Youth Leadership Council Celebrates Year of Advocacy, Activism

More than 200 people attended NYCHA’s second Youth Voice Counts Leadership Summit in June to celebrate the Youth Leadership Councils’ (YLC) ongoing work.

YLCs help young people grow into civic leaders and advocates for change. Members between the ages of 14 and 21 receive training and mentoring to address pressing issues in their neighborhoods. The councils are divided into 15 geographical zones across the city. They meet over the course of the school year to brainstorm solutions and create action plans.

Nadriah Collins, president of the 4 The Rock YLC, explained that her group decided to make a short film to explain how drugs affects everyone in their communities. “We wanted to shine some light on what can happen to young people who do drugs, or feel peer pressured into doing them.” She added: “Even though everyone else is doing it, it’s still okay to say no.”

Brooklyn East YLC/Zone 7, which includes Brownsville Houses, beautified the neighborhood and held a youth health and fitness fair to combat childhood obesity. YLC members Zachary Rumnit, 16, and Kamiya White, 15, were proud of the fair, which included fun activities like Zumba, a Double-Dutch obstacle course, and instructional boxing, as well as the day they spent painting benches and chairs at Van Dyke Houses.

Sideya Sherman, NYCHA’s Executive Vice President for Community Engagement and Partnerships, told the YLC members how proud everyone at NYCHA was for their contributions. “You have succeeded beyond our wildest dreams,” she said. “From organizing wellness fairs to creating an interactive map of community resources that neighbors can add to, from spearheading a recycling drive to addressing violence head-on, you have demonstrated that young people care about the peace, unity, safety and health of NYCHA residents throughout the five boroughs.”

Former Pomonok Houses resident Kavell Brown was a guest speaker at the event. A 2017 Syracuse graduate and current executive assistant at HBO’s office of Corporate Social Responsibility, Mr. Brown told YLC members that change starts with them. “We’re the ones who will change society,” he said. “Often we feel like we’re undervalued or put aside because we’re starting at the bottom in low-income communities. But we’re the ones society is looking for—we have the compassion and we find the beauty in our neighborhoods.” He also advised YLC members to make sure they surround themselves with positive circles of friends.

If you are a NYCHA resident interested in joining the YLC in your area, email Resident.Engagement@nycha.nyc.gov or call 718-707-5490/5438.