,000 enrichment fund to 120 young people (ages 18-24) experiencing homelessnessOptional supportive services ("plus" component) included case management, job counseling, and financial planningKey OutcomesHousing: 91% stably housed by program exit; homelessness dropped from 30% to 9%Income: Average monthly income increased 235% (from $614 to $2,059)Employment: Full-time employment rose from 16% to 24%Parents: 25 participants living with their children by program end (up from 19)Participant Profile60% female, 32% queer, 43% Native American or Native Multiracial61% had been homeless for 1-4 years42% had high school diplomas, 40% did not complete high schoolChallenges$1,000/month insufficient to cover rent alone (Portland median: $1,380 for 1-bedroom)54% felt uncertain about maintaining housing after program endsLow participation in optional group servicesTransportation and childcare cited as major employment barriersEvery $1 invested in supportive housing saves $3.30 in shelter, healthcare, and criminal justice costs

The team kicks off with classic YP2F banter—Tonny, Robin, and Fatine swap summer stories, argue about when “summer actually ends,” and debate the best concerts of their lives. From Beyoncé at SoFi to Oasis at Wembley and a Big Sur camping trip gone slightly wrong (watch out for wasps), the crew ends up reflecting on what makes live experiences so transformative: connection, community, and the memories that outlast the season.Then, Tonny sits down for a deeply personal, expansive conversation with Dr. Eric Rice, a leading researcher in youth homelessness and social networks, formerly of USC and now at UNC Chapel Hill.Eric traces his journey from DJ and record collector to social-work scholar—sharing how music, belonging, and compassion shaped his career. The conversation unpacks how youth experiencing homelessness build resilience, navigate relationships, and find community—even in the most unstable conditions.Tonny also opens up about his own story—how survival, stigma, and self-compassion intersect—and the two reflect on the ways belonging can literally change a life. The episode moves from vinyl records to HIV prevention, from MySpace to AI, and always circles back to the human need to connect.It’s an hour that feels like both a case study and a heart-to-heart—rooted in sound, story, and solidarity.Topics Discussed in This EpisodeWhen does summer actually end?The best concerts of everyone’s lives (Oasis, Beyoncé, Wembley vs. SoFi)Tonny’s obsession with drum corps and the Gay Men’s ChorusRobin’s London concert adventure and the magic of public transitDr. Eric Rice on his journey from funk DJ to youth homelessness researcherHow volunteering at My Friend’s Place changed everythingMusic, community, and belonging as forms of healingThe reality of youth homelessness—beyond stereotypesSurvival, resilience, and self-compassion in hard timesEarly HIV prevention work and the evolution of PrePThe rise of social media (from MySpace to TikTok) and connection onlineBelonging as the cornerstone of solving homelessnessTonny and Eric’s shared reflections on recovery, purpose, and finding your peopleConnect with Dr. Eric RiceCurrent: Professor, Associate Dean for Research and Director, USC Center for AI in SocietyResearch: Youth Homelessness, Social Networks, Public HealthFeatured in: YP2F Zine (Belonging issue)

Episode NotesHost Tonny St. James sits down with artist, organizer, and consultant Amanda Nicholson to unpack the realities of navigating homelessness during the COVID-19 pandemic—and the urgent need to rebuild systems with dignity at the center.Amanda shares her journey from couch surfing in high school to surviving homelessness in San Diego and Los Angeles, and how those lived experiences fueled her transition into grassroots advocacy, workshops, and consulting. Together, they explore the failures of housing programs that label people “service resistant,” the challenges of navigating dehumanizing social systems, and the radical possibility of harm reduction, rest, and direct cash support as tools for true transformation.This conversation is as much about survival as it is about vision: what it means to claim humanity in spaces that erase it, and how art, organizing, and unapologetic truth-telling can spark systemic change.Topics Discussed in this EpisodeNavigating homelessness in San Diego vs. Los Angeles during COVIDHow Project Roomkey closures exposed systemic crueltyWhy “service resistant” is a damaging and false narrativeThe role of art, consulting, and research in shaping advocacyHarm reduction principles beyond substance use: dignity, rest, and autonomyTokenization vs. authentic inclusion of lived experience voicesRebuilding social safety nets from scratch instead of reforming broken systemsThe promise of direct cash transfers and affordable housingConnect with Amanda Nicholson:Clear Path NYC: clearpathnyc.org

