Youth Infusion

“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!

Youths Are Not Adults’ Sidekicks

Red flags for people of all ages on how to avoid dozens of unconscious as well as intentional behaviors that can sabotage intergenerational collaboration.

By Denise Webb, coauthor of Why Aren’t We Doing This! Collaborating with Minors in Major Ways

When I first became active in my community, I viewed myself as an extension of the adult assigned to me. Everything that I said, did, and acted upon was not my own power or agency, but it was the complete leadership, knowledge, and training that the adult had given to me. As I grew older and joined more school clubs, youth-led organizations, and grassroots efforts, I realized that my knowledge, drive, and my ability to stand up for what I knew was just – was not anchored to an adult. However, so many other youths do not make this discovery until it is too late and they become the adult perpetuating those societal beliefs of power and superiority over younger people.

This sentiment of youth power being tied to an adult is built into our systems, in our schools, and even in “youth-friendly” orgs. For over 5 years, I have had my fair share of being bombarded with blaring red flags from adults that I did not notice until it was too late. I created a handout revealing the red, yellow, and green flags that young people should look out for when searching for work, organizations to join, daily interactions, and anything in between.

Being Pursued

My most brain-stained memory of these red flags was unfortunately recent. A “youth-led” organization was created early 2023 to promote youth power across Metro Atlanta. I was told by one of their adult recruiters to apply but ignored the offer because I already had a lot on my plate. They badgered me with multiple reminders to join. I didn’t realize it at that moment, but they disregarded my schedule and other obligations in my life, suggesting repeatedly that this “youth-led” organization was perfect for me. After I went through the application and interview process, I was accepted. Around this time, I was preparing to study abroad in Costa Rica to learn about environmental sustainability. I let that be known during the interview and was promised my role would be online research.

Are You Kid-ding Me?

The next red flag I immediately noticed was the one of the adult’s language. This organization decided to meet on Zoom once a month while also doing events in person. Even though the age range was 14-22, we were all called “kids”. When introduced to prominent community members, they would say “These are my kids, just out here trying to show them how to do better for their community, ya know?” This language automatically showed their personal hierarchy which adults and young people stand on.

Dismay & Pay

After those awkward interactions with them, I set off for Costa Rica. They let me know my pay and that I would receive it towards the end of each month. All summer long I researched, created flyers, and gave them ideas to enrich the community without seeing any compensation. I emailed them and received no response. Upon returning to the U.S. in August, they told me that I was not technically an “employee” because of some missing paperwork. I was confused because they still assigned me work, and approved what I gave to them. I was missing $1,200 of pay. During this time, I realized all of the blaring red flags from before. I had wished that I heeded the warning signs and not given them the benefit of the doubt. I gathered all of the paperwork they had given me, stating my acceptance, and emails of them thanking me for my work as well as documenting zero compensation. When I presented this to all of the adults, they stopped emailing me and decided that it would be best to continue on the phone and not where a paper trail could be found. At the end of this battle, they only paid me $800 but still used my work as a way to show how well they were teaching their “kids.” This organization was one of the many that helped build up the “red flags” that all young people need to look out for.

Youths vs. Youths

Outside of my own financial and personal struggles with this organization, a bigger one started to form as the months continued. Favoritism. Despite all of the young people starting at the same time and being given the same work, a “tiered” system of youths started to creep out. During our meetings, if you had similar interests to the adults, were more inclined to agree with them, and/or were someone they viewed as valuable, they would often say “Wow you are my favorite you know that?” Yes, in front of the other youths. This created unhealthy competition and strains within the youth bubble. There was no adult ally in these spaces either. Just adults who were more concerned with pushing the agenda that youths are being “heard” around them.

Turning Red Flags Green

In our new book, Why Aren’t We Doing This! Collaborating with Minors in Major Ways, Wendy and I caution adults on how to avoid dozens of unconscious as well as intentional behaviors that can sabotage intergenerational teamwork. One of the many self-aware professionals featured in our book provides this advice.

