Rich City Rides outlines paid youth fellowship, seeks partner slots for second cohort

Gabriela “Gabby” (Rich City Rides), the Richmond Rising Youth Fellow program manager, told the collaborative the youth fellowship provides paid training and community outreach experience tied to Richmond Rising projects. The second cohort is scheduled to start in April and end in March 2027.

Gabby said the program’s goals are to equip young people with workforce skills and to have fellows serve as outreach ambassadors for Richmond Rising projects. "The youth fellows are really at the forefront of sharing the information about our TCC projects," she said.

Malia Reeves (community organizer, Rich City Rides) and Gabby described eligibility and workplace requirements: fellows must be 16–25 years old; the 16-year minimum reflects employment onboarding and school work-permit requirements. Pay is $25 per hour for about 10 hours a month. Required trainings include modules on climate equity, Richmond Rising projects, community engagement and organizing; fellows will host bike rides, lead tabling and perform resident interviews.

Staff emphasized partner collaboration: organizations in the collaborative are prioritized to request fellows, and partners were asked whether they can offer shadowing, professional-development or placement opportunities. Gabby and Malia said organizations may request fellows for outreach activities aligned with project-area neighborhoods (Iron Triangle, Santa Fe and Coronado). The team will circulate application flyers and a QR code for signups.

Next steps: staff said they will publish application materials (English/Spanish) and send updated slides and budget numbers to the committee before the next meeting.