BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Gov. Gavin Newsom is calling on young men to step up in their communities as mentors to address what he calls "an epidemic of loneliness."
"This notion of being seen and heard is profoundly important at a time when people don't feel seen, they don't feel heard, they feel increasingly isolated, they feel increasingly alone," Newsom said.
Newsom is urging 10,000 men across California to volunteer through the California Service Corps and other mentorship programs, encouraging young men to log off the internet and connect in their communities.
Jovon Dangerfield works with Time for Change, a nonprofit that helps youth ages 16 to 24 build life skills. He says while he's optimistic about the governor's efforts, he worries it may only scratch the surface.
"What I'm hoping is that this new initiative will connect deeper. That's been the problem throughout the years — the gestures are great, but from a governmental level, it's hard to see what really happens in these cities," Dangerfield said.
"They need to take us deeper into the cities — into the alleys, into where these parents live, into southeast Bakersfield, into Oildale — where statistically, youth are struggling," he said.
Rising suicide rates highlight crisis
A Kern County report in 2023 revealed child suicide rates jumped 60% between 2017 and 2021.
Dangerfield believes that's tied to society spending more time online, leaving young people disconnected and desensitized to violence.
"Death is bad. Killing is bad. We're losing our sense of that. And if we don't find it again, more people are going to die," Dangerfield said.
Newsom pointed to the recent death of Charlie Kirk, suggesting the alleged shooter's actions were linked to young men's declining mental health.
"And so much of that is manifesting and motivating online in very profound and consequential ways. Last week only underscored that further," Newsom said.
While Dangerfield believes there is more work to be done outside Newsom's initiative, he says his mentors inspired him to be a better person.
"When you know somebody loves you — I mean, you can see my sweater, right? I hope you can see it. When you love somebody and you show them that love, it changes their life, bro," Dangerfield said.
Dangerfield encourages young men to seek out mentors and for others to step up as role models. He says sometimes, it's as simple as sitting down with someone, listening, and letting them know they matter.
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