YP2F: The New Deal to End Youth Homelessness — with Josh Kogan & Aurora HiggsEpisode NotesTonny sits down with Josh Kogan (Director of Public Policy) and Aurora Higgs (Associate Director of Communications) from Away Home America to talk about their New Deal to End Youth Homelessness—a bold, nationwide policy roadmap built by and for young people with lived experience.Together, they break down what it means to organize across states like California, Texas, and North Carolina; how storytelling transforms policy; and why belonging, faith, and fear all shape the systems we’re trying to change.From Josh’s journey out of conservative ministry into policy advocacy to Aurora’s insight on trans leadership and building authentic coalitions, this episode shines a light on what real transformation looks like—from congregate shelters to cash transfer programs, from performative “reform” to radical belonging.It’s a grounded, hopeful conversation that reminds us: ending youth homelessness isn’t just policy work—it’s people's work.Topics Discussed in This EpisodeThe team’s second-favorite L.A. cities (and why it’s always Pasadena)Dexter O’Connell’s “second-favorite animal” meeting icebreakerWhat Measure A and “La Casa” actually fund in L.A. CountyAway Home America’s New Deal to End Youth HomelessnessHow Aurora & Josh built a cross-state advocacy tour (CA | TX | NC)Policy change: federal vs state vs local impactThe power of staffers on the Hill and relationship-building in DCFaith, fear, and the courage to unlearn harmful theologyWhy trans and LGBTQ+ leadership matters in housing justiceStorytelling as policy — how data + emotion change hearts“Trash & Treasure”: identifying good vs harmful state policiesBuilding the New Deal’s five pillars: housing | family | economic | immigration | transformative justiceCreating a movement led by youth voice—not prescriptive reformFinding hope, humor, and karaoke in the workConnect with Away Home America🌐 awayhomeamerica.org — Main site📘 awayhomeamerica.info — Read The New Deal to End Youth Homelessness📱 Instagram: @TheRealAwayHomeAmerica

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Iziaih ChoquetteOn Youth Power, Systems Change, and Building a Future Beyond SurvivalIn this energizing conversation, host Tonny St. James is joined by advocate, consultant, and community leader Iziaih Choquette (they/them) to kick off Season 3 of Young People at the Front (YP2F).Iziaih shares their journey from navigating youth homelessness in the Midwest to becoming a statewide and national voice for systemic change. With humor, candor, and unapologetic fire, they reflect on what it means to be “booked and blessed,” the struggles of tokenization, and how young people are reshaping advocacy from boardrooms to the White House.From astrology to activism, this episode highlights Isaiah’s multi-hyphenate path: consultant, organizer, researcher, and relentless truth-teller. Together, Tonny and Iziaih unpack adultism, radical imagination, and the ongoing fight to create systems rooted not in crisis response but in dignity, equity, and care.Topics Discussed in this EpisodeGrowing up in Nebraska and finding voice through advocacyWhy many young people never envision life past 21—and why that mattersEntering advocacy through housing instability and systemic barriersAdultism, tokenization, and how young people are leading real changeThe importance of redefining youth homelessness and prevention systemsLessons from Vienna’s social housing model and international approachesBalancing purpose, mental health, and community in advocacy workRadical good vs. radical hate: imagining new futuresConnect with Iziaih Choquette:LinkedIn: Iziaih ChoquetteCalifornia Homeless Youth ProjectInstagram: @Iziaih 

Everyone favorite youth homeless policy podcast is back! Hosts Tonny St. James, Robin Petering, and Fatine Ait Haddou return to the studio to launch Season 3 of Young People to the Front. In this trailer, the team reflects on past seasons, new upgrades, and the mission ahead: amplifying youth voices, lifting up advocates in Los Angeles and beyond, and highlighting the stories behind their zines and community work. Expect fresh conversations, fun banter, and a season packed with impact.