Ely Flores
Ely Flores is a LA CAUSA YouthBuild participant from the Class of 2005. The program is a part of YouthBuild USA, an entity employing and educating youth in 273 programs across the United States. Raised by a single mother in poverty, Ely faced a number of life challenges. He became involved in a gang lifestyle, initiating violent acts and lost in the midst of crime. The justice system came into his life and disciplined him with multiple incarcerations, house arrest, and ridiculous hours of community service. But what they forgot to include in their discipline was love.
Eventually, Ely became involved in a YouthBuild program and describes the experience as follows:
"When LA CAUSA YouthBuild came into my life, at the age of 17 when I was facing three years of prison and about to be a father, they embraced me with love. Never was I reminded of the crimes I committed in the past, but rather I was directed towards the changes I was going to make in the future. A space was created for me to find self-discipline and positive leadership. These traits have taken me to places I had never imagined."
Soon after graduating from the program, Ely embarked on a mission to spread empowerment to other youth through working with multiple nonprofit organizations. Over the past four years, he has contributed to major changes in the jail system of Los Angeles County, travelled to many states training others on the basis of community organizing and social justice, organized and coordinated numerous youth empowerment conferences around the nation, consulted for nonprofits to improve their youth development components, and was even named a Youth Ambassador For Peace by the Youth Federation For Peace on a recent delegation trip to Israel.
