Wendy S. Lesko

How to Avoid Mistakes with Staff Who Work with Young People

Imagine this scenario: You’re preparing to deliver a presentation to the senior executive team or Board of Directors. You’re likely running through a practice session, making last-minute tweaks to your slides, and bracing for tough questions.

Now, picture a different audience—25 teenagers you are meeting to invite into a policy advocacy campaign. Beyond the logistical headaches, your attention shifts to designing the opening minutes to set everyone at ease and introducing the issue in a captivating way. Then comes the carefully planned yet flexible choreography of interactive activities, culminating in actionable next steps. Ideally, you would co-facilitate with a young person, dedicating ample preparation time to create a participatory atmosphere with the right balance of content and hands-on action.

Unlike a pitch to your colleagues, where even lukewarm reactions are manageable, presenting to teenagers can feel like performing as a comedian whose jokes fall flat.

As Crystal Oceja with Bridges USA and Stand for Children Tennessee explains:

“The adults approach you with no authoritative energy. They are very open. They are cool. They check in. They don’t force you to do anything.”

Skills Learned + Earned

Most professionals—especially policy experts—rarely interact with young people in their workplace. This disconnect often prevents them from fully appreciating the skills required to engage with youths. This gap in understanding extends to teachers, school counselors, social workers, YA librarians, and others. With over 70 million people under 18 in the U.S., only about 2.5 million individuals hold specialized degrees in youth work from higher education institutions.

The skills needed to work with young people are unique, distinct from those of parents or authority figures. Building trust and rapport at the initial make-or-break stage is crucial. It often requires embracing radical ideas and patiently discussing proposed programs, services, legislation—even those proven ineffective. One invaluable skill among these staff is what I call “a third ear.” This heightened listening skill goes beyond hearing, delving into curiosity and imagination, encouraging even the most timid young people to open up and share. It’s rare for such open dialogue to happen naturally, especially in intergenerational settings. One test is when young people laugh and joke alongside adults decades their senior, erasing hierarchical barriers.

Take Carolyn Cox, who runs a Medicaid-supported program in Washington that trains and pays young people to become certified peer counselors. One Board member aptly describes her unique talent:

“Carolyn creates this aura because young people know she really lets them be themselves, lets them feel, and lets them speak.”

Working with teenagers—whose primary job is school and who often juggle family responsibilities—requires artful agility. Consider a 16-year-old managing health issues while preparing for an interview with a reporter. The pressure of deadlines and anxiety might make them want to quit. Supporting them through such challenges takes patience, empathy, and flexibility.

How Not to Undermine These Specialists

One of the most challenging aspects of this work is the lack of appreciation and respect from colleagues and/or executives. I recall a senior writer at a major magazine once commenting that I looked like a camp counselor because of my neon orange t-shirt, which featured a design created by a 17-year-old for our nonprofit’s national (victorious) grassroots campaign. This dismissive remark stung, reflecting the pervasive attitude that do not value those who collaborate in the new level of co-piloting with teens.

Just as professionals must go the extra mile to gain the trust of young people, senior leaders should invest effort in understanding and recognizing the adults who work with them.

Plates are spinning in dozens of directions. For example, multiple campaigns involving hundreds of teens with the Kentucky Student Voice Team, which boasts impressive achievements in data analysis and policy advocacy. It’s co-founder and managing director Rachel Belin emphasizes that their co-designed work is “an art, not a science” and carries a “mental load” magnified by the actual and perceived legal liabilities of working with minors.

To recognize and respect these professionals, organizations can adopt intentional strategies, including

Allow flexible schedules to accommodate late afternoon and evening meetings, trainings, one-on-ones as well as weekend activities;
Assign a senior level staff person to act as a consistent liaison for those working directly with young people;
Seek technical assistance to help HR develop protocols for working with minors;
Include these employees who typically are low-level or junior staff in decision-making processes, validating their roles rather than sidelining them;
Consult these staff on how, not if, young people can be integrated into more organizational operations;
Ensure fair compensation for these youth specialists to reduce turnover and maintain the trust built with the youth cohort;
Encourage ongoing professional development through trainings, conferences, and networking opportunities that will help make youth representation the norm in nonprofits and government agencies.

