Diana Fu: Estuary Youth Council Cohort fosters young Bay area environmental leaders

Editor’s note: this content is adapted from an original blog post by Diana Fu, and information on the Estuary Youth Council website. 

In 2023, Diana Fu created the Estuary Youth Council through her work at the San Francisco Estuary Partnership. This boundary-pushing initiative is designed to empower and support youth from marginalized communities in the San Francisco Estuary region to become influential leaders in the planning, management, and decision-making of the estuary.

Youth learn about the Estuary through hands-on learning experiences like field trips, are provided with leadership and professional development opportunities that prepare them for environmental planning and management careers, and make a real impact on environmental issues currently faced by the San Francisco Estuary and its communities by working in teams to brainstorm, plan, and complete original capstone projects during the duration of the program.

The 2025 program will be a hybrid program from June - December 2025, offering a small cohort of nine youth hands-on learning experiences, small group mentorship, professional development, and the chance to work on impactful capstone projects addressing critical environmental challenges faced by the San Francisco Bay and Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. 

The Estuary Youth Council program is facilitated by the San Francisco Estuary Partnership in collaboration with a Community-Based Organization (CBO) Advisory Committee, including Mycelium Youth Network, Nuestra Casa, and Restore the Delta. These partners play a vital role in shaping, implementing, and evaluating the program while hosting youth participants at their organizations.  

Learn more about the council by visiting their website.