[Music]
[Music] [Applause]
twenty-eight years ago countries from
twenty-eight years ago countries from across the blow gathered to declare that
across the blow gathered to declare that
across the blow gathered to declare that you have a right to participate in any
you have a right to participate in any
you have a right to participate in any matter or procedure affecting their
matter or procedure affecting their
matter or procedure affecting their lives for me
lives for me
lives for me participation isn’t just about showing
participation isn’t just about showing
participation isn’t just about showing up it’s about having authentic roles and
up it’s about having authentic roles and
up it’s about having authentic roles and making meaningful decisions when we
making meaningful decisions when we
making meaningful decisions when we think about the places that you
think about the places that you
think about the places that you typically inhabit schools
typically inhabit schools
typically inhabit schools community-based programs our families
community-based programs our families
community-based programs our families our youth encouraged to take authentic
our youth encouraged to take authentic
our youth encouraged to take authentic roles are they even allowed to make
roles are they even allowed to make
roles are they even allowed to make meaningful decisions
meaningful decisions
meaningful decisions research shows that youth voice and
research shows that youth voice and
research shows that youth voice and decision making is a powerful agent for
decision making is a powerful agent for
decision making is a powerful agent for youth development that it strengthens
youth development that it strengthens
youth development that it strengthens the organizations that serve youth and
the organizations that serve youth and
the organizations that serve youth and that it helps to foster democracy for
that it helps to foster democracy for
that it helps to foster democracy for nearly three decades of working with
nearly three decades of working with
nearly three decades of working with young people I’ve seen the power and the
young people I’ve seen the power and the
young people I’ve seen the power and the benefits of youth voice and
benefits of youth voice and
benefits of youth voice and participation at neutral zone a youth
participation at neutral zone a youth
participation at neutral zone a youth driven teen center where I’ve served for
driven teen center where I’ve served for
driven teen center where I’ve served for the past 12 years I’ve seen young people
the past 12 years I’ve seen young people
the past 12 years I’ve seen young people stop start and run a publishing company
stop start and run a publishing company
stop start and run a publishing company throw a large outdoor scale music
throw a large outdoor scale music
throw a large outdoor scale music festival collaborate on our
festival collaborate on our
festival collaborate on our organizations strategic plan and serve
organizations strategic plan and serve
organizations strategic plan and serve on our board of directors and by the way
on our board of directors and by the way
on our board of directors and by the way they make up nearly half of our 30 board
they make up nearly half of our 30 board
they make up nearly half of our 30 board seats Auliya showed up at the neutral
seats Auliya showed up at the neutral
seats Auliya showed up at the neutral zone when she was 13 and she quickly got
zone when she was 13 and she quickly got
zone when she was 13 and she quickly got involved in many of our youth driven
involved in many of our youth driven
involved in many of our youth driven programs
programs
programs she found a powerful outlet for her
she found a powerful outlet for her
she found a powerful outlet for her voice in volume or spoken word poetry
voice in volume or spoken word poetry
voice in volume or spoken word poetry program her mighty poems ranged in
program her mighty poems ranged in
program her mighty poems ranged in topics from being a Palestinian in a
topics from being a Palestinian in a
topics from being a Palestinian in a post-911 world to coming to grips with
post-911 world to coming to grips with
post-911 world to coming to grips with the recent death of her mother she
the recent death of her mother she
the recent death of her mother she joined our music programs where she
joined our music programs where she
joined our music programs where she helped to manage youth on records the
helped to manage youth on records the
helped to manage youth on records the very first independent youth led record
very first independent youth led record
very first independent youth led record label in the country one day she and her
label in the country one day she and her
label in the country one day she and her friend Martin came up to me and said hey
friend Martin came up to me and said hey
friend Martin came up to me and said hey John
John
John teens run everything here at the neutral
teens run everything here at the neutral
teens run everything here at the neutral zone but we don’t run the studio what’s
zone but we don’t run the studio what’s
zone but we don’t run the studio what’s up with that
up with that
up with that well I agreed and dedicated to helping
well I agreed and dedicated to helping
well I agreed and dedicated to helping them make a change we found a group of
them make a change we found a group of
them make a change we found a group of college students who helped them write a
college students who helped them write a
college students who helped them write a business plan and then we put together a
business plan and then we put together a
