“Violence, academics, sports,” are the most important issues facing youth today, says Percy Gordon, adding that youth don’t intend on choosing violence first. “Violence is a mechanism of people, how we were raised. Violence is everywhere.”
The goal of the “Imagine Your Neighborhood Youth Summit,” hosted by the City of Kalamazoo and the Kalamazoo Youth Development Network, was to create an environment where young people ages 14 to 22 could discuss ways to make their neighborhoods better and brighter places.
From walking, to biking, to taking the bus the ways of getting around Kalamazoo are many. Here are some scenes from the street as seen by a Voices of Youth Program participant.
For the summer 2022 Voices of Youth Mahdi Hassnawi’s expressed himself through artwork on the topics of youth mental health.
The latest installment in the Voices of Youth series looks at transportation and getting to school and discusses solutions to late buses.
That youth fear of police is one of the longtime consequences of criminalizing youth, of surveilling youth. Many schools have a police officer there. The idea is that they’re supposed to be keeping people safe. Even young people who’ve never personally had a negative interaction with law enforcement can be fearful, say those who study criminal justice.
Young people including some students at Loy Norrix High School in Kalamazoo are among millions of teens who are confronted with an endless number of choices about where to get their news and information on a daily basis. The endless choices make it challenging to know if a site is credible or not. That makes them cautious when online.
A virtual school year proved difficult for both teachers and students. While teachers tried to connect, some students said they felt isolated at home. One solution is creating a safe classroom where teachers take an individualized approach to students’ mental health.
Voices of Youth lifts up the issues important to youth in our community. This year the youth wanted to report on transportation, youth mental health, and policing.
Food, toiletries, and warm blankets are all part of what Ella Johnson and her family distribute to those homeless individuals they find.
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