Students enjoying a performance by Yes Yes Please

Over 300 Orange County high school students attended the day-long conference, becoming empowered to create positive change

OC Human Relations, an organization working to eliminate prejudice and intolerance, hosted its annual “Walk in My Shoes” Youth Conference for the first time since 2019, bringing together high school students from across the county for the day-long youth leadership conference. Over 300 students had the opportunity to interact with other individuals from across the county by attending workshops to explore issues of identity and culture, develop their leadership skills and observe examples of successful youth activism. Most importantly, students walked away empowered to create positive change.

“All day we had workshops addressing a variety of issues to help students think about how they can make their community more inclusive and create more of a sense of belonging among their peers,” said OC Human Relations CEO Alison Edwards. “We are so excited for the return of this conference and to see these young people taking powerful strides to create change regarding issues they face in their daily lives.”

“Walk in My Shoes” is part of the organization’s school inter-group relations and violence prevention program, also known as BRIDGES. For over 30 years, Orange County schools have faced experiences that have prompted administrators and teachers to contact OC Human Relations to help build inter-group communication, cohesion, and a sense of community on their campuses.

“This conference is a great opportunity for all students to participate in and learn about a variety of issues impacting our community,” said Vianny Cuevas, a local student. “Through it, I’ve learned how to be proactive instead of reactive when facing various situations, and I really enjoyed getting to choose which workshops to attend throughout the day.”

OC Human Relations (also known as the Orange County Human Relations Council) provides award-winning inter-group and violence prevention programs in schools and conflict resolution programs and inter-group relations initiatives in communities all over Orange County.

To learn more about OC Human Relations, visit ochumanrelations.org.

About Orange County Human Relations Council (OC Human Relations)

For 30 years OC Human Relations Council (OC Human Relations) has informed and shaped systems toward building a mutual understanding among residents to create safe, inclusive communities free from violence, discrimination, harassment, and intergroup conflict. The mission of OC Human Relations is to foster mutual understanding among residents and eliminate prejudice, intolerance, and discrimination in order to make Orange County a better place for all people to live, work and do business. OC Human Relations brings people together to create safe and inclusive schools and communities, develop diverse leaders, give a voice to those who don’t have a voice, and mediate conflict. OC Human Relations has established trust with multiple stakeholders and institutions, engaged in long-term partnerships, and responded to the needs of the community related to human dynamics, human relations, and building community. As such, we have become leaders in convening, facilitating, and training and are increasingly called upon as content leaders. Today, OCHR is the leading Orange County expert in mediating conflict and in delivering diversity and inclusion programs, through four core programs across the county: BRIDGES Safe and Respectful Schools, Restorative School Program, Community Building, and Dispute Resolution.

Alison Edwards, OC Human Relations CEO, making opening remarks for Walk in My Shoes Conference

Human Relations Student Ambassadors making opening remarks for Walk in My Shoes Conference

Local students engaged in a workshop 2

Local students engaged in a workshop