The culture is changing in Chicago – for the better. The Youth Leader Activation Summit recently occurred on the West Side of Chicago. It featured youth speakers, interactive activities, and an opportunity to network with like-minded peers. Intended for Chicago’s youth ages 14-19, the summit empowered participants to identify community problems, take actions to solve them, and ultimately impact their communities in a positive way.
The atmosphere in the room was invigorating and ignited a fire for change, and, most importantly, hope that the future is in good hands. The renowned Q&A panel about how to solve community issues featured inspiring youth: Makayla Acevedo, a representative for Southside Together Organizing for Power (STOP); Davonte Dudley, a representative of Root2Fruit, an Austin community organization; Lee Nah, a Healing Arts Chicago Fellow, and Devine Valdez, a CPS Local School Council representative. Together, these powerful youth highlighted their missions behind their work, which encouraged the audience to be agents of change in their own respective communities.
“There’s a lack of collaboration, and in our communities, everyone fends for themselves,” Dudley stated. “If we all had a community mindset, we would be able to help each other a lot more.” His words ring true indeed, and youth such as himself will continue to make a change in their respective neighborhoods, working to create a better Chicago.
This guest post is in partnership with True Star Media.