At its core, the essence of this work is simple yet profound: genuine R-E-S-P-E-C-T.

Share Your Experiences + More Info

Photo Credit: UP for Learning

Booster Shot for Health Advocates

By Wendy Schaetzel Lesko

When it comes to the universe of health advocacy organizations, government agencies and private foundations, expertise is off-the-chart. One significant gap however is the first hand experiences and insights of those young people currently using services and equally crucial, those who cannot obtain vital information or access needed health care. Symbiosis between the professionals and those under age 18 holds the possibility of significant breakthroughs.

“We don’t want to lose them to CVS!.”

-Michele Perlman, Assistant Vice President for Education and Training, Community Health Network

Let’s look at the diabetes epidemic and tooth decay. Denise Webb, now age 20, with whom I proudly and joyfully co authored Why Aren’t We Doing This! Collaborating with Minors in Major Ways, are five decades apart and our lives are vastly different.

Both of us have battled against the predatory marketing practices by the behemoth beverage industry. While working with the Youth Activism Project, I collaborated with a diverse cadre of teens including one with diabetes. They demonstrated unique influence capturing media attention and had irreplaceable impact with elected officials that resulted in a county ordinance restricting the sale of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) in vending machines.

Denise has sharpened her toolkit of skills during the four years she has worked part-time with the Partnership for Southern Equity (PSE). The Oral Health Disparities Project ranks as one of Denise’s most meaningful efforts with this nonprofit that is also the headquarters for Coke Cola.

Encourage These Experts to Challenge

Thinking back to her childhood, she reminisce about “ walking to the convenience store for that absolutely favorite 99 cent peach soda.” Collaborating with PSE Just Health Workgroup, the professionals make certain their teen colleagues are not token advisors. The result is genuine intergenerational interdependence. For example, Denise and other Youth Staff pushed back on the plan by the communications staff to create social media flyers, Instagram live broadcast, etc. Instead they developed an alternative photovoice strategy in specific neighborhoods which became an effective digital campaign. From fun in-person interviews to heart-breaking community documentaries, the input of the young advocates shaped and propelled the way adults viewed health equity and policies in communities.

Data collection was another core deliverable of this Oral Health Disparities grant and the Youth Staff were credited with adding another survey question: “Do you live near a convenience store?” The responses revealed glaring differences between zip codes which informed the Workgroup’s recommendations to address both dental disease and food deserts. Denise emphasizes that this health issue would not be on “Teens’ Top 10 Concerns” but the sincerity and reliance of the professionals were what unleashed her passion to apply their own lived experience and 21st century skills.

Our Youth Staff are not an afterthought, not our guinea pigs or focus group. They are in the work and I’m really excited about that.

– Robyn Bussey, Just Health Director with Partnership for Southern Equity

Multiple strategies to recruit those most impacted and furthest from power along with numerous approaches regarding onboarding, one-to-ones, compensation and other essential intergenerational commitments are described in our 160-page book. Also, don’t miss Denise Webb’s five-minute speech at an international health conference in Catalytic Credibility + Clout of Young Advocates/.

Photo credit: Partnership for Southern Equity

Catalytic Credibility + Clout of Young Advocates

“Check out”what’s happening in Libraries

“We are hearing the important word “co-design” more as libraries are designing programs “with” teens, not “for” them. Instead of planning first and bringing the teens in later, teens are given a seat at the table from the beginning. Libraries are going into communities and building relationships with trusted messengers, and if the goal is to develop programming for teens, then teens need to be among those trusted messengers. This movement reflects a larger trend of a ‘with them’ practice.”

This paradigm shift is described by Shari Henry, previously Director of Democracy and Community Impact with the Urban Libraries Council and who now works with the largest library system in Virginia. In addition to maximizing the impact of youth services, co-piloting with teens plots future directions for libraries and diversifying the career pipeline.

Instead of libraries becoming obsolete institutions, some innovative practices of inclusion are gaining traction.

