Miguel Avila Torres

Miguel Avila Torres was born in Mexico and grew up in Oakland’s Fruitvale neighborhood, which he still calls home. At Youth ALIVE!, Miguel is Youth Alive!’s Relocation Coordinator. Miguel started as a Pathways Program Intervention Specialist, mentoring young Oaklanders who have experienced a period of incarceration, or who are at risk of academic failure and exposure to violence. “You have a lot of youth that are raised with a lot of trauma on many levels,” says Miguel, “within the family, on the streets, and on social media. They don’t have a lot of people talking to them about alternatives.” Miguel knows the power and grace of having a mentor. “I believe in the power of mentorship,” he says, “and the power of somebody believing in you.” Inspired by a community college professor, Miguel decided to transfer to UC Berkeley and earn his Bachelors degree in Ethnic Studies in 2018. Now at Youth ALIVE!, Miguel believes in providing mentorship, guidance, and support to the Oakland community. His lived experiences make him passionate about bringing visibility, alternatives, and awareness to the issue of gun violence that marginalized youth of color face on a daily basis in Oakland.