Louisiana's youth are the future of our state. But nearly 1 in 6 young people between the ages of 16 to 24 in Louisiana are disconnected from both school and work, a population known as Opportunity Youth. Black males are more likely to be disconnected than their white counterparts. Disconnected young women are three times more likely to be mothers. And 1 in 6 disconnected youth in Louisiana live with a disability of some kind.

Louisiana's Opportunity Youth deserve more from our state. Fragmented approaches to youth policymaking have often failed to address all of Louisiana's youth needs. Too many young Louisianans still fall through gaps in the social safety net. Louisiana's young people need policymakers to step up by creating programs and policies that offer pathways to success and economic prosperity for all Louisiana youth.