Another visionary in the library universe is Liz McChesney, National Summer Learning Association Senior Fellow. She reviewed Why Aren’t We Doing This! Collaborating with Minors in Major Ways which I co authored with Denise Webb, now 20. McChesney says

“This practical and easy to use guide gives actionable examples of how to include youth and co-design for authentic engagement. This is a must read for all those who want more inclusive and equitable programs and services in their libraries that are designed with youth instead of for them.”

Prof. Anthony Bernier at California’s San José State University School of Information continues to push and prod libraries to move beyond traditional youth development framework. I am proud to have contributed a chapter in his book, Transforming Young Adult Services. I’m even prouder to share his review of our book..

In an inspiringly accessible narrative voice, Why Aren’t We Doing This – teaches the topics and addresses the concerns skeptics simply accept to justify why incorporating young people is just too hard.

Webb and Lesko illustrate how it’s not.

Their well laid-out Table of Contents usher readers through six logical arguments and strategies for disrupting legacies that exclude youth through inducting and infusing youth into the operational and strategic fabric of our organizations. Along the way Why Aren’t We Doing This shares real-world insights from their interviews as well as offers practical resources, such as the “Ladder of Real Vs. Token Youth Participation,” to help guide organizations away from superficial manipulations of young people through to genuine influence and power enhancing collaborations.

That said, as someone who teaches youth service professionals, I particularly appreciate the detailed content about appropriate on-boarding, coaching, and co-piloting techniques leading to authentic youth influence building.

Libraries = Community Hub!

Join Our National Hub!!

Join with other youth practitioners from many different sector in our online exchange about individual and institutional change to co-create with this demographic that is essential to innovation in every community. “Check out” Youth Infusion HUB @ LinkedIN.

Photo: El Gabilan Library – Salinas, CA

Catalytic Credibility + Clout of Young Advocates

The most eloquent and knowledgeable experts cannot compete with the likes of Denise Webb. Her wisdom shines in the book we co authored Why Aren’t We Doing This! Collaborating with Minors in Major Ways. Denise’s activism started at age 15 and five years later, she still is working part-time with a dozen other youth staff at the Partnership for Southern Equity in Atlanta.

Denise represents the next frontier of youth engagement where organizations go beyond focus groups and advisory councils. There is no substitute for ongoing substantive teamwork – especially those directly impacted – in deliberating together about policy solutions and also participating throughout the decision making process.

Raw reality combined with irrefutable statistics are on center stage when Denise Webb spoke to a huge audience at the 2024 Plenary Session: Advancing Whole Health hosted by the Professional Society for Health Economics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR).

Her words hold so much gravitas and deserve repeated reading. Here are several excerpts from her opening speech.

I am a statistic.
I am one of 500,000 people in Georgia who have lived in low-income spaces.
I am one of 700,000 people in Georgia who has severe asthma.
I am one of 36,000 youth who went through homelessness during K12 career.
I am one of the millions in Georgia who are also part of health and nutrition deserts.

…For my senior year of high school I spent it in a hotel. Living in that hotel eating sandwiches from charity buses, eating frozen food just to warm up, and staying in that small room with no transportation so I was basically stuck and my mental health hit so hard..I remember not wanting to have a future… I didn’t care about wheezing because I couldn’t afford medicine for my nebulizer. I realized that you cannot worry about your health if you cannot afford to fix it.

So I ask all of you, there are people in the community who don’t have PhDs, don’t have Masters degree, high school diploma or Bachelor’s and they are living the exact same issues that we are talking about. Today I urge you to find a Denise – not this Denise sitting on a stage in a suit – but the Denise living in the hotel, the Denise that didn’t want to go to school, and struggling. Think about what’s actually happening in your community and use your resources to help.

Here are a few reasons to embed people like Denise into your organization’s public policy work.. Included are page references to our book.

NEW CONSTITUENCIES REPRESENTED
Young people can mobilize their peers who usually are invisible and if invited, can direct their voices to the powers-that-be. Denise and I describe dozens of recruitment strategies (pp. 90-101). Also, youths can tap their community connections that may include aunts and other family members, faith leaders and neighborhood groups which strengthens the advocacy engine.

