Legacies of Resistance Summit 2026

Legacies of Resistance Summit 2026 is a FREE day-long dynamic space for folks of all ages to learn how family and community history can be used to improve mental health and break the school-to-Pr*son pipeline. Our programming will focus on teaching unknown family and community history, introducing innovative strategies to use history to combat cycles of violence, and encouraging attendees - especially individuals and organizations connected to vulnerable youth - to take action to interrupt the school-to-Pr*son pipeline. We will be hosting it at the Los Angeles Public Library on Friday May 15th from 9am to 4pm, with catered lunch and swag bags provided to all registered attendees. The summit is generously supported by CalMHSA's Take Action LA 2026 and Blue Shield of California Foundation.

About History Reimagined, the organizing project behind the Summit:

History Reimagined is a program designed to connect at-risk youth with their own family and community history. Studies have shown that when youth know more about their family and community history, they are more confident and resilient in navigating this world. But for youth who are vulnerable to the school-to-Pr*son pipeline, these vital stories are often erased in history textbooks, gate-kept by family or school staff, or inaccessible to the public. Since 2017, History Reimagined's goal has been to make these stories accessible, and to teach youth how they can use family and community history for identity-building, self-advocacy, and cycle-breaking. Our 30-hour program teaches youth helpful tools for mindfulness and self-regulation, family and community history research, storytelling and expression, and advocacy and leadership. Combined with workshops and training for their community (parents, family members, teachers, school staff, neighbors, social workers, and anyone who plays a role in the pipeline), we prove that stories of generations passed can serve as protective factors for generations to come.

Info: Our check-in table will be outside the gates on 5th St that lead into the courtyards and Taper Auditorium. If you're unsure which gates they are, they are next to the Metro Bike Share rack and directly across the stress from the US Bank Tower.

Info: Taper Auditorium. Please ask our volunteers or LAPL staff members for assistance if you need help finding this space.

Info: Taper Auditorium. Please ask our volunteers or LAPL staff members for assistance if you need help finding this space.

Info: Sessions will take place in the Taper Auditorium, Meeting Room A, and Meeting Room B. LAPL staff will lead the 4th session, which will include a tour of various spaces in the library.

Info: Catered lunch will be provided in the lobby outside the Taper Auditorium, and seating is available in both courtyards. Food and beverages are not allowed anywhere inside the Library. The Resource Fair will take place in the Rotunda on the 2nd floor.

Info: Sessions will take place in the Taper Auditorium, Meeting Room A, and Meeting Room B. LAPL staff will lead the 4th session, which will include a tour of various spaces in the library.

Info: Taper Auditorium. This panel aims to explore how trans and gender expansive youth navigate identity and resilience in the absence of traditional support systems. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of how chosen family and community function as protective factors for mental health and well-being. The session will highlight the role of storytelling in reclaiming identity and interrupting cycles of harm. Attendees will also leave with practical tools and perspectives for supporting trans youth in ways that foster safety, connection, and long-term resilience.

Info: Taper Auditorium. This keynote is not just another lecture on making good decisions; it's a reflective journey that encourages youth to look inward, to understand themselves, their aspirations, and the unique hurdles they may encounter along the way. We'll explore the importance of embracing discomfort as a catalyst for growth, of stepping out of comfort zones to seize opportunities, and of learning from failure as a pathway to success. Together, we'll redefine bravery not as the absence of fear, but as the willingness to act in spite of it.

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Host or Publisher History Reimagined