business plan and then we put together a group of friendly potential investors
group of friendly potential investors
group of friendly potential investors and we let Martin and alia make their
and we let Martin and alia make their
and we let Martin and alia make their pitch well guess what they raised over
pitch well guess what they raised over
pitch well guess what they raised over $30,000 we completely remodeled our
$30,000 we completely remodeled our
$30,000 we completely remodeled our studio and we launched a new youth
studio and we launched a new youth
studio and we launched a new youth enterprise at the neutral zone the
enterprise at the neutral zone the
enterprise at the neutral zone the orpheum a youth led studio wouldn’t it
orpheum a youth led studio wouldn’t it
orpheum a youth led studio wouldn’t it be amazing if every young person had
be amazing if every young person had
be amazing if every young person had opportunities for voice like alia did
opportunities for voice like alia did
opportunities for voice like alia did think about how they could develop and
think about how they could develop and
think about how they could develop and thrive if they had those kinds of
thrive if they had those kinds of
thrive if they had those kinds of experiences but most young people don’t
experiences but most young people don’t
experiences but most young people don’t consider schools places where young
consider schools places where young
consider schools places where young people feel little investment and no
people feel little investment and no
people feel little investment and no voice in fact they don’t think much
voice in fact they don’t think much
voice in fact they don’t think much about their school climate either but
about their school climate either but
about their school climate either but who has the most to gain when school
who has the most to gain when school
who has the most to gain when school climate is positive and the most to lose
climate is positive and the most to lose
climate is positive and the most to lose when it is negative and as a majority
when it is negative and as a majority
when it is negative and as a majority population within our schools don’t they
population within our schools don’t they
population within our schools don’t they have a right to be at the table when
have a right to be at the table when
have a right to be at the table when we’re coming up with decisions around
we’re coming up with decisions around
we’re coming up with decisions around school climate well a recent statewide
school climate well a recent statewide
school climate well a recent statewide project showed that this approach has
project showed that this approach has
project showed that this approach has promising results it involved the 22
promising results it involved the 22
promising results it involved the 22 lowest performing high schools from
lowest performing high schools from
lowest performing high schools from across the state of Michigan the focus
across the state of Michigan the focus
across the state of Michigan the focus was on creating safe and supportive
was on creating safe and supportive
was on creating safe and supportive schools not on raising test scores not
schools not on raising test scores not
schools not on raising test scores not on meeting state benchmarks and
on meeting state benchmarks and
on meeting state benchmarks and interestingly enough student involvement
interestingly enough student involvement
interestingly enough student involvement was required of these school reform
was required of these school reform
was required of these school reform efforts after three years 65% of the
efforts after three years 65% of the
efforts after three years 65% of the school showed a significant increase in
school showed a significant increase in
school showed a significant increase in school safety and of these schools they
school safety and of these schools they
school safety and of these schools they had an 18 percent graduation rate
had an 18 percent graduation rate
had an 18 percent graduation rate increase compare that with a 3% increase
increase compare that with a 3% increase
increase compare that with a 3% increase for other low-performing schools in one
for other low-performing schools in one
for other low-performing schools in one of the schools in rural Northern
of the schools in rural Northern
of the schools in rural Northern Michigan student voice is vibrant in
Michigan student voice is vibrant in
Michigan student voice is vibrant in 2014 their student Action Team was
2014 their student Action Team was
2014 their student Action Team was disgusted by the antiquated state of
disgusted by the antiquated state of
disgusted by the antiquated state of their building and infrastructure and
their building and infrastructure and
their building and infrastructure and generated a long list of improvements
generated a long list of improvements
generated a long list of improvements their ideas help to create a 5.2 million
their ideas help to create a 5.2 million
their ideas help to create a 5.2 million dollar bond request of their community
dollar bond request of their community
dollar bond request of their community think about how our schools could be
think about how our schools could be
think about how our schools could be different if every student across the
different if every student across the
different if every student across the country had opportunities for voice like
country had opportunities for voice like
country had opportunities for voice like those in Marion when young people turn
those in Marion when young people turn
those in Marion when young people turn 18 we expect them to be competent caring