2. PIN DROP PHENOMENON
Young people possess outsize influence to capture the attention of decision makers. Denise is living proof how “lived experience” gives a human dimension to data that can be unforgettable. Unlike lobbyists and other professionals, young advocates often attract media coverage which in turn can pressure policy makers to take action.

3. RENEWED PROFESSIONAL PASSION
Our age-segregated society means most professionals, especially senior leaders, do not interact with young people as colleagues. Embedding a cohort of youths in the policy team can reenergize staff and add “joy” which can counter burnout (pp. 33-34)..

4. DEMOCRACY DROPOUT PREVENTION
Real world experiences such as advocating to a city council, school board, planning commission, etc. during the formative teenage years can make a lasting imprint. Collaborating with adults in an organization committed to inclusive and democratic practices holds the promise of lifelong civic engagement where it is the norm for those not old enough to vote to have a seat at the table.

Concrete Impacts

POLICY WIN: Having formal leadership roles for high school students on the Advocacy Committee and other Committees of the Rhode Island Civic Learning Coalition is credited with the victory to increase K-12 funding to $1 Million in FY 2022 (p. 27)..

POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE EXPERTS: “The experience of being in conversation with young people is truly changing the adults’ perspectives of their value to the movement and solidifying a greater commitment to it because they are hearing constantly about why it matters so much from young people.” – Arielle Jennings, Executive Director (p. 27)

POSITIVE IMPACT ON YOUTHS: “At the Rhode Island Civic Learning Coalition, I could share my opinion freely and we could have a conversation. It’s such an inspiration for youth when we are actually working with older people so wise who listened and worked as allies and as friends and as colleagues rather than sitting and waiting for our turn to speak.” – Athena Holloway (p. 83)

Follow Denise Webb on LinkdIN where you can also watch her presentation

Boost Your Advocacy Engine

My job as a community organizer and then as a reporter covering the US Congress are the roots of my dedication to civic participation, especially those more impacted and furthest from power. More recently I have two decades under my belt working with both young activists as well as nonprofits resulting in the passage of county ordinances, state and federal legislation. Check out my coaching services.

Voting Rights Victory Lessons

When only 3 percent of voters cast ballots in the nonpartisan local school board elections, that’s a failing grade. This negligible turnout in Newark, New Jersey means the top education decision makers have little reason to listen and respond to their constituents. And there is another systemic problem. How many adults – including parents – have a deep understanding of what’s happening inside the schools? Certainly teachers do, but students have firsthand knowledge about curricula and testing, as well as nonacademic problems such as freezing classrooms and school lockdowns.

Two students from different high schools, Yenjay Hu and Anjali Krishnamurti, discovered they had the same idea that those who spend over 36 hours a week in the classrooms deserve to weigh in on decisions made by their school board. They connected online through Generation Citizen’s Vote16USA and soon they co-founded Vote16NJ. This initiative is a major step beyond a single nonvoting student representative on a school board that is often viewed as a token position.

Meanwhile, Micauri Vargas, Associate Counsel of the Democracy & Justice Program with the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice was contacted by Vote16NJ and that is how she learned about this student-led initiative. She then began her legal analysis that determined solid State Constitutional footing to expand voting rights to 16- and 17-year-olds for local school board elections.

Building an interGEN Coalition

Vargas, who describes herself as a “junior attorney” got the green light to work on this campaign even though there was no specific funding allocation. Typical of many legislative campaigns, the behind-the-scenes work can be slow but once the stars align, immediate action is needed before the political universe changes. While the NJ Institute, NAACP and other orgs worked their connections, Vargas kept in frequent contact with Vote16NJ and also connected with other local youth-serving organizations to broaden the faces of this movement.

Lowering the voting age to 16 is one of the best issues to consider how you view teens and their competence. Everyone who does this 15-minute exercise debating the pros and cons and shares how their thinking evolved with me via text (301-785-1702) or wendy@youthinfusion.org will get a FREE copy of our 160-page book,“WHY AREN’T WE DOING THIS! COLLABORATING WITH MINORS IN MAJOR WAYS,” coauthored by 19 year-old Denise Webb.

