Originally inhabited by Native Americans and settled by Euro-Americans during the 1840s gold rush, West Sacramento’s rich delta soil and location at the forks of the American and Sacramento rivers quickly established it as an agricultural and commercial hub. The city of West Sacramento incorporated in 1987 and today is one of the fastest growing cities in California, with a population expected to double in the next 20 years.  A cosmopolitan city, thirty percent of West Sacramento’s residents are Latino/a and nearly thirty languages are spoken among its diverse global population.  Yet despite its growing business and residential sectors, a quarter of West Sacramento families live below the Federal poverty line.  In parts of the city, youth lack safe places to play, access to public transportation, and after-school opportunities.  Teens growing up in theses areas experience street violence, drug dealing, and other barriers due to language and culture. West Sacramento teens have expressed the need to connect with adults in order to improve the neighborhood conditions that affect their lives and create opportunities for their future.