“You have to get over your stereotypes. I’m big on language. I think the word “kids” infantilizes, especially when we talk about power. I’ve never liked the word “empower.” Who are we giving power to? Everyone has power. Young people have power. Let’s recognize the power and let’s work together.”
Robyn Bussey, Just Health Director with Partnership for Southern Equity

Harmful environments like the organization in question, will be one of the very first “youth-led” spaces where young people will be told they have power. However, saying that and contributing to adultism, decoration, tokenism, and favoritism will push hundreds of youthsout of the youth power movement. This may also cause many to question whether or not young people truly have power.

Achieving respectful and equitable working relationships demand a seismic reorientation. Regular 1:1s that provide opportunities for level-setting and candid conversations are among the critical strategies we present in our book. Frequent interactions not only increase impact but I know firsthand, can be full of joy. One green flag for adults to judge genuine intergenerational synergy is if young people feel comfortable laughing and joking with older colleagues.

Sticking Together

The reason that I have stayed with this organization throughout the hardships is because I am not afraid to push the envelope. Since I am 20 now, I believe that it is time for me to “train” myself to become an adult ally. By being able to stand up and demand structural and systematic changes to this org will benefit many youths to come despite my current discomforts. By promoting a space where youth voices are truly heard, we will be able to turn even the most blaring red flags into something with an emerald green glint.

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

Please Share How You Are Going the Extra Mile!

Additional Reading

Climate Conference No Longer Childless

What can a small organization or mammoth institution learn from the massive youth-propelled climate action movement that demands real decision-making participation?

At the COP27 in Egypt, young climate activists continue to fight efforts to be co-opted [pun intended] by token inclusion by the bloated United Nations bureaucracy. But other advocates have been demanding an inside track and this year’s global conference marks the first time that youth have an official platform.

The new Children and Youth Pavilion is similar to mega-booths by countries to exhibit their green priorities and engage prominent government leaders in policy discussions.

This structural change can be traced to the Paris Agreement Article 12 Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE) which demands countries must empower people to be part of the solution to the climate crisis.

One of the key negotiators believes their Children and Youth Pavilion lays the foundation and “acknowledges power” but she is not naive.

Politicians coming to this space taking photos — not necessarily taking the time to ask what’s going on — are an example of what happens in negotiations when you come to COP.

Halley Campbell, Co-Lead ACE

The uncompromising climate strikers outside COP27 including protestors from the Global South undoubtedly pushed the powers-that-be to provide insider status to what might be described as a more compliant group of young activists.

“We need to create a mechanism of interaction.”
António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations

This reckoning and commitment signal the verdict that adult-run institutions must end the automatic exclusion of an entire segment of the population – especially those under age 18.

Scale, Strategic Savvy + Staying Power

Since the youngest generations rank the climate crisis among their top concerns and they will be impacted for many more years than any other age group, here is one trend line. The scale of their global network, their strategic savvy, and their staying power affirm this seismic shift.

Youth “Competence” is a Game Changer suggests that when adults learn about the civic leadership of individual young people, their attitudes replace tired stereotypes with more positive opinions of Generation Z.

Notice this term appears in this June 2022 article, Climate Competence: Youth Climate Activism and Its Impact on International Human Rights Law.

Children and young people have demonstrated in the sphere of climate activism extraordinary competence in relation to climate science, online activism and media communication . . .They are shifting the human-centric, highly procedural arena of international human rights law towards an approach which better encompasses person-environment connections.
Professor Aoife Daly, University College Cork, Ireland

The Children and Youth Pavilion at COP27 has its own magnetic field that introduces new ways of interacting with people of all ages and positions of power. This intergenerational synergy offers clues to any organization that recognizes this is a win-win for full-scale problem solving.

Additional Resources:

Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE)
Boost Your Org’s Talent Pool
Climate Competence: Youth Climate Activism and Its Impact on International Human Rights Law
Climate Youth Negotiators Programme
COP27 – UN Climate Change Conference
Leading Thinkers Rely on Young Minds
Pew Research Center – Gen Z, Millennials Stands Out for Climate Change
YOUNGO – Youth Constituency of UN Framework Convention on Climate Change