Three years later, 12th grader Hu describes the unanimous vote by the Newark City Council as “surreal” and knows the legal expertise and political connections of this intergenerational coalition were essential. Often, organizations keep the non professionals on the sidelines but Krishnamurti , now 18, grins while describing Vargas as

“absolutely amazing…she genuinely wants the voices of young people and views us as equals and as her colleagues.”

Micauri Vargas describes the student activists as

“my partners and that there is a mutual teaching element but there is a difference if they have not entered the working world.”

The easy rapport and frequent exchanges (Zooms and informal meetings) provided the on ramp for “tough conversations” ranging from strategic moves such as who is standing on the podium. This campaign reveals the predictably complex dynamics between teen activists who have a handful of free hours each week and professionals who devote many hours a day and how youths and adults alike successfully navigate the steep learning curve.

With voting rights under attack, the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice could have decided not to prioritize youth suffrage but recognized Vote16 builds lifelong habits of civic engagement and extends representation to those directly impacted. Anjali Krishnamurti says “It took a lot of courage for them and I remember Micauri thanking the NJISJ CEO for ‘believing in me and to take this leap of faith.’”

The upcoming school board election is fast approaching. Implementation of this city ordinance will require all hands-on-deck with legal experts working on registration and ballots along with young activists, teachers and community-based organizations co-creating plans so that 7,000 students become aware of their eligibility to vote. This historic win may cause older voters to be more aware of this election and increase turnout above the abysmal 3 percent. This interGEN coalition represents the powerful impact when people of all ages work together to confront the challenges of today and tomorrow.

A Few More Takeaways

Create coalitions that always include young people
Students in the 9th and 10th grades are an ideal age because they have years – not a few months – to organize and advocate
Be intentional about recruiting young people from all backgrounds to ensure broader representation
Junior level staff need the support of senior leadership
1:1 meetings keep young people in the loop and avoid misunderstandings
Everyone’s knowledge is respected, regardless of age or background.

Extra Info

Join our LinkedIn Group to participate in this and other conversations!

Why Are Adults Like This…When They Were All Young Once!

Guest Author: Addie Lentzner

When I was 13, I had no idea that I had a voice. I accepted my schooling situation as out of my hands, I thought my life was basically being decided for me at that point. Little did I know that I would soon find out the opposite, and make it my mission to ensure other students know what I learned.

The first step in this youth infusion journey was starting an anti-racism group at my school. Seeing daily microaggressions, coming to understand systemic racism, and feeling as though schools didn’t teach an accurate and inclusive curriculum compelled me to do this. With apprehension, I wrote to my principal, and to my surprise she approved the club. I didn’t know students had that authority! But I still didn’t see myself as an equal to the adults in the room. Even starting a statewide group didn’t convince me that students are and should be the experts…I still felt as though I was under the authority of people based on age.

Voiceless to “Having a Say”

Then COVID-19 hit, and I got frustrated and dismayed. Adults weren’t listening to our needs – we were asked to continue doing loads of homework while facing a literal pandemic, as well as a racial justice reckoning. Where was the equality, as we all sat on our Zoom screens with our cameras off, the teacher the only one with it on? How was this seen as okay?

Working As Equals with Adults

The transformation came when I was 16. Craving an outlet for my disillusionment with the education system, I came across Our Turn. Our Turn is a national nonprofit working to uplift student voices in the fight for education justice.

I started as a Communications Fellow, and soon transitioned to Executive Fellow, where I worked with the CEO. I found myself amazed: I could text the CEO, an adult, and pitch an idea that he would actually consider! I had weekly meetings with adults on the team who took me absolutely seriously. I was able to work on projects, such as reports, as an equal partner with an adult, and I spoke at panel events as the only youth…but was respected completely.

This was, at the very least, a paradigm shift. I began working closely with adults in my day to day life, working one on one with professors and teachers, and overall seeing myself as an equal. After all, we’ve all been youth once, it’s ridiculous that adults feel as though younger people shouldn’t have a voice. In fact, I soon became the Executive Director of a completely youth run organization with a staff and board composed of mostly people under age 22. This was also a paradigm shift.

I found my voice, and I found the truth: youth should be equals. I understand that adults have years of wisdom and experience, I’m not trying to discount that. I’m only saying that young people should be given a seat at the table – heck, they should be at the front of the table in conversations that are about their own education.