18 we expect them to be competent caring
18 we expect them to be competent caring contributing members of society but let
contributing members of society but let
contributing members of society but let me ask you this how can we ever expect
me ask you this how can we ever expect
me ask you this how can we ever expect them to be effective participants in a
them to be effective participants in a
them to be effective participants in a democratic society when we rarely let
democratic society when we rarely let
democratic society when we rarely let them make a meaningful decision before
them make a meaningful decision before
them make a meaningful decision before they turn 18 let me tell you about
they turn 18 let me tell you about
they turn 18 let me tell you about another young person whose voice helped
another young person whose voice helped
another young person whose voice helped to create change across the state of
to create change across the state of
to create change across the state of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan Jonnie identifies as gay he’s been
Jonnie identifies as gay he’s been
Jonnie identifies as gay he’s been bullied and harassed ever since he was
bullied and harassed ever since he was
bullied and harassed ever since he was in kindergarten in high school he was
in kindergarten in high school he was
in kindergarten in high school he was driven off the road by a group of peers
driven off the road by a group of peers
driven off the road by a group of peers hurling hateful slurs when he told a
hurling hateful slurs when he told a
hurling hateful slurs when he told a teacher what happened she didn’t know
teacher what happened she didn’t know
teacher what happened she didn’t know what to do she was afraid to speak up
what to do she was afraid to speak up
what to do she was afraid to speak up for yoni because she thought she might
for yoni because she thought she might
for yoni because she thought she might lose her job well yoni talked with other
lose her job well yoni talked with other
lose her job well yoni talked with other students we had similar experiences and
students we had similar experiences and
students we had similar experiences and instead of running from the challenge
instead of running from the challenge
instead of running from the challenge they banded together and created a
they banded together and created a
they banded together and created a large-scale evaluation project to look
large-scale evaluation project to look
large-scale evaluation project to look at harassment in high schools they
at harassment in high schools they
at harassment in high schools they surveyed over 1,100 students and they
surveyed over 1,100 students and they
surveyed over 1,100 students and they wrote a big thick report of their
wrote a big thick report of their
wrote a big thick report of their findings but they didn’t stop there they
findings but they didn’t stop there they
findings but they didn’t stop there they wanted to make their findings more
wanted to make their findings more
wanted to make their findings more accessible so they took stories out of
accessible so they took stories out of
accessible so they took stories out of the report and created a performance
the report and created a performance
the report and created a performance that they called guerrilla theater
that they called guerrilla theater
that they called guerrilla theater guerrilla was performed to over 1,800
guerrilla was performed to over 1,800
guerrilla was performed to over 1,800 students and adults from across the
students and adults from across the
students and adults from across the state of Michigan including the State
state of Michigan including the State
state of Michigan including the State Board of Education their work helped to
Board of Education their work helped to
Board of Education their work helped to change policy and improve educational
change policy and improve educational
change policy and improve educational practice in districts all across
practice in districts all across
practice in districts all across Michigan
Michigan
Michigan you better believe that yoni felt like
you better believe that yoni felt like
you better believe that yoni felt like an engaged responsible citizen after
an engaged responsible citizen after
an engaged responsible citizen after this project imagine if there were
this project imagine if there were
this project imagine if there were pathways for young people to get
pathways for young people to get
pathways for young people to get involved in any institution that affects
involved in any institution that affects
involved in any institution that affects their lives not just schools and teen
their lives not just schools and teen
their lives not just schools and teen centers but parts and recreation city
centers but parts and recreation city
centers but parts and recreation city council
council
council health institutions let me offer a few
health institutions let me offer a few
health institutions let me offer a few ideas about how we might be able to make
ideas about how we might be able to make
ideas about how we might be able to make this happen first bring young people to
this happen first bring young people to
this happen first bring young people to the table ask them what they think now
the table ask them what they think now
the table ask them what they think now they may not answer it first because
they may not answer it first because
they may not answer it first because they’re simply not used to being asked
they’re simply not used to being asked
they’re simply not used to being asked but continue inviting them to the table
but continue inviting them to the table
