|
 |
 Email This  Printable Version
|
| |
The Four Truths
Truth #1: Youth are the experts on youth and are ready to lead
“I’m learning that we have amazing, talented and smart youth and if we just listen to them it’s pretty obvious what we should be doing…”
What we learned and why it’s important: Through these dialogues we experienced how respect begets respect. When we respected the input of the youth we gave them ownership of the issue at hand, which encouraged their respect for our shared community. We also heard that when young people feel respected they are given an incentive to distance themselves from violent behavior and gang activity. We learned that the youth in our community are capable of a lot more than we give them credit for: they are wise and thoughtful and they add significant insight to the conversation. Adults need to intentionally create avenues to involve youth in decision making, and then step out of the way while the youth make this structure their own.
Truth #2: Move from stereotype to story
“I feel like tonight was one of the best experiences I’ve had in Tacoma, hearing people in Tacoma share their stories in a very authentic way. I wouldn’t trade it for the world. It didn’t have to be one story, the story we had in the media. It was the myriad that added to the fabric. We felt the strength of the community, people making choices and standing with each other.”
What we learned and why it’s important: Historically in Tacoma, people with different life experiences do not have the opportunity to hear each other’s stories. It is powerful for youth who live with violence to be able to tell their stories to adults who have the resources to support positive change. It is also powerful for adults to engage in authentic conversations with youth from different backgrounds in order to learn more about what is actually going on in our community. Storytelling is a dynamic activity that creates relationships and helps us grow together by putting a face to an issue. As we began to know the young people in these dialogues, and as they got to know us, we made new friends. We ate dinner together, discussed our families, laughed about and tackled tough questions without feeling judged.
Truth #3: Each of us has a role in creating peace
“I was really moved by what (one) young man had to say. He confirmed my observation that you need one person to make a difference – that’s all it takes – just one. It makes me sad.”
What we learned and why it’s important: A common theme among many of the youth in our dialogues was that they and their peers go through their days without receiving or giving acts of caring and respect. Although we recognized that the youth in these dialogues have either left gangs or had to proactively avoid them, it brought up a key point of learning for all of us. We heard that if there was one adult or one situation, where a teacher, mentor, coach, or counselor went out of their way to show that they cared, respected them, and/or recognized their talent, it made all the difference. Each young person was able to speak to a specific instance that changed the course of their decisions, and it provided reflection for all the attendees to think about the event that buoyed them through a tough time. Even if it was one person or one time, being called out for being good often affects our entire lives. Many of these youth told stories of their friends who did not receive this type of affirmation from the adults in their lives, and these kids turned to others who directed them toward violence.
Truth #4: Arts are a tool for social change and a direct alternative to violence
What we learned and why it’s important: We were overwhelmed by how the young people at the dialogues expressed themselves in creative ways. Youth thrive when given the chance to be creative, in part because creativity is an outlet for social change. The dialogues illuminated an opportunity in our community to connect a young person’s need for creativity with how programs are developed and offered. We also recognized that creativity taps into the entrepreneurial spirit that many young people have, which provides programs with the structure to teach business and career building skills. Many youth used art in a way that could help support the sustainability of the organizations and programs that serve them. Including them in the planning and design of these programs was a key to fully engaging them, thereby encouraging a shift from a violent lifestyle.
|
| |
|
Email This Printable Version |
|
|
|
|
