2028
Conference Detail Coming Soon

Be RELEVANT 2028

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In 2016, Club Stride held its first youth-centered candidate forum — the first event of its kind in Vallejo in more than 25 years. That forum created space for young people to hear directly from candidates running for City Council and Mayor, ask questions about the issues shaping their lives, and begin seeing themselves as part of the democratic process.

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Since then, Club Stride has continued to build on that foundation through civic education, youth voice, and community-centered engagement. As we look toward the 2028 election cycle, Club Stride is preparing to expand this work through the Be RELEVANT Conference, a youth-centered civic experience designed to ensure that young people are not treated as an afterthought in public life, but as essential voices in shaping the future.

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The 2028 Be RELEVANT Conference will bring together high school students, young adults, public officials, candidates, community leaders, educators, businesses, and civic partners for a conference experience unlike any traditional political event. Rather than simply asking young people to listen, Be RELEVANT will invite them to question, create, discuss, document, and participate.

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Through civic media, issue-based discussions, youth-led storytelling, candidate engagement, and interactive learning experiences, participants will explore the public issues that affect their communities and learn how civic decisions are made. The conference will create opportunities for young people to connect directly with leaders seeking office and those already serving in city, county, state, and federal roles.

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Be RELEVANT is part of Club Stride’s broader commitment to civic renewal — increasing the scale, impact, and equity of civic engagement in Solano County and beyond. Our goal is to make civic education more experiential, more accessible, and more connected to the real lives of young people, especially those who have historically been underrepresented in democratic spaces.

At the center of the conference is one core belief: young people are not future leaders only — they are civic actors now.

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Club Stride is preparing for Be RELEVANT 2028 as a space where youth voice, public leadership, and community responsibility meet. Students will be treated with dignity, visibility, and care. They will have opportunities to engage with decision-makers, build confidence, understand public issues, and see their ideas as part of the civic record.

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By bringing young people, public officials, candidates, and community partners into the same room, Club Stride hopes to strengthen relationships that last far beyond one election cycle. Be RELEVANT 2028 is not just about voting. It is about belonging, voice, power, and preparing the next generation to help shape the communities they call home.