Teens Take Charge

On June 8, NYCHA Youth Leadership Councils – groups composed of 14-21-year-old residents dedicated to addressing community concerns and building leadership skills – came together for celebration and education. The Youth Leadership Council (YLC) Summit featured dance performances, spoken word poems, and singing duets, but the focus was on presentations by the Youth Leadership Councils on their year-long community engagement projects. The YLCs, which tackled issues such as unemployment, drug abuse, and gun violence, explained why they signed up to take on these pressing matters and shared some impressive results. (Check out a video shown to participants vimeo.com/220257222.)

             

The South Bronx YLC focused on community safety. Meeting twice a week throughout the school year, they engaged with local NYPD officers and community organizations dedicated to reducing violence. They also attended networking workshops and met with NYCHA staff and local nonprofits to garner support for their mission. The South Bronx YLC received a nearly $3,000 grant in April from the nonprofit Citizens Committee to continue their neighborhood clean-up projects and their anti-violence campaign.

             

Focusing on gun violence, the Manhattan YLC met with the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, NYPD Police Service Area 5, the Manhattan Borough President’s Office, and many other local organizations to plan a gun collection drive and anti-gun campaigns. Manhattan YLC member Sade Folks wrote a poem urging unity to prevent gun violence.

             

Brooklyn Zone 7 YLC, which includes Brownsville Houses, decided to address unemployment within their community. According to the group: “37 percent of Brownsville residents live below the federal poverty level; it is the poorest neighborhood in Brooklyn and the seventh poorest in NYC. One in six Brownsville adults ages 16 and older is unemployed.” To combat unemployment, the YLC canvassed Van Dyke Houses, spoke with residents about Summer Youth Employment Program jobs, met with local business owners, interviewed the resident association president, and connected with various organizations that agreed to hire Brownsville residents.

               

Each of the 10 YLCs presenting at the Summit cheered the others on, all of them celebrating a year’s worth of hard work. For many, it was their first time engaging with their community. The Summit provided a place for residents to recognize their accomplishments and reaffirm their dedication to community service. NYCHA’s Resident Engagement Department is currently recruiting new members for next year’s program. Residents who want to join should email Resident.Engagement@nycha.nyc.gov or call 212-306-3488.