But many youth don’t know the highly suppressed secret of their power. Instead, youth are forced to sit behind Google Meets screens or at desks, neglect what they’re passionate about, and feel the inequalities of the world coming down on them. How is this fair?

Youth inclusion and infusion can radically change inequities . . .

Bringing students of color, low income students, LGBTQ+ students, students with disabilities, and other too often unheard of students to the forefront can alter the systems of society. If youth who experience inequities are able to lead nonprofits, assist in government, and make important decisions…we will truly change things.

I would like to live in a world where all young people have an equal voice, an equal say. I urge adults to begin walking the talk and giving youth the attention and space they deserve to make a difference. And youth, I urge you to not be afraid to speak out. I was afraid at first, but once I did it, there was no going back. Youth voice is a powerful tool, but it’s only truly powerful if we all are included.

Learn More . . .

Study Our Turn and their Student Agenda
Check out redlining and other initiatives of Vermont Student Anti-Racism Network

Share other organizations engaged in interGEN work at our LinkedIN Youth Infusion HUB

Our Invite to “Collab”!

“Collab” is one of the most popular words of post-Millennials, according to the authors of Generation Z, Explained: The Art of Living in a Digital Age

While now it’s collab, I have two decades experience with its ancestor, collaborating, and with teens, or minors – those 17 years and 364 days and under. The rich experiences and major triumphs I attribute to these teen partnerships continually fuel my personal growth and commitment for radical youth infusion. When I reflect on these mutual mentoring experiences, I am reminded how much I still have to learn. The uniqueness of each experience, the singular nature of every youth-adult partnership, make for a varied and exciting pathway toward impactful interGEN interdependence.

My latest collaboration started in 2021 as a conversation and grew into a book, the Youth Infusion Hub and a deep collaboration with a remakable teen – Denise Webb.

She is one of two dozen teens who work in different capacities with adult-run organizations, and my research at the time sought to gain insights about the good, the bad and the ugly. A few emails and Zooms and Denise and I realized that our bigger philosophies met in a shared vision for our future where teens contribute meaningfully to organizations large and small. We had the opportunity to examine and apply the ins and outs of interGEN collaboration ourselves as we documented ways organizations are collaborating with minors in major ways, and how it can be done in any organization. This project that became Why Aren’t We Doing This! Collaborating with Minors in Major Ways showcases Denise’s insights and her remarkable ability to meet deadlines between classes and a long list of other commitments and responsibilities.

We hope the stories, quotes and strategies we present will spark every group of people to look around and recognize that without youths, something is missing — irreplaceable insights, intelligence, intuition and the ideas of young generations.

We provide reasons why, techniques how, and commitments to supporting youth infusion. Nineteen year-old Denise invites everyone to consider opening their mind and inviting teens to be key and critical partners:

“Let us build and revise systems that have torn you, me and the people before us down. Join us. Have us on your team.”

Our book is the starting point. To boost momentum, we created a Hub and provide resources for infosharing. Now more than ever, we need you, regardless of age or position.

We invite you to . . .

Tell us what topics from our book you want expanded on or suggest new angles of interGEN collab
Submit a guest blog to wendy@youthinfusion.org
Check out our cadre of interGEN collaborators
Sign up for our biweekly updates with tactical tips and that feature the innovations of others
Participate in the Youth Infusion Hub to grow and enrich our interGEN knowledgebase and support the community by sharing your lived experiences and expertise.

Together we can work as a team. When we exchange different approaches to youth infusion, individuals and institutions all benefit!

Courtroom interGEN Camaraderie

How often does a lawsuit with 16 plaintiffs between the ages of 5 to 22 get noticed? News outlets from CNN to the front page of The Washington Post signal the historic nature of a trial centering on the climate crisis. The ruling prioritizes a child-first orientation and human rights obligation reflecting the Constitution of the State of Montana that “The state and each person shall maintain and improve a clean and healthful environment in Montana for present and future generations”.