but continue inviting them to the table and continuing continue asking them
and continuing continue asking them
and continuing continue asking them second listen listen intently young
second listen listen intently young
second listen listen intently young people have very important ideas but we
people have very important ideas but we
people have very important ideas but we don’t do enough listening and then
don’t do enough listening and then
don’t do enough listening and then finally learn to do business differently
finally learn to do business differently
finally learn to do business differently young people don’t tolerate long
young people don’t tolerate long
young people don’t tolerate long drawn-out meetings they communicate
drawn-out meetings they communicate
drawn-out meetings they communicate differently than adults do they’re
differently than adults do they’re
differently than adults do they’re unapologetically direct and they may
unapologetically direct and they may
unapologetically direct and they may have different priorities than we do but
have different priorities than we do but
have different priorities than we do but have no fear respect and embrace it all
have no fear respect and embrace it all
have no fear respect and embrace it all I believe that young people must be seen
I believe that young people must be seen
I believe that young people must be seen heard and involved in the institutions
heard and involved in the institutions
heard and involved in the institutions and policies that impact their lives and
and policies that impact their lives and
and policies that impact their lives and I believe this because every day young
I believe this because every day young
I believe this because every day young people show me they’re confident they’re
people show me they’re confident they’re
people show me they’re confident they’re caring and they can make amazing
caring and they can make amazing
caring and they can make amazing contributions when given the opportunity
contributions when given the opportunity
contributions when given the opportunity I challenge you if you’re an educator if
I challenge you if you’re an educator if
I challenge you if you’re an educator if you’re a parent or a community member at
you’re a parent or a community member at
you’re a parent or a community member at large look at ways to amplify youth
large look at ways to amplify youth
large look at ways to amplify youth voice it’s good for their development
voice it’s good for their development
voice it’s good for their development it’s good for our communities and it’s
it’s good for our communities and it’s
it’s good for our communities and it’s important for the future of our
important for the future of our
important for the future of our democracy thank you
you
you [Applause]
[Music] [Applause]
twenty-eight years ago countries from
twenty-eight years ago countries from across the blow gathered to declare that
across the blow gathered to declare that
across the blow gathered to declare that you have a right to participate in any
you have a right to participate in any
you have a right to participate in any matter or procedure affecting their
matter or procedure affecting their
matter or procedure affecting their lives for me
lives for me
lives for me participation isn’t just about showing
participation isn’t just about showing
participation isn’t just about showing up it’s about having authentic roles and
up it’s about having authentic roles and
up it’s about having authentic roles and making meaningful decisions when we
making meaningful decisions when we
making meaningful decisions when we think about the places that you
think about the places that you
think about the places that you typically inhabit schools
typically inhabit schools
typically inhabit schools community-based programs our families
community-based programs our families
community-based programs our families our youth encouraged to take authentic
our youth encouraged to take authentic
our youth encouraged to take authentic roles are they even allowed to make
roles are they even allowed to make
roles are they even allowed to make meaningful decisions
meaningful decisions
meaningful decisions research shows that youth voice and
research shows that youth voice and
research shows that youth voice and decision making is a powerful agent for
decision making is a powerful agent for
decision making is a powerful agent for youth development that it strengthens
youth development that it strengthens
youth development that it strengthens the organizations that serve youth and
the organizations that serve youth and
the organizations that serve youth and that it helps to foster democracy for
that it helps to foster democracy for
that it helps to foster democracy for nearly three decades of working with
nearly three decades of working with
nearly three decades of working with young people I’ve seen the power and the
young people I’ve seen the power and the
young people I’ve seen the power and the benefits of youth voice and
benefits of youth voice and
benefits of youth voice and participation at neutral zone a youth
participation at neutral zone a youth
participation at neutral zone a youth driven teen center where I’ve served for
driven teen center where I’ve served for
driven teen center where I’ve served for the past 12 years I’ve seen young people
the past 12 years I’ve seen young people
the past 12 years I’ve seen young people stop start and run a publishing company
stop start and run a publishing company
stop start and run a publishing company throw a large outdoor scale music
throw a large outdoor scale music
throw a large outdoor scale music festival collaborate on our
