Meet our Summer Youth Leaders!
This is the YWCA’s 2nd annual Summer Youth Leadership Program, a 10-week program that focuses on leadership skills and strategies for building healthy identities, relationships, and communities. The summer cohort was selected by the YWCA in partnership with the City of Evanston Mayor’s Summer Youth Employment Program. Participants were chosen from a pool of students and were hired as actual YWCA employees, working 30-hour weeks to learn to become advocates and leaders in the community.
Each of our youth leaders in the Summer 2022 cohort prepared a presentation on a social justice issue of their choice. Read what they had to say about their topics below!
Emerson
14, she/her
"My topic is sexual assault and I chose it because there are too many male and female identifying victims that are afraid to speak up. That isn't right to me."
Cross
14, he/him
"I chose redlining because I feel like it is one of the biggest subtopics of racism. If everyone had the same opportunity for housing it would lead to equal opportunity in education and more."
Juniper
14, he/they
"My topic is trans rights and I chose it because I am part of the transgender community. I want bring more attention to the struggles that trans people go through and stop bias and stigma."
Jamezze
14, he/him
"My subject is Adultism. A lot of the issues that I face is because of adults and how they try to overpower young people. Adults can still be role models while having respect for youth."
Kamari
14, he/him
"My project subject is Colin Kaepernick taking a knee. Social justice topics are everywhere and should be present in sports."
Archie
14, he/him
"I chose gun violence in America. I want to see laws change to make it harder for people to access guns."