U.S. District Court Judge Kathy Seeley in her 103-page decision found that

“young Montana residents have experienced past and ongoing injuries resulting from the State’s failure to consider [greenhouse gas emissions] and climate change, including injuries to their physical and mental health, homes and property, recreational, spiritual, and aesthetic interests, tribal and cultural traditions, economic security, and happiness.”

If upheld by the Montana Supreme Court, it will reverse a recently passed state law that prohibits state agencies from considering the impact of global warming and pollution during the permit process for fossil fuel projects.

Eva, one of the plaintiffs, says

“I’m so speechless right now. I’m really just excited and elated and thrilled. I cannot believe the ruling. I’m just so relieved. I feel so grateful to have worked with every single person who has been involved in this. Everybody from Our Children’s Trust is just amazing. They’re all so wonderful. And I have so much love and appreciation for the other youth plaintiffs because they’re just so fantastic and such wonderful people. And we together have done this amazing thing and it’s just so wonderful.”

The camaraderie evident between the attorneys and other young plaintiffs also is happening now in Hawaii, Utah, Virginia and other states. This rare courtroom collaboration is captured in the superb Youth v. Gov documentary about the pending Federal youth-led lawsuit. Check out of our blog from a year ago that highlights two candid moments in the film which showcase genuine intergenerational interdependence. These clips will make your heart sing!

Learn more:

Unlock Knowledge of Those Impacted by the Juvenile Justice System

What happens when authoritative energy is replaced by authentic intergenerational symbiosis.

“The real crime lies in how society views us.”

This indictment by a young individual cited in a report by the Shelby County Youth Council in Memphis stings because it is true.

Activists of all ages in Shelby County have no illusions about dislodging deep systemic racism but they demonstrate increasing impatience about how minors are mistreated in the largest county in Tennessee.

Salina Shamsuddin with the Youth Justice Action Council did not mince words with me when talking about how grownups need to behave.

It’s oppressive to call us children and kids because it has a negative connotation that is not empowering to us so we’d like to be referred to as youth … Catching them [adults] and standing up for ourselves is one of the biggest things that work and people really understand they cannot treat us like this anymore.

The Youth Justice Action Council (YJAC) centers its work on those impacted by the juvenile justice system in Memphis. At age 14 Crystal Oceja, whose “brother didn’t get treated with humanity,” helped develop 10 legal demands in its “Break the Chains” written petition and rap version. YJAC used these specific demands in its campaign to defeat the District Attorney and Juvenile Court Judge who tried many Black and Brown youth as adults.

Following this victory, the Youth Justice Action Council hosted a forum for the newly elected Judge, DA and law enforcement. In small groups, two YJAC members shared their firsthand stories about the juvenile justice system and one of the other Council members facilitated. Adults were told not to interrupt or interrogate. Another one of the facilitators, Milana Kuma emphasized

… the need to center on the experiences of systems impacted youth as opposed to just recommendations. It’s harder to invalidate when they [DA and others] are faced with the trauma they have caused and cannot distance themselves.

Marshawn Jenison, 16, summed up: “I feel good about actually being heard. Nothing negative back. They are trying to understand how we really feel and what is really going on.”

One Youth Justice Action Council representative serves on the five-member Shelby Countywide Juvenile Justice Consortium, all appointed by the Mayor. This is not a token position. In fact, this rep and the YJAC have credibility and clout plus strong rapport with the adult members.

I don’t think we’ve ever made a decision that has not had a youth voice…They are our checks and balances. We are really led by them.
Rebecca Davis, Chair of Countywide Juvenile Justice Consortium

The Youth Justice Action Council is sponsored by Stand for Children Tennessee, which advocates for racial justice and improving public education. A 100-year-old organization in Memphis, appropriately named Bridges USA, lives and breathes by its deep commitment to youth-adult equity. Crystal, now 16, captures this rare intergenerational symbiosis.

The adults approach you with no authoritative energy. They are very open. They are cool. They check in. They don’t force you to do anything.

There’s a bit of disbelief that systemic change can actually happen. Even with the horrific murder by police of Tyre Nichols, the recent election fuels the determination of these young advocates erase the superpredator view that Mike Males debunks in The Terrifying Plunge of Youth Crime published at YouthFacts.org.