festival collaborate on our
festival collaborate on our organizations strategic plan and serve
organizations strategic plan and serve
organizations strategic plan and serve on our board of directors and by the way
on our board of directors and by the way
on our board of directors and by the way they make up nearly half of our 30 board
they make up nearly half of our 30 board
they make up nearly half of our 30 board seats Auliya showed up at the neutral
seats Auliya showed up at the neutral
seats Auliya showed up at the neutral zone when she was 13 and she quickly got
zone when she was 13 and she quickly got
zone when she was 13 and she quickly got involved in many of our youth driven
involved in many of our youth driven
involved in many of our youth driven programs
programs
programs she found a powerful outlet for her
she found a powerful outlet for her
she found a powerful outlet for her voice in volume or spoken word poetry
voice in volume or spoken word poetry
voice in volume or spoken word poetry program her mighty poems ranged in
program her mighty poems ranged in
program her mighty poems ranged in topics from being a Palestinian in a
topics from being a Palestinian in a
topics from being a Palestinian in a post-911 world to coming to grips with
post-911 world to coming to grips with
post-911 world to coming to grips with the recent death of her mother she
the recent death of her mother she
the recent death of her mother she joined our music programs where she
joined our music programs where she
joined our music programs where she helped to manage youth on records the
helped to manage youth on records the
helped to manage youth on records the very first independent youth led record
very first independent youth led record
very first independent youth led record label in the country one day she and her
label in the country one day she and her
label in the country one day she and her friend Martin came up to me and said hey
friend Martin came up to me and said hey
friend Martin came up to me and said hey John
John
John teens run everything here at the neutral
teens run everything here at the neutral
teens run everything here at the neutral zone but we don’t run the studio what’s
zone but we don’t run the studio what’s
zone but we don’t run the studio what’s up with that
up with that
up with that well I agreed and dedicated to helping
well I agreed and dedicated to helping
well I agreed and dedicated to helping them make a change we found a group of
them make a change we found a group of
them make a change we found a group of college students who helped them write a
college students who helped them write a
college students who helped them write a business plan and then we put together a
business plan and then we put together a
business plan and then we put together a group of friendly potential investors
group of friendly potential investors
group of friendly potential investors and we let Martin and alia make their
and we let Martin and alia make their
and we let Martin and alia make their pitch well guess what they raised over
pitch well guess what they raised over
pitch well guess what they raised over $30,000 we completely remodeled our
$30,000 we completely remodeled our
$30,000 we completely remodeled our studio and we launched a new youth
studio and we launched a new youth
studio and we launched a new youth enterprise at the neutral zone the
enterprise at the neutral zone the
enterprise at the neutral zone the orpheum a youth led studio wouldn’t it
orpheum a youth led studio wouldn’t it
orpheum a youth led studio wouldn’t it be amazing if every young person had
be amazing if every young person had
be amazing if every young person had opportunities for voice like alia did
opportunities for voice like alia did
opportunities for voice like alia did think about how they could develop and
think about how they could develop and
think about how they could develop and thrive if they had those kinds of
thrive if they had those kinds of
thrive if they had those kinds of experiences but most young people don’t
experiences but most young people don’t
experiences but most young people don’t consider schools places where young
consider schools places where young
consider schools places where young people feel little investment and no
people feel little investment and no
people feel little investment and no voice in fact they don’t think much
voice in fact they don’t think much
voice in fact they don’t think much about their school climate either but
about their school climate either but
about their school climate either but who has the most to gain when school
who has the most to gain when school
who has the most to gain when school climate is positive and the most to lose
climate is positive and the most to lose
climate is positive and the most to lose when it is negative and as a majority
when it is negative and as a majority
when it is negative and as a majority population within our schools don’t they
population within our schools don’t they
population within our schools don’t they have a right to be at the table when
have a right to be at the table when
have a right to be at the table when we’re coming up with decisions around
we’re coming up with decisions around
we’re coming up with decisions around school climate well a recent statewide
school climate well a recent statewide
school climate well a recent statewide project showed that this approach has
project showed that this approach has
project showed that this approach has promising results it involved the 22
promising results it involved the 22
promising results it involved the 22 lowest performing high schools from
