Sing beyond these walls | Carmen Perez | TEDxIronwoodStatePrison 2014

Carmen Perez is the Executive Director of the Harry Belafonte Foundation. Her work in Santa Cruz with the criminal justice system was well known within the community. She is the founder of the youth leadership group R.E.A.L. (Reforming Education, Advocating for Leadership) and the co-founder of The Girls' Task Force in Santa Cruz County, which is dedicated to improving gernder-specific services to better support all girls in our communities. Carmen was also responsible for developing the idea of supporting youth to speak out about their personal and important issues. She created and supported the "Youth Summit" concept where young people came together to discuss solutions on serious topics such as drug and alcohol reform, detention alternatives, gangs, and violence. Recommendations that came out of the group discussion were often presented and adopted by community and statewide policy makers throughout California.