Recap:

Bridges USA

Countywide Juvenile Justice Commission

Shelby County Youth Council Youth Voice Report

Stand for Children Tennessee

YouthFacts.org

Youth Justice Action Council

Photo Credit: ABC24

Vital Responses to “Youth Voices”

How decision makers can go the extra mile by listening to those under age 18 and then take action.

Community listening sessions and summits held by policymakers can provide valuable clues about systemic problems and generate pragmatic remedies. If ideas receive a perfunctory thank you and no followup discussion occurs, the lack of response can cement cynicism.

“Youth voice” is today’s mantra for encouraging teens to speak up but this high school student expresses deep frustration felt by many aspiring change agents.

“I think the biggest challenge we face is not being heard. I have encountered adults who ask us what is wrong or what do you need, and they say ‘I hear you.’ But they don’t do anything. It’s a fake presence. It’s fake love. ‘I’m here for you,’ but not really”. – Keyon Williams, Anacostia High School
Source: Whose responsible for D.C. violence? Ask the youths closest to it. Courtland Milloy, Washington Post 1/17/23

Decision makers have a tough job being responsive to the multitude of grievances and solutions offered by people from all walks of life. The powers-that-be have to go the extra mile to keep the dialogue going with people under age 18 because most of these non-voters don’t see the value in sharing their insights because their ideas are not valued.

Premeditated Inclusion!

Intentional commitments and accountability are essential to replace performative acts of youth engagement. This is new and not easy. We are watching events unfold in Rhode Island with the hope that this time serious and sustained collaboration with public school students happens. Specific advice is noted below that is relevant to any adult-run organization that is ready to engage in radical inclusion with those most impacted and furthest from power.

The newly elected Mayor Brett Smiley pledged to address the ongoing crisis of the Providence Public School District that continues to be under state control. During his first week in office, he held a three-hour education listening session. This forum can be seen on the UPriseRI channel.

Smiley’s opening remarks thanked parents, teachers, advocates and many policymakers for participating in this event. Make sure to mention the primary stakeholders – those who spend 35 hours a week in the classroom.

Following breakout sessions, each group reported highlights of their discussion. Often at many public hearings where decision makers look at their cell phones, engage in side conversations or leave the room. Mayor Smiley appeared attentive during the presentations by Jayliana and Kim, two high school students pictured above.

Several Recommendations

MENTAL HEALTH – redirect the funds earmarked for police in schools to provide more support for counselors

ADA – install ramps in schools and do not require a doctor’s note for a student to use an elevator

AFTER SCHOOL LEARNING – provide stipends and advertise these opportunities

DISTRICT-WIDE STUDENT COUNCIL – identify and address disparities and “center youth voices, reach out to youth and tell them that we’re here to listen”

The friendly MC for this first event held by the Mayor praised the students for sticking to the time limit and urged the other breakout groups to follow their example. Not a single word was uttered by anyone on stage about the substance of the issues they raised. Decision makers have to go out of their way to prove they are listening and hearing what young people are saying and then they must promise to wrestle with those ideas. Students, who decide to invest their time and expertise, have to be met with genuine respect and open minds.

Prior to this Education Workshop, the Mayor received a letter of demands by the Providence Student Union. One might think this youth-led advocacy organization would have given up on the powers-that-be and they even use the words “multi-generational collaboration.”

We at the Providence Student Union believe in multi-generational collaboration. Improving our school system cannot come at the expense of those currently attending these spaces every day and cannot happen without working together with those who hold various roles in our community.
Providence Student Union letter to Mayor Brett Smiley

Will the Mayor and his administration commit to a timetable?

Will he announce concrete steps to put in place a structure in response to these two specific proposals for a district-wide student council and a working group with all stakeholders?

Will students be involved in designing how these groups will operate?

Will there be dedicated staff to communicate and convene regularly with these groups?

Will there be workshops where the adults and students create norms that ensure everyone shares the mic and is on an equal footing?

Heed the advice of this recent Providence Public School District graduate who is one of my best teachers:

Why do adults ask us to be open-minded when they don’t rethink what they believe? – Milly Asherov, Classical High School Class of 2022 and long-term leader with the Providence Student Union

Author: Wendy S. Lesko

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