lowest performing high schools from
lowest performing high schools from across the state of Michigan the focus
across the state of Michigan the focus
across the state of Michigan the focus was on creating safe and supportive
was on creating safe and supportive
was on creating safe and supportive schools not on raising test scores not
schools not on raising test scores not
schools not on raising test scores not on meeting state benchmarks and
on meeting state benchmarks and
on meeting state benchmarks and interestingly enough student involvement
interestingly enough student involvement
interestingly enough student involvement was required of these school reform
was required of these school reform
was required of these school reform efforts after three years 65% of the
efforts after three years 65% of the
efforts after three years 65% of the school showed a significant increase in
school showed a significant increase in
school showed a significant increase in school safety and of these schools they
school safety and of these schools they
school safety and of these schools they had an 18 percent graduation rate
had an 18 percent graduation rate
had an 18 percent graduation rate increase compare that with a 3% increase
increase compare that with a 3% increase
increase compare that with a 3% increase for other low-performing schools in one
for other low-performing schools in one
for other low-performing schools in one of the schools in rural Northern
of the schools in rural Northern
of the schools in rural Northern Michigan student voice is vibrant in
Michigan student voice is vibrant in
Michigan student voice is vibrant in 2014 their student Action Team was
2014 their student Action Team was
2014 their student Action Team was disgusted by the antiquated state of
disgusted by the antiquated state of
disgusted by the antiquated state of their building and infrastructure and
their building and infrastructure and
their building and infrastructure and generated a long list of improvements
generated a long list of improvements
generated a long list of improvements their ideas help to create a 5.2 million
their ideas help to create a 5.2 million
their ideas help to create a 5.2 million dollar bond request of their community
dollar bond request of their community
dollar bond request of their community think about how our schools could be
think about how our schools could be
think about how our schools could be different if every student across the
different if every student across the
different if every student across the country had opportunities for voice like
country had opportunities for voice like
country had opportunities for voice like those in Marion when young people turn
those in Marion when young people turn
those in Marion when young people turn 18 we expect them to be competent caring
18 we expect them to be competent caring
18 we expect them to be competent caring contributing members of society but let
contributing members of society but let
contributing members of society but let me ask you this how can we ever expect
me ask you this how can we ever expect
me ask you this how can we ever expect them to be effective participants in a
them to be effective participants in a
them to be effective participants in a democratic society when we rarely let
democratic society when we rarely let
democratic society when we rarely let them make a meaningful decision before
them make a meaningful decision before
them make a meaningful decision before they turn 18 let me tell you about
they turn 18 let me tell you about
they turn 18 let me tell you about another young person whose voice helped
another young person whose voice helped
another young person whose voice helped to create change across the state of
to create change across the state of
to create change across the state of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan Jonnie identifies as gay he’s been
Jonnie identifies as gay he’s been
Jonnie identifies as gay he’s been bullied and harassed ever since he was
bullied and harassed ever since he was
bullied and harassed ever since he was in kindergarten in high school he was
in kindergarten in high school he was
in kindergarten in high school he was driven off the road by a group of peers
driven off the road by a group of peers
driven off the road by a group of peers hurling hateful slurs when he told a
hurling hateful slurs when he told a
hurling hateful slurs when he told a teacher what happened she didn’t know
teacher what happened she didn’t know
teacher what happened she didn’t know what to do she was afraid to speak up
what to do she was afraid to speak up
what to do she was afraid to speak up for yoni because she thought she might
for yoni because she thought she might
for yoni because she thought she might lose her job well yoni talked with other
lose her job well yoni talked with other
lose her job well yoni talked with other students we had similar experiences and
students we had similar experiences and
students we had similar experiences and instead of running from the challenge
instead of running from the challenge
instead of running from the challenge they banded together and created a
they banded together and created a
they banded together and created a large-scale evaluation project to look
large-scale evaluation project to look
large-scale evaluation project to look at harassment in high schools they
at harassment in high schools they
at harassment in high schools they surveyed over 1,100 students and they
surveyed over 1,100 students and they
surveyed over 1,100 students and they wrote a big thick report of their
wrote a big thick report of their
wrote a big thick report of their findings but they didn’t stop there they
