"If you ask Jodeah Wilson how his life got off track, he'll say it's all about money. He needs money for November rent. He also needs money to pay back the tuition he owes for the spring semester at Sacramento State University, which would allow him to re-enroll. Until then, he's stuck in limbo. "All I need is a goddamn job so I can pay this off myself," he said. But it's been months and so far, he's still unemployed."
"To state leaders and researchers, though, it's more than just money. California has nearly 500,000 young people ages 16 to 24 who are in the same predicament, neither working nor in school. Finding them a job is part of the solution, but it goes much deeper than that. Many are struggling socially and emotionally, too, making it even harder to move forward."
"Men are particularly at risk. In July, Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order to address "the alarming rise in suicides and disconnection among California's young men and boys." It's a "crisis," Newsom told former President Bill Clinton in an interview at the Clinton Global Initiative last month. "Look at the dropout rates. Look at the depths of despair. Look at the issues around loneliness. Look at every critical category. It's just blinking red lights for young men.""
About 500,000 Californians aged 16 to 24 are neither working nor in school. Many lack money for rent and tuition, blocking re-enrollment and employment prospects. Financial strain compounds social and emotional challenges, making job search and educational return difficult. Men face higher risk, with rising suicides and social disconnection prompting a gubernatorial executive order. Political engagement strategies that speak to young men are cited as one approach, with debate over partisan outreach and neglected needs. Individual stories show persistence despite barriers, repeated job searches, and stalled progress while months of unemployment prolong instability and debt.
Read at Los Angeles Times
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