@ the center of the change.

A World Where Youth Hold the Power

While I was reading these pages about Youth in Action (YIA) I realized how clueless I am about so many things. Every week is an opener for me. I have these mix feelings of being upset about not knowing a lot about youth leadership programs and still work with youth all the long, but also happy that there are so many beautiful projects out there.

I am very excited to watch the lecture on Wednesday and see these closer. I literally smiled all the way through the pages and, for some reason, I was extremely proud of these people although I don't know them yet. My other class with Dr. Bogad, she shared some chapters of her thesis dissertation that talks about youth, power, and privilege. She talks this artificial, forced, and fake concept of teenagers; "the struggle between the social and cultural construction of adolescence through dominant discourses and the very real experiences of youth and adults who live through them" (pg.12). I added and talked on my blog Youth LeaderSHEEP how "different voices carried different weight" (pg.2)- comparing how each culture has a different concept but more important different expectation of adolescent. Unfortunately, the culture of power direct american youth to be vulnerable, fragile, dramatic and voiceless. I love how Adeola A. Oredola says that "A young person who is supported to be powerful will fight to have a say when it comes to their neighborhood. A young person who feels powerfulness will see their environment as something that can't be changed..." and he adds that YIA works hard to promote a new definition of youth (pg. 48,49).

I was just amazed of the work YIA is doing, and how developed mentally and emotionally they are. Then I started to think again on how clueless I am about young leader out there that I decided to make a research and see whats going on. My blog this week is gonna be about other young leaders besides those who we are reading about, and mix their ideas! Sorry, but I am hungry for more!!!

"What adults can learn from kids"

To add to this conversation about redefining youth, please watch this video of Adora Svitak "What adults can learn from kids". She starts her video talking about the word "childish", how people use this word anytime someone acts irresponsible or, she says, "or exhibit any other sign of american citizen". She talks about how this word should be banned and how this is the wrong way to describe how child are. She mentioned later the our "audacity to imagine helps to push the boundaries of possibilities", and this made me think about what Dr. Bogad said something like about relying on what we already know is merely reproducing what we already know, then Nwando Ofokansi mentioned that "at YIA you have the opportunity to define yourself, but that can go against who you have been told" (pg. 49). Adore Svitak finishes it saying "The goal is not to turn kids in your kind of adult, but rather better adults that you have been..." and she my favorite part she added "no matter your position or place in life is imperative to create opportunities to children then we grow up to blow you away". Best thing about is this video was filmed 7 years ago, she gets better and better (watch her 2016).

"My heart lives in this work because I personally knows its impact"

This phrase of Adeola Oredola got me. I don't think I could describe my passion for my work who she did. We all know that I coach soccer and I am very passionate about my job. Last week, talking about this whole youth framework, power and privileges, but more specific about underestimating youth and creating and reenforcing this "teenager mystique". I was thinking about my role as a coach and if I tread my players as a kid. I mentioned to Dr. Bogad how music and sport is very different. How if you expect to play in a high level you start train in young ages, and people expect you actually to act very mature and responsible in the field (or classroom/concerts). Music and sports is definitely something that breaks this wall of adolescents and adults, where if you are skillful there is no age or discrimination, or underestimation towards your ability. In soccer the best players in the world played professional (i.e. with > 19 years old players) since they are 16. Ronaldo the legend of Brazil, played the 1994 world cup when he was 17 years old, and no one looked at him and said "he is teenager, he is dramatic, he is vulnerable, he is...". People probably would mentioned that he was inexperienced, but the expectation TO PERFORM was THE SAME. After that, he became one of the best players in the history.

Adeola Oredola mentioned in the end: "every classroom, household, and community organization should know how to create an environment where youth and adults can work together towards social justice and education for liberation" (pg. 54). I would agree, there is something very special about getting youth in the same level of adults, and receiving lectures of young people and how they see the world. It is a fresh view... In my head I always thought that brilliant young people are just reincarnation of brilliant people (yes, you can laugh, and yes I still believe that..). Perhaps - besides reincarnation- these people had adults who support, believed and created an environment of growing instead of restriction.


To finish, watch these amazing videos. One of them is a video about  Xiuhtexcatl Martinez, he is the director of Earth Guardians . In the video he was 14 years old (you can literally find videos of him at age 6 pretending to read something out of a paper and making a speech about the importance of taking care of his people), he is an indigenous environments activist and rapper.

The second one is about Sirena Huang and her TED talk violin presentation. In the description says " Huang shows great maturity and charm- taking the time to praise the design of the violin". Hm.. maybe she just shows a great violin performance, huh? Amazing one actually... Like any individual in this earth, perhaps youth just need a push to know what their potential is, and from there, they should not be seem as irresponsible or immature.