![]() Contacting their mentor and fellow activist, Michael Skolnik, we invited the group to join us at a juvenile hall. When the ‘March For Our Lives’ high school shooting survivor/activists’ “Road To Change” tour was announced to be in Los Angeles over the summer, we were compelled to bring these two populations together to amplify the voices of our young people and ensure the student activists would hear their stories. The students shared with us that they were inspired to elevate the way they see themselves and the impact their actions can have to shape the future for themselves, their families and communities.ĭeeply inspired by the engagement, insight and wisdom generated from our young people, we were motivated to make sure their voices continued to be heard. Together, they created protest signs for the first time, with the prompt, “My Vote Is”, empowering them to use their voices, even while still incarcerated. With an arts-based workshop and supported discussion, we worked to educate our incarcerated youth with the facts and history of voting, to support their process in becoming active citizens on the political/ social issues affecting them and their communities. ![]() Their experiences of systemic violence and incarceration are needed in the youth movement to make our communities safer, for everyone. Filling in the gaps of information they had heard about the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida, we reminded them that they are the most valuable, unheard voices in the national youth uprising. We recognized that our young people had little information about the power of their vote. Through our new social justice organization, Creative Acts, we have created a stage for incarcerated youth to reshape their narratives using the power of their voices and experiences to become creative and civic leaders. 19 workshops + 662 young people ages 16 – 18 + 86% of eligible voters voting in the primary elections of June 2018 = MISSION ACCOMPLISHED. ![]()
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