findings but they didn’t stop there they
findings but they didn’t stop there they wanted to make their findings more
wanted to make their findings more
wanted to make their findings more accessible so they took stories out of
accessible so they took stories out of
accessible so they took stories out of the report and created a performance
the report and created a performance
the report and created a performance that they called guerrilla theater
that they called guerrilla theater
that they called guerrilla theater guerrilla was performed to over 1,800
guerrilla was performed to over 1,800
guerrilla was performed to over 1,800 students and adults from across the
students and adults from across the
students and adults from across the state of Michigan including the State
state of Michigan including the State
state of Michigan including the State Board of Education their work helped to
Board of Education their work helped to
Board of Education their work helped to change policy and improve educational
change policy and improve educational
change policy and improve educational practice in districts all across
practice in districts all across
practice in districts all across Michigan
Michigan
Michigan you better believe that yoni felt like
you better believe that yoni felt like
you better believe that yoni felt like an engaged responsible citizen after
an engaged responsible citizen after
an engaged responsible citizen after this project imagine if there were
this project imagine if there were
this project imagine if there were pathways for young people to get
pathways for young people to get
pathways for young people to get involved in any institution that affects
involved in any institution that affects
involved in any institution that affects their lives not just schools and teen
their lives not just schools and teen
their lives not just schools and teen centers but parts and recreation city
centers but parts and recreation city
centers but parts and recreation city council
council
council health institutions let me offer a few
health institutions let me offer a few
health institutions let me offer a few ideas about how we might be able to make
ideas about how we might be able to make
ideas about how we might be able to make this happen first bring young people to
this happen first bring young people to
this happen first bring young people to the table ask them what they think now
the table ask them what they think now
the table ask them what they think now they may not answer it first because
they may not answer it first because
they may not answer it first because they’re simply not used to being asked
they’re simply not used to being asked
they’re simply not used to being asked but continue inviting them to the table
but continue inviting them to the table
but continue inviting them to the table and continuing continue asking them
and continuing continue asking them
and continuing continue asking them second listen listen intently young
second listen listen intently young
second listen listen intently young people have very important ideas but we
people have very important ideas but we
people have very important ideas but we don’t do enough listening and then
don’t do enough listening and then
don’t do enough listening and then finally learn to do business differently
finally learn to do business differently
finally learn to do business differently young people don’t tolerate long
young people don’t tolerate long
young people don’t tolerate long drawn-out meetings they communicate
drawn-out meetings they communicate
drawn-out meetings they communicate differently than adults do they’re
differently than adults do they’re
differently than adults do they’re unapologetically direct and they may
unapologetically direct and they may
unapologetically direct and they may have different priorities than we do but
have different priorities than we do but
have different priorities than we do but have no fear respect and embrace it all
have no fear respect and embrace it all
have no fear respect and embrace it all I believe that young people must be seen
I believe that young people must be seen
I believe that young people must be seen heard and involved in the institutions
heard and involved in the institutions
heard and involved in the institutions and policies that impact their lives and
and policies that impact their lives and
and policies that impact their lives and I believe this because every day young
I believe this because every day young
I believe this because every day young people show me they’re confident they’re
people show me they’re confident they’re
people show me they’re confident they’re caring and they can make amazing
caring and they can make amazing
caring and they can make amazing contributions when given the opportunity
contributions when given the opportunity
contributions when given the opportunity I challenge you if you’re an educator if
I challenge you if you’re an educator if
I challenge you if you’re an educator if you’re a parent or a community member at
you’re a parent or a community member at
you’re a parent or a community member at large look at ways to amplify youth
large look at ways to amplify youth
large look at ways to amplify youth voice it’s good for their development
voice it’s good for their development
voice it’s good for their development it’s good for our communities and it’s
it’s good for our communities and it’s
it’s good for our communities and it’s important for the future of our
important for the future of our
important for the future of our democracy thank you
you
you [Applause]
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